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Thursday, March 28

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Expat Fear: What is keeping you from living abroad? Crime & Safety

When it comes to picking ourselves up and moving to another country, fear is one of those things that shouts out to us. Although it can overwhelm us, it is not necessarily a negative to feel fear. It’s an instinct we were born with and for excellent reason. If you are an impulsive person like me, then you know why I sometimes welcome fear. When I first decided I wanted to travel and live as an expat, my first thought was to sell everything, throw caution to the wind and head out on some wild adventure. Luckily, a little fear intervened on my behalf and diverted a disaster. It made me stop and think of the what ifs. Made me slow down and find the answers I needed to hear and prepare for, even if they were exaggerated worries.  In this article we will discuss the fear o...

Expat Fear: What is keeping you from living abroad? Language barriers

You walk into a restaraunt with confidence. You've been practicing your food order in Spanish all morning. At the cash register is the waitress, waiting with pen in hand. You smile and blurt out Quiero una hamburguesa con queso, por favor. It's done. All your studying has paid off and soon you will be eating a juicy cheeseburger. Instead of taking the money you laid on the counter though, she looks at you with her own grin and asks. Quieres papas fritas? You're in shock. All you can do is stand and stare back at the waitress. You didn't practice in case someone asked you questions. What do you do? This may sound a little silly, but it's a true story and it happened to me in a Burger King in Buenos Aires. I don't tell you this to add to your anxiety of being an English speaker w...

Leaving Loved Ones Behind

Leaving loved ones behind|Expat Fear Series When it comes to our fears, the unknown may be the scariest of all. Many have thought once or twice of moving and living abroad, only stopped by their own minds. What is it about the fear of traveling or moving to another country that stops us and what can we do about it? We’ve surveyed and found what held many expats back for years until finally, they overcame the anxiety of leaving home and living abroad. Let's look at those fears of leaving loved ones behind. Most people said the number one reason for deciding against moving to another country was leaving loved ones behind. We fill our everyday lives with family and friends who make us feel comfortable and when it comes down to it; we like the security it makes us feel. The fe...