MAIN Travel Living Abroad

Travel overseas takes a new turn when it extends to months or even years.

Living and working in a foreign country means more than learning new languages and customs, and it's never quite like what it seems in travel books and brochures!

Like any new experience, living abroad has it's wonderful moments — and then there are those moments when all you want to do is run home. For most expatriots or "expats", the moments of happy discovery far outweigh the bad times.

How to live happily abroad.

For one, make sure you have a realistic idea of what living in another country will bring. Are you expecting a food shop down the street and nightspots open until the wee hours? Or are you looking to commute from a rural area complete with storybook scenery? Find out about the ambiance of the place you are going to call home before you get there so you can mentally prepare for most of the changes you'll face.

The best part of living abroad is that most locals welcome strangers, if a bit slowly at first. Help will be available if you learn how to ask for it. Learning a foreign language, where applicable, certainly helps.

Ultimately, if you bring a wider understanding that the ways things are done at home is not better or worse - just different (and you learn to appreciate the differences) - then you'll find that your life in another country can be one sweet adventure.

Just up ahead, get more expert tips on a successful transition to another country, featuring other expatriate's views in forums, chats & related online communities offering an insider's look on what it's like living over there....

also see -> Relocating & Cost of Living in the USA

Business Travel | Hotels | Passports | Train Travel

Australian Taxes | Canada Taxes | UK Taxes | U.S. State Taxes

also see in Home Legal Guide -> US Immigration Laws

More about ex-pat living around the Web:

ExpatExchange - Expatriate central with hundreds of forums to exchange info, ideas and practical advice with other expats in countries worldwide, together with newsletters, feature articles and an extensive directory of related links and resources.

iAgora - Resources and community support for internationals and expatriates everywhere with insider information on housing, jobs, travel, and practical info as well as a forum and chat.

Travel and Living Abroad - The U.S. State Department's extensive resource for American citizens with advisories, health and travel, passport and visa, dual citizenship info and more.

Expatica - User-friendly resource for for expatriates living in, working in, or moving to the Netherlands, Germany, France or Belgium, with news, community, feature articles, housing and jobs info and an online dating service especially for expats.

Transitions Abroad - The digital version of the print magazine, and a virtual clearinghouse of information and resources for work and study abroad programs, plus news, feature articles, related links and publications.

The Irish Emigrant - Charting the Irish around the world with information on moving to Ireland, the Irish abroad, emigrant aid and financial resources, job listings, news & opinion features and a very busy online forum.

Expat Expert - News, related publications and links, but the real draw is the Reading Room wherein expert Robin Pascoe's reports from the front lines covering family, work, kids, culture shock, and related practical info for the expat.

Tales from a Small Planet - Online magazine featuring humor and real-life tales from the expat perspective including message boards, e-lists, related links and resources.

Expat Financial - Expatriate & Related Links - Comprehensive list to every known expat resource on the planet with content descriptions.