Expats - Living In A Foreign Country Overseas, Tips, Advice, Forums

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Tips on moving to France

Travel 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 expats, the moments of happy discovery far outweigh the bad times.

There are ways to help make sure that this is true for you.

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? You'll surely be disappointed by even the most glorious scenery if that's the case. 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. If you bring an understanding that the ways things are done at home is not better or worse...just different and you learn to appreciate the differences, your life in another country will be an adventure that you will enjoy.

Get the expatriates' view here in forums, chats & other online communities offering an insider's look on what it's like living over there....

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.

Canuk Abroad - For Canadian expats abroad, or Canadians planning to travel, with links and information about cheap flights and tickets, cheap trains, hostels, hotels, guide books, overseas jobs.

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 messageboards, e-lists, related links and resources.