100 Reasons To Move Overseas: Part One

Everyone has their own motivations to consider a big move. Here are some common (and not so common) ones.
1. Because you want a different lifestyle than what you have now. Perhaps you're tired of planning your evenings around what is on television.

2. Learning a new language is fun, and it is a valuable skill in today's marketplace.

3. So that your kid can learn a second (or third or fourth) language as well. I can see the children of immigrants to the US quickly passing up US born kids once they graduate with dual language skills.

4. To experience a different culture.

5. To develop a new perspective on the world and its people.

6. To live on the cheap. When I lived in Guanajuato, Mexico; I paid $100 USD for an apartment that had more balconies and a much better view than anyplace I've lived in the States.

7. To be free from an unpleasant work situation or maximize freelance earnings. Let's face it, if you're an freelance coder making $1000 a month and do your work online, why live like a pauper?

8. Because you can. I have a Master's degree in education with an emphasis on teaching English as a Second Language. This pretty much guarantees a halfway decent job anywhere around the globe.

9. To escape undesirable parts of US culture. Perhaps you would like to live in a country that reminds you of the "good old days" when people socialized in the town square in the evenings instead of holing up with the television in an anonymous apartment.

10. To escape legal prosecution. Of course that wouldn't apply to anyone reading this blog, would it?

11. To give your child the experience of a lifetime. Some of the most well-rounded kids I've met are world citizens. My son was friends with a 10 year-old girl who spoke four languages fluently and had the knack of making friends easily as well as carrying on an intelligent conversation with adults.

12. Saying goodbye to the public school system in the US. Most of our public schools are in crisis. I have worked in several, and it is a nationwide problem. I do not look forward to my younger son going to middle school. My older son opted out of the system somewhat by obtaining a GED and beginning college a year early.

13. Homeschooling your kid. For some, moving to another country can provide the means to homeschool since two incomes are usually no longer necessary.

14. Providing your child with an education at an international school. These schools are attended largely by the children of diplomats and other people who have business in another country. For some reason, gang activity in these schools is quite low. Hmmm.

15. Starting a business with a low start-up cost. People also usually get tax breaks when they start businesses abroad. New businesses in developing countries can turn out to be pretty lucrative for those who are good at predicting trends.

16. To retire and live like a king. You may not be living like a king (or queen), but in the right country, you could easily be in the top 5 percent income bracket.

17. To volunteer. Habitat for Humanity engages in many overseas projects, as do many other nonprofits.

18. To do mission work. There is a wonderful mission in Africa that involves creating wells for people with no access to potable water.

19. To make friends. When I lived in Mexico, I went to far more gatherings and parties than I do here. I found the people to be very open to meeting new people. For example, once I sat next to a woman on a bus who I had spoken with in the mercado two weeks prior and she invited me over for coffee. That just doesn't seem to happen much in the US.

20. To share what you know. I enjoy teaching and entertaining, and one of the things I did in Guanajuato was host a Thanksgiving dinner for 40 people. I imported some of the ingredients, and had to take the bus to San Miguel de Allende to buy the turkeys, but it was fun. There were 10 bottles of tequila left over afterwards too!

21. To have fun. Whenever I went to a children's party in Mexico, the adults played games too. There's nothing like tequila with your cake to liven up a party!

22. To experience new things. Of course this goes along with fun. I had never had a barbeque on top of a mountain before living in Mexico.

23. To slow down. In some countries, it takes forever to get things done. Once you become used to people being late to appointments and telling you a project will be ready a week before it actually is, it is quite nice. I found that my stress level went down quite a bit when I mentally switched from running around mode to relax mode.

24. To have a cleaner house. In a place where housing is inexpensive, it is common for people to have a housekeeper. The cost is generally $150 to $200 USD per month. Depending on the level of luxury you want to take your lifestyle to, you can also provide employment to a cook and a gardener at around the same rates.

25. To eat better. In many parts of the world, people's diet consists of produce and meat that is grown and raised locally. Not coincidentally, it tastes much better.

Guanajuato, Mexico: How I Did It

Leaving the TESOL conference, I was bummed out. I had gotten job offers in Columbia, Spain, Turkey and Brazil, but what I had really wanted was a teaching job in Mexico. On the plane, I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me. She mentioned that she had a friend who needed someone to run his language school in Guanajuato. That worked. I got off the plane a happy person.

Sometimes networking will get you further than any job board, although there are some excellent ones out there. If I hadn't found a job in Mexico through serendipity, I would have traveled there and asked around until I found something. Just like in the US, sometimes it's who you know, or who you have happened to talk to.

Moving there was a piece of cake compared to most moves. Furniture was sold, and I quickly realized that I didn't need at least 90 percent of my possessions. With a suitcase and two boxes apiece, my seven-year-old son and I hopped on the plane to Guanajuato.

The first thing we did was find an inexpensive hotel. Paying about $12 a night, we hung about until we met a few people who were delighted to show us some apartments they knew about around town. Some were awful. I particularly remember one where the bathroom consisted of a shower with a toilet inside it. Finally, however, we found a gem. Located about a quarter mile up winding alleyways, it had three balconies, tiled floors, a stove and a refrigerator. It did not have hot water, at least not until the gas guy stopped by about a week later. The neighbors never did mention the screaming coming from our bathroom as I took icy cold showers. I've never washed my hair so fast!

On a trip to nearby Dolores Hidalgo, I discovered factories that produced that wonderful rustic furniture that costs so much in the United States. My most expensive purchase was an amoire for $150. Delivery was included. Thus the apartment was furnished.



A few days later, a new friend recommended a lady who would cook lunch for us and clean our house. Her charge was $100 a month. She kept the house spotless, and we were very well fed. I felt guilty about the going rate and gave her a washing machine so that she wouldn't have to wash her families clothes by hand after coming home from doing our family's laundry. The people who had recommended her, a Norwegian family who lived down the alley, were paying $400 a month for their not-as-cute apartment, by the way. I was really glad that I had waited until we were there before renting.

Fortunately, my job was literally next door to my son's school, a private one where all of the girls went gaga over his blond hair and the tuition was $100 a month. After school, he used to come over to my classroom, where he would do his homework and then serve as my helper. Life was good. These days he is a volunteer tutor for our local ESL program. He loves how the Spanish he learned as a kid comes in so handy.

My employer promised to pay for my FM3 work visa. I didn't get one until I had already been working in the country for four months. It was not a joyful experience. I had to hop on the bus three different times to go to the consulate in San Miguel de Allende, where I was told to come back with a different paper that I hadn't been told about the time before. The last time, they weren't going to give it to me because I was wearing earrings in my photo. My eyes teared up. I got the visa. I don't think the guy could stand to see a woman cry.

Other than the visa, the process was a remarkably smooth one, unlike our move to Portugal, which is a whole 'nuther story.

Destination: Cozumel, Mexico

Living in Cozumel is much less expensive than visiting Cozumel. If you don't mind not living on the beachfront, you can buy a house for the same price as one in a yukky neighborhood in Houston. You can also find a place to rent. Of course, it is best to find a long-term place to stay once you are already there, as networking with your Spanish or a Spanish-speaking friend can help you get an excellent deal.

I like the idea of relocating to Cozumel for the same reason that a lot of people enjoy visiting this island--I love to snorkel. I also enjoy the beaches, as does my son. It looks like a great place to homeschool, although it appears that housing prices are a bit higher here than many other cities in Mexico. Still, compared to US beach towns, it's a steal. With dolphins, jungles and submarines, it gives one the opportunity to either have constant adventures or simply completely chill out.

One disadvantage for me is that finding a job teaching English would be tough. However, I can absolutely see living there on income generated from writing, programming, or other online work.

7 Essential Items To Take With You

As I mentioned in my previous post, when you decide to chuck it all and move overseas, you realize that you really didn't need all of that stuff that has been cluttering up your house anyway. That said, here are seven things that I highly suggest bringing with you.

1. Your laptop computer, flat-screen TV, and any other smallish electronic items such as your hairdryer. Electronics are generally the costliest things to replace.


2. Quite a few clothes. You can always donate the ones that you end up not wearing, but in this case, it can be better to have too many rather than not enough. At least this holds true in my case, as most countries don't have clothing available for women who are six feet tall. Shoes also go in this category--I wear a size eleven.


3. A comfort item or two. For me, this is my teddy bear whom I have had since I was a child and my favorite coffee mug. It's good to have that touch of familiarity.


4. A good supply of any food item that you feel you cannot live without and that is not available in your destination city. I can't imagine not having tea, and I drink decaf, something that is certainly not available in many places.


5. An iPod loaded with your favorite music, or a stack of CD's. In order to take up less room, I keep my CD's in books and throw away the cases. The next time I move, however, all of the music will be on the computer and iPod. The same goes for DVD's. While you're storing data on the computer, be sure to scan your family pics and upload them to Flickr.


6. A couple of books to trade. Also bring a good pocket translation dictionary or an electronic translator. I have also found to Lonely Planet's guidebooks to be very comprehensive, invaluable resources.


7. Extra supplies of moisturizer or lipstick that you have grown especially attached to. Estee Lauder isn't typically easily available in many places. This also applies to perfume, foundation, and for you guys, your special razor.

Everything else pretty much will fit under the category of Things People Should Pack When Traveling. Of course you will have your passport, copies of important papers, medication, children, etc. What things do you think are invaluable when moving to another country?