How many of you are expat American citizens that moved to other countries? (fit in)

[andreaspercheron]

How many of you are US citizens that moved to another country to live?
How has the experience been?
Do you miss a lot or a little about living in the US vs your new home?
How were you treated as an american in a foreign country?

Have any US citizens moved to Belize or Costa Rica?

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by andreaspercheron

How many of you are US citizens that moved to another country to live?
How has the experience been?
Do you miss a lot or a little about living in the US vs your new home?
How were you treated as an american in a foreign country?

I moved to England. It's definitely an experience I'm glad I took advantage of, there is a LOT about living in England I love and will dearly miss when I move back to the US. But I also miss a lot about the US, mainly my family and friends. And the weather! There was an adjustment period where getting used to the culture and differences could be frustrating but there were also fun, exciting experiences about trying new things.

I've never encountered any mistreatment from people over here. But at the same time, I've seen a LOT of anti-americanism on the internet and I sometimes get a little paranoid that people are all nice and smiles to me in real life but turn around and slate American life or culture on the internet. But I have no proof of that so I try not to think about it. Mostly the people I've met either don't make any comments about me being foreign or they are simply curious and ask the usual questions: Where are you from? Why did you move here? Do you like it here? etc.

One of the things would bother me was when people would talk about or make jokes relating to their culture and I would be totally lost. For example, if they'd talk about some childhood TV show I'd never heard of or talk about celebrities I didn't recognize. It wasn't their fault but it was really awkward for me. I was happy to just stay quiet until the conversation shifted (I'd later ask my husband about it but I felt stupid asking in front of everyone) but then you'd get people saying things like "Oh the poor American probably doesn't have a clue what we're talking about!" and then laugh like it's funny that I feel totally out of place.

But that was all a part of the adjustment period too.

[Tiger Beer]

I'm living in Japan, and previously had lived in South Korea, Brazil, Austria, and Spain.

South America and Asia has been GREAT....Europe was just okay.

Sometimes I miss driving a car just for the feel of it. But generally I much prefer the very pedestrian-oriented cities outside of the U.S. You just save thousands of dollars without dealing gas and auto maintenance.

I sometimes miss some of the fastfood restaurants like Arbys, Wendys, etc. Although generally speaking, the foods almost everywhere outside of the U.S. is 1000 times healthier and more substance to it, so I guess I just miss that junk food like that on occassions.

How is as an American abroad. It is generally extremely fine with the locals. I just strongly avoid political discussions with Europeans and Canadians. Politically I agree with them, but particularly during the Bush years, they just had a repetitive pattern of dissing ALL Americans regardless of where you stand on issues.

Regarding Belize and Costa Rica. I haven't been to either one, but my understanding is that Costa Rica is absolutely filled with foreigners all over the place. The little I've heard of Belize has been extremely negative, supposedly divers stomach Belize because of the diving, but I've heard almost nothing else good about living in Belize.

[Huckleberry3911948]

to stop the bad mouthing of the united states you must live and work in another country, even a good one. they are not even on the same page.
the sweetest words i ever heard after 5 years of that was "welcome home huck" by US customs.

[andreaspercheron]

Thanks to all for their responses.

[Scotslass]

I can only speak for my fiance that has lived with me in Scotland for 3 years and loves it. He likes alot about living here but he still misses some things about the U.S

Every country has good and bad points to it. I like that fact that i get 6 weeks paid vacation, the health and safety seems to be better here. Your tax is all done for you and things are closer together.

Though we both hate the weather here and the cost of living is higher.
There are more opportunities there as its a bigger country.

[Teak]

andreaspercheron, I have lived overseas for 14 years: 1 year in China and now 13 years in Malaysia.

I do not really miss much about the USA. I do miss my family, of course, but they are easily reached via skype (cheap or free phone calls over the internet) and, in fact, my parents say that they talk to me more than they do my siblings who all live in American states.

Anywhere one goes, whether it is the next county over, or a foreign country, there is a need to fit in as much as possible. Malaysia has a stable government and low taxes on income earned in-country. They do not tax money brought in from overseas. It is a low-cost environment relative to the US$ and, I think, should grow in popularity as a retirement destination. There are many British, Korean and Japanese coming here to retire, but few Americans due to ignorance about SE Asia, other than Thailand and Sinagpore.