We get a significant amount of email around here along the lines of, "How do I go ex-pat?" That's akin to asking, "What flavor of ice cream should I like?" The answer is about as individual as it gets.
What we can do is go over some of the things to consider and hopefully come up with some to-dos when it comes to making such a move.
It happens quite frequently throughout history, where a large number of people up and leave a country for financial, political or social reasons. Pre-war Germany is a good example. A great number of folks didn't like the direction the country was taking and decided to bug-out.
It's happening right now in Europe and the States. A great number of people have, or are considering leaving for more hospitable climes. If this describes you, then let's explore the options and problems.
The very first thing you need to do is decide to leave or not. Maybe you think you've done that already, but I mean put all marbles in the circle and see how the game looks then. You are talking about leaving pretty much any familial and social connection you have. This is not just moving across the country, this is a major effort to come home, or for folks to come see you. Are you ready for that level of commitment?
Going ex-pat is a commitment. You have to want it bad enough that you will suffer pretty much anything to make a go of it. The first few months will be incredible difficult. There are a thousand small adjustments to be made in your life, from language to food to people you associate with on a daily basis. You will feel very isolated and strange until you get enough language under your belt to be able to hold a polite conversation on a variety of topics. Nothing will go the way you expected and planned for (see planning), and even tasks such as hooking up water and electrical service, or getting a local SIM card for your phone can be traumatic.
You will also be seen as a tourist and treated as such, paying quite a bit more for things than the guy next to you. Everyone will appear to be digging in your pocket until you can show that you are there to stay, and that takes time. I've spoken a number of times in past articles about the difference between a traveler and a tourist. Becoming an ex-pat requires, in no uncertain terms, that you be a traveler. You have to love the process as much as the product, or you WILL wash out.
As for planning, well, I've lived and worked in five countries (outside of Texas, that is). The best advice here is dump everything you think you need. Pack one suitcase with a week's worth of clothes and a few pictures and go. Don't bring the house. You can get that wherever you're going. If you can't leave it all behind, then don't go. You will want to remain as mobile as possible until you are secure enough to start collecting stuff again.
After you dump all the stuff, triple the amount of money you figure you'll need, excluding transportation to your new home. You'll need to get set up first, and that's going to take some cash, no matter how you slice it, even if you're going the cheapest possible way (tent, backpack, etc.). Even then, you'll want a hot bath once in a while, and that will take a hotel room. Avoid credit cards, as paying bills is a hassle you don't want while you're getting settled.
However you plan to make money in your new home, be sure to have at least three options. More than likely, you'll be on Plan C before things really start clicking. I'm already on Plan G in just four short years. One very good source for ideas on making money is a book called, "Reinventing Yourself Overseas." It's in the Amazon portal in the right column. Excellent book with a lot of great ideas and resources.
Some popular ways to go about living are teaching, writing and translating. These happen to be the three things I chose, with international trading as a sideline, plus whatever other opportunities come along. Keep in mind that having a large toolbox of capabilities will improve your chances tremendously. Language and business skills will go a long way, along with some marketing experience (both for yourself and for an employer). What you need to think about is what can you do that will be rare and/or in demand in your new land.
Using things like LinkedIn helps. You'll find discussion boards for various countries, with the occasional job opportunities popping up. BE CAREFUL! There are a lot of scams offering jobs to ex-pats. Thoroughly check out any prospects. One popular source of dependable jobs is the hotel and leisure sector. Some folks have pretty good luck with the diplomatic route. Just remember, if the employer is legit, they generally don't ask you to put up any money. They pay the way.
The discussion boards will help you learn the ins and outs and ups and downs of your destination. You can get inside information on visas, legal issues, housing, cheap places to get necessities and places to avoid. You might also make a connection or two so that someone will know where you are and how you are doing after you arrive. Having one or two phone numbers for folks nearby is like gold. The traveler's code is that we watch out for each other.
If you're going cold, you'll need to plan on border jumping every so often until you get settled in. Depending on where you are, this can be a brisk walk or an arduous odyssey. I've spent many a night in an airport, train or bus station for this little chore. Keep in mind that most countries don't mind you job hunting (as long as you got bank), but if you start working without a permit or visa, you can scare up some trouble pretty fast in most places outside the US.
A final bit of advice: if you're not willing to dive into the local culture, you won't be long there. By this I mean avoid tourist places and spend as much time as you can afford learning the language and the social graces. Being polite and a good sport will open a lot of doors and mark you as one of the gang. Being a good sport means trying some new food, no matter what part of the animal is comes from, or joining in a social event like Friday night basketball in the neighborhood. Show that you're willing to be part of things, and let folks get a laugh here and there at your expense.
This is both necessary for your integration, and provides protection. If trouble comes, your fellow ex-pats won't be much help, but your neighbors will be. They'll stand up for you and help you should things get a little rough. This has proved to be an invaluable tactic time and again.
The faster and better you can communicate, the more opportunities will come your way. If you can politely greet people, ask for things and be appropriately thankful, you'd be amazed at how fast you will fit in pretty much anywhere. This usually amounts to learning about 10 or 15 phrases, so we're not talking about a major effort for big payoffs.
I've read a lot of articles about going ex-pat, and few have covered these rather important considerations. They don't often dive into the gritty reality of making a real go of it. The biggest mistakes I see people make are being overly attached to stuff, not having backup plans, and being afraid to let go and really immerse in the new culture.
Of the places I've lived, I've never gone there before I moved there, and in only two cases (Ireland and Spain) was I fluent in the language before I stepped off the plane. So it can be done. It is NOT easy, though, and I don't recommend it for anyone but the most hardcore travelers.
This is not the executive transfer for a year type gig. This is a serious attempt to leave an old country and enter a new one for good and on your own. There won't be hazard pay and bonuses and free rides. This is creating your own opportunities and making your own choices in life. The odds are stacked against you and the hardships are plenty, but the rewards are indescribable. It is rugged individualism writ large.
There's plenty of other considerations, and you can find a lot of articles covering them in depth, but as I said, not many bring up these particular topics. To boil it all down to a nutshell (and mix a couple of metaphors), reduce as many variables as you can, then have as many contingencies as you can muster for those that remain. In all cases, be prepared for the unexpected, and learn to trust your instincts and your self.
Becoming an ex-pat, or more appropriately, a transnational citizen, can be a richly rewarding choice and one that is bound to broaden horizons and leave indelible memories. If you want it bad enough, it's yours. But isn't that true of everything in life?
Showing posts with label ex-pat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ex-pat. Show all posts
27.3.12
25.1.12
F.U.B.A.R.
According to the article, the primary reason given for this rather dramatic move was the IRS. It wasn't the level of taxes, which is bad enough, but the fact that the IRS lies to people about agreements it makes with them to settle past claims, and the overall nightmare that is known as the US Tax Code (code being the operative word here, since it is designed to keep anyone from knowing it).
Most folks don't realize that the US is the only country in the world that requires its citizens to file returns every year, regardless of whether they live and work in the US, or not. On top of that, new regulations require the revealing of every asset, bank account and financial holding a person has outside the US.
Oh sure, some will say, that's because so many rich people, like Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, hide their money in tax havens, and they need to 'pay their fair share.' Of course, the law doesn't affect people like that. They know what holes were written into the law to permit them to get away with hiding their assets.
If you know what you are doing, all you have to do is set up a couple of dummy corporations in the few remaining 'tax havens' and POOF! You money disappears off the IRS radar. Corporations know this and use it to their advantage, as well.
An example? A US corporation, we'll call it CorpX, registers in Delaware, which has lots of corp-friendly laws. It then sets up a wholly-owned shell corp in someplace like the Virgin Islands or one of the other Caribbean ghost nations. It hangs out a shingle and pays some lawyer to get mail dropped at his office. The shell corp then does business around the world. Through accounting quackery, all profits are offshored in low-tax jurisdictions, while all losses are repatriated to the mother corp, which then uses them to offset income and avoid taxes at home.
This is how massive corporations with billions in income pay absolutely no taxes in the US, even though they are US-registered entities.
But this is off track a little. They point here is that the tax code has become so onerous and heinous that people are literally forced to renounce their citizenship in order to stay out of bankruptcy due to tax burdens. They little guy doesn't know or can't afford all the little comforts written into the code to protect the Big Guys.
The fact is that most expats pay taxes on income in the jurisdiction where they live, and most countries leave their citizens alone when they live outside the home jurisdiction. Not the US. It's long arm reaches out, and even when the expat doesn't owe taxes, due to local payment and tax treaty provisions, the IRS still wants paperwork. If you don't know all the thousands of applicable rules, you are liable to quite easily miss one or two (hundred). And when you do, the IRS comes down like vultures on a rotting carcass and eat you alive with penaties and fines and other fun things.
Of course, even renouncing citizenship doesn't protect you. The US Code provides that any and all taxes and penalties that were due up to the point a person dropped their citizenship are still due in perpetuity. Believe me, you made a mistake somewhere and they will hold it againt you until you die. And then they'll take it from your heirs.
Recently, Indonesia strengthened its laws regarding citizens living and working abroad. Any income they receive while working outside the country is not reportable at home, as long as it is taxed in the foreign jurisdiction. It also allows folks to discontinue their NPWP, which is the local version of the Social Security Number (SSN) for a variety of reasons, including extended stays outside the country. Granted there's a pretty stiff set of requirements, including an immediate audit by the tax man, but try that under any circumstances with an SSN. You are virtually branded in the US at birth and can not extract yourself for any reason. Even residents in the US who get an SSN while they are living and working in that country are stuck with it for life, and the IRS can and will come after their income and assets anywhere in the world.
I wouldn't have such a great problem with all this, except the code is written to protect the Big Guys and shaft the little guys. The BGs pay little or no taxes by playing 'hide the sausage' in various jurisdictions and through various entities. The LGs are the ones who get the sausage broken off on the relative pittance that they earn, and the pitiful bank accounts and occasional beach house in Tahiti.
If ExxonMobil or GlaxoWellcome or Citibank paid their 'fair share,' I'd feel a lot better about getting stiffed. But when the burden rests on us little guys because the Big Guys lobby their way out of billions in liabilities, it rubs salt in the wound.
All taxes anywhere are a sham. After all, what exactly has any government ever done to help you make money? All I have ever witnessed anywhere in the world are a bunch of lazy do-nothings on the public teat sucking my life-blood for...what? Does the government make any laws that help you or me earn a living? Au contraire. Does government protect us from predatory practices that threaten our livelihoods? Banish the thought...they are a major part of the problem. Does government do anything at all to aid and abet us little guys in creating and amassing wealth? Hahahaha!
So just exactly what are we paying all these taxes for? What services do they render us? What benefit do they buy us? In fact, outside of paying a bunch of lard-assed bureaucrats, bloated militaries and non-productive members of society, what do we get for all the trouble and money we go through to pay our 'fair share?'
Apparently, there are a couple of thousand people a year, and growing, who think that at least one country is so screwed up that it is easier to switch citizenship than fight the corruption and greed at home. That's a sure sign of a sick system.
Having paid taxes in a few countries, I know that most have a fairly straight-forward system with a single-page form. It takes all of a few minutes to work up your annual dues and settle up. I have never had to file less than ten pages in the US, and it takes the better part of a week or two to calculate and re-check everything before filing (God help you if you make a mistake).
What makes it even more egregious is that the IRS is nothing more than the collection arm for a private banking cartel called the Federal Reserve. Sorry, but none of your taxes is paid to the US Treasury. US citizens spend all that time and effort and money on tax preparation firms to pay back the Fed for all the money Congress has borrowed.
It's enough to make a guy want to renounce his citizenship. Glad I'm a Texian!
21.11.10
Thanksgiving On The Far Side
American ex-pats occasionally bring some of their home culture with them. You have to keep in mind that many ex-pats live outside the country because of the oppression and tyranny back home. I'm no different. I was attacked and impovrished by Child Protective Serives (CPS) because of my politics.
I was intimately involved in the Texas separatist movement for many years. They tried a number of times to get me. My father was also a major enemy of the Bush family mafia, and since he was dead, they wanted to pound me into submission.
Basically, my wife got hooked on Xanax, which like other depression "cures", causes a complete break with reality. When she disappeared with our children, CPS at the behest of political forces saw an opportunity to get me. They could find nothing to hang on me. They had no proof that I had committed any crime. So their solution, which they use quite often, is to delay and hem and haw until you are completely broke and can't fight anymore. My fault was nothing more than disagreeing with fascism and having the gaul to fight back.
So, like many ex-pats I know, I have left the American pile of pullshit behind. But, I still have certain customs that are a part of my life and my memories. Thanksgiving is one of them. Giving thanks to the Universe for my life and my small successes seems like a pretty darned good idea.
furthermore, a lot of Indonesians are deeply curious about Americans and the life we live. The only image they have of us is what they see in movies and on TV. Think about that. How much of what you see in the media actually reflects your real life? None.
So, when I said I wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a number of friends wanted to join, taste some of the traditional foods and take part in a well-known American holiday.
I had to make some concessions: some of my friends are muslim, so the food has to be halal; I have to work Thursday, so the celebration will take place on Friday; and turkey is about $100 a kilo here, so I will use chicken instead. However, I will make the sage stuffing, my famous mash potatoes, my world-famous spaghetti sauce, and cheese brocolli. My girl-friend is making bakso soup (bakso is a Chinese meatball) and some other Indonesian favorites.
So far, there are about 20 people on the list for dinner. To a person, they have all asked me what is the story of Thanksgiving, so I've had to discuss the whole history of European invasion of North America.
The first time I celevrated Thanksgiving outside America was when I lived with my family in Dublin, Ireland 30 years ago. We could get a turkey, but it was tough and dry...not like the factory-raised Butterball. What was special about that holiday is it drew us together to perform a ritual we have all celebrated all our lives. There is a warm feeling that comes with rituals.
This year, I am using ayam kampung (village chicken). Ayam kampung is halal, not to mention healthier than the factory birds available at home. They are raised within a mile of my house, have never had growth hormones or vaccines, and are young pullets, so they should be tender and juicy.
The chickens will be slaughtered and plucked on Thursday morning. I will pick them up and prep them Thursday night. Friday, I will cook all day to make enough food for the folks who are coming. Indonesians love anything free, especially food, so I figure at least 30 will actually show up. I'm cooking four chickens, five pounds of potatoes, an acre of brocolli, and enough meatball soup to feed an army. I even bought an oven just for the occasion.
Oh, and the best part is I am making a traditional Texas beverage to compliment the food: margaritas. Picked up a liter of Sauza in Singapore just for the celebration. None of the Indonesians coming for dinner have ever had one. Should be fun!
This is my first Thanksgiving since coming to Indonesia. I have finally reached to point where I can host the celebration, so I have something to celebrate. Thank God for success for hard work. Thank God for a good woman to help me. Thank God for friends who took care of me when I went blind. And thank God for the freedom I have found here in Indonesia.
Just hope my friends and family back in the gulag can one day celebrate also.
And thank God that my children are healthy and growing up well. I hope someday they will take up my fight and finish the job.
I hope they will continue to celebrate this tradition, mindful of its real meaning.
And finally, thanks to the people and nation of Indonesia for letting this crazy foreigner to come here and live his dreams and be part of this amazing country.
I can't wait for the chicken and stuffing sandwiches on Saturday!
I was intimately involved in the Texas separatist movement for many years. They tried a number of times to get me. My father was also a major enemy of the Bush family mafia, and since he was dead, they wanted to pound me into submission.
Basically, my wife got hooked on Xanax, which like other depression "cures", causes a complete break with reality. When she disappeared with our children, CPS at the behest of political forces saw an opportunity to get me. They could find nothing to hang on me. They had no proof that I had committed any crime. So their solution, which they use quite often, is to delay and hem and haw until you are completely broke and can't fight anymore. My fault was nothing more than disagreeing with fascism and having the gaul to fight back.
So, like many ex-pats I know, I have left the American pile of pullshit behind. But, I still have certain customs that are a part of my life and my memories. Thanksgiving is one of them. Giving thanks to the Universe for my life and my small successes seems like a pretty darned good idea.
furthermore, a lot of Indonesians are deeply curious about Americans and the life we live. The only image they have of us is what they see in movies and on TV. Think about that. How much of what you see in the media actually reflects your real life? None.
So, when I said I wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a number of friends wanted to join, taste some of the traditional foods and take part in a well-known American holiday.
I had to make some concessions: some of my friends are muslim, so the food has to be halal; I have to work Thursday, so the celebration will take place on Friday; and turkey is about $100 a kilo here, so I will use chicken instead. However, I will make the sage stuffing, my famous mash potatoes, my world-famous spaghetti sauce, and cheese brocolli. My girl-friend is making bakso soup (bakso is a Chinese meatball) and some other Indonesian favorites.
So far, there are about 20 people on the list for dinner. To a person, they have all asked me what is the story of Thanksgiving, so I've had to discuss the whole history of European invasion of North America.
The first time I celevrated Thanksgiving outside America was when I lived with my family in Dublin, Ireland 30 years ago. We could get a turkey, but it was tough and dry...not like the factory-raised Butterball. What was special about that holiday is it drew us together to perform a ritual we have all celebrated all our lives. There is a warm feeling that comes with rituals.
This year, I am using ayam kampung (village chicken). Ayam kampung is halal, not to mention healthier than the factory birds available at home. They are raised within a mile of my house, have never had growth hormones or vaccines, and are young pullets, so they should be tender and juicy.
The chickens will be slaughtered and plucked on Thursday morning. I will pick them up and prep them Thursday night. Friday, I will cook all day to make enough food for the folks who are coming. Indonesians love anything free, especially food, so I figure at least 30 will actually show up. I'm cooking four chickens, five pounds of potatoes, an acre of brocolli, and enough meatball soup to feed an army. I even bought an oven just for the occasion.
Oh, and the best part is I am making a traditional Texas beverage to compliment the food: margaritas. Picked up a liter of Sauza in Singapore just for the celebration. None of the Indonesians coming for dinner have ever had one. Should be fun!
This is my first Thanksgiving since coming to Indonesia. I have finally reached to point where I can host the celebration, so I have something to celebrate. Thank God for success for hard work. Thank God for a good woman to help me. Thank God for friends who took care of me when I went blind. And thank God for the freedom I have found here in Indonesia.
Just hope my friends and family back in the gulag can one day celebrate also.
And thank God that my children are healthy and growing up well. I hope someday they will take up my fight and finish the job.
I hope they will continue to celebrate this tradition, mindful of its real meaning.
And finally, thanks to the people and nation of Indonesia for letting this crazy foreigner to come here and live his dreams and be part of this amazing country.
I can't wait for the chicken and stuffing sandwiches on Saturday!
10.8.10
Escaping A Run-Away Train
So, you've decided that now is the time to leave Merica and see how the rest of the world lives.
It's not enough to want it, you have to figure out how to do it. You need income and usually a sponsor to get work visas in other countries. Most countries are not as tolerant of illegal workers as Merica has been for many years now. Some countries actively recruit workers with specialized skills, while others make it almost impossible to enter the workforce. If you are at retirement age and have the where-with-all, there are some countries that have special visas just for you.
This article is intended to be the opener for a series that will detail what I know and have learned of Asian opportunities. Some of the resources provided will help with other regions, as well. All of this is intended to be a guide, but by no means a definitive source. You will have to perform due diligence. Immigrations laws change constantly and I have enough work just keeping up with Indonesia. You must do your own research, too. There is a relatively large community of ex-pats worldwide, many of whom write blogs and sites to help others make the jump.
My advice will, of necessity, be focused on Indonesia, since that is where I have chosen to live and because I have nearly three years experience getting around here. Where possible, I will provide more general information and links to other sites with more resources than I have.
I will state this again...YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. MILAGE AND RESULTS WILL VARY. Moving overseas is not easy, especially with families and it takes planning and careful study. It is not, however, impossible.
With all that said, what is the first step? Easy! Remember what Yoda told Luke? "You must unlearn all that you have learned." Merica is not the greatest country on Earth, nor the most free, nor does it have the best of everything. The voice in your hear that keeps telling you that is a script that was implanted back in elementary school and reinforced by daily propaganda from the boob toob. You also need a sense of adventure and a willingness to take the Leap of Faith, because even with ample preparation there is always an element of risk in every choice. I jumped with one carry-on bag and one checked bag and a thousand bucks in my pocket. It now takes a truck to move everything I have after less than three years. So don't worry about what you leave behind, only about what you will do when you land.
Which means you will need a plan. Not just any plan, but one with several layers of back-up. I am on Plan G right now, so don't stop with Plan B or C. Think of at least three things you can do for a living and begin by applying for jobs in those areas. Target about three or four different countries that you want to live in. Sure, you can jump first, but why deal with more variables than you have to, right?
And don't forget the Traveler's Commandment: Figure out how much stuff you need and how much money you need. Double the money and divide the stuff in half. It works pretty darned well, in my experience.
I have traveled quite comfortably for three weeks in Europe with a camera bag and a carry-on. You can always do laundry, so minimal clothing is required. Some items that are indispensable are a towel, a can/bottle opener and a knife. You can always buy clothes as you go, so just enough for the expected weather and one good interview/work outfit will get you started. In other words, think small. You can also have things shipped over after you get settled.
But the big question remains: How do I get going?
Glad you asked. For starters, there is a very good book called,"Reinvent Yourself Overseas" by Scott McDonagh. A great website to go with the book is Escape Artist. I have personally used and benefitted from both resources. Between the two, you will find scads of links, articles, books, and official information on living and working overseas.
You will also want to visit the official government sites of your target countries. I have linked the Indonesian site on the sidebar of this blog. This will give you the latest official information concerning immigration laws and other laws affecting foreigners. For instance, in Indonesia in the past couple of years, they have changed the laws to allow foreigners to own apartments and houses, but they cannot own the land under them. Foreigners can also wholly-own some types of businesses, but the taxes and fees are onerous. If you have trusted friends in-country, you are better off going that route, if you want to start a business. Depending on the type of business, you may find that your destination country has certain benefits and supports, if it provides needed skills and jobs.
An absolute necessity is to thoroughly research the culture of your chosen countries, including rituals, beliefs, practices, and manners. The old maxim of "when in Rome, do as the Romans," applies in all cases. One mistake Mericans tend to make quite often is expecting everyone to accept and act like they do. This is called the Ugly American Syndrome. Symptoms include expecting everyone to speak English, only eating McDonald's and KFC, being oblivious to local manners, and trying to enforce Political Correctness on other cultures. Thirty years ago, when the dollar was king and everyone wanted to be Merican, you might have gotten away with it, but now it can be downright dangerous to your health.
Keeping a low profile is always advisable. Don't advertise that you are Merican and certainly don't rub people's faces in it. Learn the local language, don't go around telling everyone how you do it at home and don't try to convert everyone to Mericanism. After all, if it was that great, you wouldn't want to escape now, would you? Slow and easy does it. You can celebrate Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, just do it quietly in your home. I even go so far as to avoid places where foreigners gather, since those places are prime targets for more radical elements. You get a lot more respect and protection by mixing in with locals and spending your time down at the neighborhood watering hole. The more you show appreciation for your host country, the more backup you will have should problems arise.
In this part, I have talked about some generalities and best practices. In future updates, I will go into actual jobs and skills that you can use to break out, including one you were born into that is quite salable anywhere in the world. All you need is a little certification and a whole set of opportunities open up. I'll also go into some of the complexities involved in visas and work papers. Stay tuned!
It's not enough to want it, you have to figure out how to do it. You need income and usually a sponsor to get work visas in other countries. Most countries are not as tolerant of illegal workers as Merica has been for many years now. Some countries actively recruit workers with specialized skills, while others make it almost impossible to enter the workforce. If you are at retirement age and have the where-with-all, there are some countries that have special visas just for you.
This article is intended to be the opener for a series that will detail what I know and have learned of Asian opportunities. Some of the resources provided will help with other regions, as well. All of this is intended to be a guide, but by no means a definitive source. You will have to perform due diligence. Immigrations laws change constantly and I have enough work just keeping up with Indonesia. You must do your own research, too. There is a relatively large community of ex-pats worldwide, many of whom write blogs and sites to help others make the jump.
My advice will, of necessity, be focused on Indonesia, since that is where I have chosen to live and because I have nearly three years experience getting around here. Where possible, I will provide more general information and links to other sites with more resources than I have.
I will state this again...YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. MILAGE AND RESULTS WILL VARY. Moving overseas is not easy, especially with families and it takes planning and careful study. It is not, however, impossible.
With all that said, what is the first step? Easy! Remember what Yoda told Luke? "You must unlearn all that you have learned." Merica is not the greatest country on Earth, nor the most free, nor does it have the best of everything. The voice in your hear that keeps telling you that is a script that was implanted back in elementary school and reinforced by daily propaganda from the boob toob. You also need a sense of adventure and a willingness to take the Leap of Faith, because even with ample preparation there is always an element of risk in every choice. I jumped with one carry-on bag and one checked bag and a thousand bucks in my pocket. It now takes a truck to move everything I have after less than three years. So don't worry about what you leave behind, only about what you will do when you land.
Which means you will need a plan. Not just any plan, but one with several layers of back-up. I am on Plan G right now, so don't stop with Plan B or C. Think of at least three things you can do for a living and begin by applying for jobs in those areas. Target about three or four different countries that you want to live in. Sure, you can jump first, but why deal with more variables than you have to, right?
And don't forget the Traveler's Commandment: Figure out how much stuff you need and how much money you need. Double the money and divide the stuff in half. It works pretty darned well, in my experience.
I have traveled quite comfortably for three weeks in Europe with a camera bag and a carry-on. You can always do laundry, so minimal clothing is required. Some items that are indispensable are a towel, a can/bottle opener and a knife. You can always buy clothes as you go, so just enough for the expected weather and one good interview/work outfit will get you started. In other words, think small. You can also have things shipped over after you get settled.
But the big question remains: How do I get going?
Glad you asked. For starters, there is a very good book called,"Reinvent Yourself Overseas" by Scott McDonagh. A great website to go with the book is Escape Artist. I have personally used and benefitted from both resources. Between the two, you will find scads of links, articles, books, and official information on living and working overseas.
You will also want to visit the official government sites of your target countries. I have linked the Indonesian site on the sidebar of this blog. This will give you the latest official information concerning immigration laws and other laws affecting foreigners. For instance, in Indonesia in the past couple of years, they have changed the laws to allow foreigners to own apartments and houses, but they cannot own the land under them. Foreigners can also wholly-own some types of businesses, but the taxes and fees are onerous. If you have trusted friends in-country, you are better off going that route, if you want to start a business. Depending on the type of business, you may find that your destination country has certain benefits and supports, if it provides needed skills and jobs.
An absolute necessity is to thoroughly research the culture of your chosen countries, including rituals, beliefs, practices, and manners. The old maxim of "when in Rome, do as the Romans," applies in all cases. One mistake Mericans tend to make quite often is expecting everyone to accept and act like they do. This is called the Ugly American Syndrome. Symptoms include expecting everyone to speak English, only eating McDonald's and KFC, being oblivious to local manners, and trying to enforce Political Correctness on other cultures. Thirty years ago, when the dollar was king and everyone wanted to be Merican, you might have gotten away with it, but now it can be downright dangerous to your health.
Keeping a low profile is always advisable. Don't advertise that you are Merican and certainly don't rub people's faces in it. Learn the local language, don't go around telling everyone how you do it at home and don't try to convert everyone to Mericanism. After all, if it was that great, you wouldn't want to escape now, would you? Slow and easy does it. You can celebrate Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, just do it quietly in your home. I even go so far as to avoid places where foreigners gather, since those places are prime targets for more radical elements. You get a lot more respect and protection by mixing in with locals and spending your time down at the neighborhood watering hole. The more you show appreciation for your host country, the more backup you will have should problems arise.
In this part, I have talked about some generalities and best practices. In future updates, I will go into actual jobs and skills that you can use to break out, including one you were born into that is quite salable anywhere in the world. All you need is a little certification and a whole set of opportunities open up. I'll also go into some of the complexities involved in visas and work papers. Stay tuned!
3.8.10
Far Side Waxing
Dengue Fever in Florida
Lazy-ass Do-Nothing CONgress
Fiddling While Rome Burns
More Fiddling About While Pompeii Burns Too
A Trillion Here, A Trillion There...
What's A Little Extinction Among Friends?
Creating the Self-Fulfilling Prophesy
Americans Quittin' n Buggin' Out
The Great and Powerful Oz
The first thing you should notice about the above links is that they are not wild-eyed bloggers (like me), conspiracy nutjobs or 'fringe elements.' These are 'mainstream' media outlets talking about America's long dark tea-time of the soul (sorry Douglas Adams).
In fact, America has been in decline for a long time. I was aware of it somewhere around the Reagan Administration. At that time, I pointed out to my father the old wisdom that the hunter must become the hunted. By extension, America must become like Soviet Russia and vice versa. It would seem that my observation was somewhat precient.
The above articles document Americans changing nationalities (defecting), living conditions devolving to 'third world' standards and a growing revolutionary fever. Does this sound like the richest, most powerful nation on Earth? Or a tin-pot poseur with a microphone and amplifier?
Outbreaks of dengue fever and epidemics of bedbugs sure sound like the kind of conditions we used to point at 'lesser' countries and snigger at how backward they were. We were so proud of our progressive welfare state that turned an entire nation into a bunch of teat-suckers. We had all the latest toys and geegaws, while those 'lesser' nations were still mucking around in the jungle. Hell, just watch any version of King Kong, which all begin with the capture of the beast on Borneo (Indonesia). Notice how the natives are depicted. Now take a clear and serious look at American cutlture and lifestyles. From over here on the Far Side, I don't see much difference. Even has the sacrificial female re: Congresscritter Waters.
When the Financial Times headlines that Americans are bailing out, then you can smell a trend. We're not just talking ex-pat status, but throwing out the citizenship baby with the burdensome-taxes bathwater. Remember all the stories and movies about Russian defectors? Remember how we would point to that as proof that we were better than 'them?' Remember when being anti-government was simply unthinkable? We couldn't imagine someone not liking America or wanting to be an American. The whole world wanted to be American! They all wanted dollars and McDonald's. Well, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wants dollars now, and gosh, McDonald's is about as healthy as eating raw plastic, except the plastic doesn't come with artery-damming fat. In fact, America's veil of bullsh*t has grown so thin that even the Mexicans are running the other way across the river. The image of rats from a sinking ship comes to mind.
When all you have left is jingoism, then the game is up. Insecure and inwardly weak, the bully boasts loudly and protects his piece of turf against all enemies, both foreign and imagined. The dying power resorts to slogans and invading ill-prepared countries in order to display the tail feathers of past glory. Sadly, America has completely lost sight of what made it great. It wasn't the ability to reduce other nations to rubble. it wasn't the nanny-state welfare system that encouraged sloth. It wasn't even its industrial might. It was one very simple act. So simple, in fact, that it has become almost invisible, yet the implications of this one act are so profound as to be Earth-shaking. The original idea that made America great was that government stepped aside and let people build themselves up. But once regulations and laws and fees and taxes and agencies and authorities (when did they go from servants to authorities?), all was lost. It was only a matter of time before the bloated, rotting carcass would collapse on itself and belch forth streams of maggots.
I am reminded of a famous quote. Who was it? De Tocqueville or Tyler? "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy."
It would seem that dictatorship has decended upon America.
Things don't look good for America from here on the Far Side. We have about the best perspective one can have, whether physically, culturally and psychologically, that can be achieved on the surface of Earth. What we see here doesn't look good for America's future. Oh, sure...you can argue semantics or say that it ain't so bad "'cause ah live here an' things is jes fine." Hard to see the forest through those darned trees.
My father had a sign on his desk when he was in the Texas Legislature. It read, "When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your first thought was to drain the swamp." When Clinton was in office, people looked fondly back at Bush the First. When Bush the Second was installed, people actually thought Billy wasn't so bad. Now we have Bammy and folks wish that we could have Bush the Second back in there. The line of outrage always moves forward, and the trailing line of nostalgia is in lock-step behind it. Remember Nixon? People beat their breasts and lamented the end of the Republic. Now the Watergate break-in seems insignificant to the level of crap flowing from the Beltway.
Two and a half years ago, I announced to my circle of friends and family that I was moving to The Far Side. The most common response: "Indonesia...is that in Bali?" Most others thought I was just plain crazy moving to the Third World from good ol' Merica. Now, many of those same people want to know how they can move here too. Such is life. A visionary is always considered crazy until he is proven right.
A little perspective goes a long way.
And such is Life on the Far Side.
Lazy-ass Do-Nothing CONgress
Fiddling While Rome Burns
More Fiddling About While Pompeii Burns Too
A Trillion Here, A Trillion There...
What's A Little Extinction Among Friends?
Creating the Self-Fulfilling Prophesy
Americans Quittin' n Buggin' Out
The Great and Powerful Oz
The first thing you should notice about the above links is that they are not wild-eyed bloggers (like me), conspiracy nutjobs or 'fringe elements.' These are 'mainstream' media outlets talking about America's long dark tea-time of the soul (sorry Douglas Adams).
In fact, America has been in decline for a long time. I was aware of it somewhere around the Reagan Administration. At that time, I pointed out to my father the old wisdom that the hunter must become the hunted. By extension, America must become like Soviet Russia and vice versa. It would seem that my observation was somewhat precient.
The above articles document Americans changing nationalities (defecting), living conditions devolving to 'third world' standards and a growing revolutionary fever. Does this sound like the richest, most powerful nation on Earth? Or a tin-pot poseur with a microphone and amplifier?
Outbreaks of dengue fever and epidemics of bedbugs sure sound like the kind of conditions we used to point at 'lesser' countries and snigger at how backward they were. We were so proud of our progressive welfare state that turned an entire nation into a bunch of teat-suckers. We had all the latest toys and geegaws, while those 'lesser' nations were still mucking around in the jungle. Hell, just watch any version of King Kong, which all begin with the capture of the beast on Borneo (Indonesia). Notice how the natives are depicted. Now take a clear and serious look at American cutlture and lifestyles. From over here on the Far Side, I don't see much difference. Even has the sacrificial female re: Congresscritter Waters.
When the Financial Times headlines that Americans are bailing out, then you can smell a trend. We're not just talking ex-pat status, but throwing out the citizenship baby with the burdensome-taxes bathwater. Remember all the stories and movies about Russian defectors? Remember how we would point to that as proof that we were better than 'them?' Remember when being anti-government was simply unthinkable? We couldn't imagine someone not liking America or wanting to be an American. The whole world wanted to be American! They all wanted dollars and McDonald's. Well, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wants dollars now, and gosh, McDonald's is about as healthy as eating raw plastic, except the plastic doesn't come with artery-damming fat. In fact, America's veil of bullsh*t has grown so thin that even the Mexicans are running the other way across the river. The image of rats from a sinking ship comes to mind.
When all you have left is jingoism, then the game is up. Insecure and inwardly weak, the bully boasts loudly and protects his piece of turf against all enemies, both foreign and imagined. The dying power resorts to slogans and invading ill-prepared countries in order to display the tail feathers of past glory. Sadly, America has completely lost sight of what made it great. It wasn't the ability to reduce other nations to rubble. it wasn't the nanny-state welfare system that encouraged sloth. It wasn't even its industrial might. It was one very simple act. So simple, in fact, that it has become almost invisible, yet the implications of this one act are so profound as to be Earth-shaking. The original idea that made America great was that government stepped aside and let people build themselves up. But once regulations and laws and fees and taxes and agencies and authorities (when did they go from servants to authorities?), all was lost. It was only a matter of time before the bloated, rotting carcass would collapse on itself and belch forth streams of maggots.
I am reminded of a famous quote. Who was it? De Tocqueville or Tyler? "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy."
It would seem that dictatorship has decended upon America.
Things don't look good for America from here on the Far Side. We have about the best perspective one can have, whether physically, culturally and psychologically, that can be achieved on the surface of Earth. What we see here doesn't look good for America's future. Oh, sure...you can argue semantics or say that it ain't so bad "'cause ah live here an' things is jes fine." Hard to see the forest through those darned trees.
My father had a sign on his desk when he was in the Texas Legislature. It read, "When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your first thought was to drain the swamp." When Clinton was in office, people looked fondly back at Bush the First. When Bush the Second was installed, people actually thought Billy wasn't so bad. Now we have Bammy and folks wish that we could have Bush the Second back in there. The line of outrage always moves forward, and the trailing line of nostalgia is in lock-step behind it. Remember Nixon? People beat their breasts and lamented the end of the Republic. Now the Watergate break-in seems insignificant to the level of crap flowing from the Beltway.
Two and a half years ago, I announced to my circle of friends and family that I was moving to The Far Side. The most common response: "Indonesia...is that in Bali?" Most others thought I was just plain crazy moving to the Third World from good ol' Merica. Now, many of those same people want to know how they can move here too. Such is life. A visionary is always considered crazy until he is proven right.
A little perspective goes a long way.
And such is Life on the Far Side.
14.6.10
Ex-Patois
"After a year, ya know pretty much everything you need to live here," my companion said.
I thought for a minute and that was pretty much true. By then, you should know enough of the language and culture to get on with life. You should also have built up enough of a network to be able to call folks for a night out, a connection or advice in a jam.
Jim is a Canadian who's lived in Jakarta for 14 years, gone through a couple of wives, sired a kid or two. He's figured out his niche and does pretty well at it. He's a networking fool, too. He has joined a business club, goes to various ex-pat functions and helps reasonably bright newbies get linked in as part of building his future prospects.
There are about 5,000 westerners living in Indonesia at any given time, most in Jakarta. The vast majority are transfers here working for companies that pay them their regular salary plus hazard pay (Indonesia is considered a hazardous assignment, LOL!) plus free house, car, driver, and domestic staff. Those who don't have "trailer wives" (spouses who move with their husband) will often get a 'contract wife,' a local girl who performs all the functions of a wife in consideration of a generous payment to her family. These guys work here for a year or two, then go home. While here, they live like kings and give westerners a bad name and a reputation for being insanely rich, which makes life somewhat difficult for the rest of us poor joes.
There's a contingent of guys like me, who are living here long-term, having left their home country for various reasons: better health care (!), better women, more opportunity, and so on. Many of the ones I meet have been here past the 10 year mark, speak Indonesian fluently (and usually a couple of other dialects), have married locals and started families, and run their own businesses. They stick together, trading infornation, contacts and opportunities.
"Most start with teaching, but it's a trap if you don't break out," my companion said. "It's a good place to start while you get your sea-legs, as it were," he added. I nodded in agreement.
"The best thing is to get yourself a good lawyer. Here's a card," he offered. "If you set it up right at the beginning, you can avoid a lot of hassle and set some targets. Just makes your life easier in the long run."
Most of the ex-pats I know get married within 6 months of stepping off the plane. In about two years, they regret it because they hadn't learned all the ins and outs yet. My companion has an ex and a current, with whom he is not happy. Another I know is trying to divorce his first after two years. All married Javanese and all wish they had waited longer. They always ask why, after two and a half years, I haven't fallen into the trap yet. Many convert to Islam because they are told that they must in order to marry a muslim girl. It is true that Indonesia doesn't allow marriages between mixed religions, but had they waied, they would have learned that culturally, the woman MUST follow her husband.
Some came and set up PMAs first thing and are now regretting it. A PMA is the only type of company that a foreigner is allowed to wholly own. It is very expensive, highly taxed and closely watched. Other options include a PT, or public corporation, a CV or partnership, and a Yayasan, or non-profit. They must be significantly owned by Indonesians and have varying rules for capitalization.
For those who wait and watch before diving in, there is a fine alternative. Once you have found a good and trustworthy wife (they do exist here), then you set up a corporation together, which then employs you, thus giving you a spouse sponsorship, which is cheaper, and providing a work visa that is more stable far less prone to the vagaries of a third-party employer. If you marry well and trust your spouse, this can be a very lucrative and satisfying route, as well as reducing stress.
A good lawyer can be as important as a good wife. Good legal advice, a well-planned course of action and someone to call in a jam will make your life so much easier. Formulating a good plan of attack with at least two backups would seem like common sense, but we all know that 'common sense' is an oxymoron, right? That approach to life works at home, and is virtually de rigeur when moving abroad independently.
"The biggest mistake bule make here is thinking they are at home," my mate cautioned. "They jump in and fall into the same traps over and over again. I see it all the time," he added, a look for painful memory flashing across his eyes.
When I got off the plane, I had a plan, but I also had two backups. I'm on Plan B now. After two and a half years, I have avoided the first major pitfall, I haven't yet married. It's easy to do. Indonesian women ate nothing like western women. They are polite, submissive, deferential, and all the things bule women have tossed out the window on the road to feminism. However, Indonesian women are conniving and will take advantage of unsuspecting foreigners, and their families are lined up behind them. A bad lawyer will charge you more than Rp.40,000,000, and drag things through the courts for ages. A good one will charge you Rp.2,000,000, and hand you a form letter to fill in the blanks and mail to the estranged spouse.
Nothing like a little education and planning before you dive. There's a lot of rocks below and good aim will reduce the chance of injury.
Ex-pat and transnational living can be very rewarding for those with a little intestinal fortitude, a good plan and the discipline to wait a while before jumping in to unknown waters.
Full sails and smooth seas!
I thought for a minute and that was pretty much true. By then, you should know enough of the language and culture to get on with life. You should also have built up enough of a network to be able to call folks for a night out, a connection or advice in a jam.
Jim is a Canadian who's lived in Jakarta for 14 years, gone through a couple of wives, sired a kid or two. He's figured out his niche and does pretty well at it. He's a networking fool, too. He has joined a business club, goes to various ex-pat functions and helps reasonably bright newbies get linked in as part of building his future prospects.
There are about 5,000 westerners living in Indonesia at any given time, most in Jakarta. The vast majority are transfers here working for companies that pay them their regular salary plus hazard pay (Indonesia is considered a hazardous assignment, LOL!) plus free house, car, driver, and domestic staff. Those who don't have "trailer wives" (spouses who move with their husband) will often get a 'contract wife,' a local girl who performs all the functions of a wife in consideration of a generous payment to her family. These guys work here for a year or two, then go home. While here, they live like kings and give westerners a bad name and a reputation for being insanely rich, which makes life somewhat difficult for the rest of us poor joes.
There's a contingent of guys like me, who are living here long-term, having left their home country for various reasons: better health care (!), better women, more opportunity, and so on. Many of the ones I meet have been here past the 10 year mark, speak Indonesian fluently (and usually a couple of other dialects), have married locals and started families, and run their own businesses. They stick together, trading infornation, contacts and opportunities.
"Most start with teaching, but it's a trap if you don't break out," my companion said. "It's a good place to start while you get your sea-legs, as it were," he added. I nodded in agreement.
"The best thing is to get yourself a good lawyer. Here's a card," he offered. "If you set it up right at the beginning, you can avoid a lot of hassle and set some targets. Just makes your life easier in the long run."
Most of the ex-pats I know get married within 6 months of stepping off the plane. In about two years, they regret it because they hadn't learned all the ins and outs yet. My companion has an ex and a current, with whom he is not happy. Another I know is trying to divorce his first after two years. All married Javanese and all wish they had waited longer. They always ask why, after two and a half years, I haven't fallen into the trap yet. Many convert to Islam because they are told that they must in order to marry a muslim girl. It is true that Indonesia doesn't allow marriages between mixed religions, but had they waied, they would have learned that culturally, the woman MUST follow her husband.
Some came and set up PMAs first thing and are now regretting it. A PMA is the only type of company that a foreigner is allowed to wholly own. It is very expensive, highly taxed and closely watched. Other options include a PT, or public corporation, a CV or partnership, and a Yayasan, or non-profit. They must be significantly owned by Indonesians and have varying rules for capitalization.
For those who wait and watch before diving in, there is a fine alternative. Once you have found a good and trustworthy wife (they do exist here), then you set up a corporation together, which then employs you, thus giving you a spouse sponsorship, which is cheaper, and providing a work visa that is more stable far less prone to the vagaries of a third-party employer. If you marry well and trust your spouse, this can be a very lucrative and satisfying route, as well as reducing stress.
A good lawyer can be as important as a good wife. Good legal advice, a well-planned course of action and someone to call in a jam will make your life so much easier. Formulating a good plan of attack with at least two backups would seem like common sense, but we all know that 'common sense' is an oxymoron, right? That approach to life works at home, and is virtually de rigeur when moving abroad independently.
"The biggest mistake bule make here is thinking they are at home," my mate cautioned. "They jump in and fall into the same traps over and over again. I see it all the time," he added, a look for painful memory flashing across his eyes.
When I got off the plane, I had a plan, but I also had two backups. I'm on Plan B now. After two and a half years, I have avoided the first major pitfall, I haven't yet married. It's easy to do. Indonesian women ate nothing like western women. They are polite, submissive, deferential, and all the things bule women have tossed out the window on the road to feminism. However, Indonesian women are conniving and will take advantage of unsuspecting foreigners, and their families are lined up behind them. A bad lawyer will charge you more than Rp.40,000,000, and drag things through the courts for ages. A good one will charge you Rp.2,000,000, and hand you a form letter to fill in the blanks and mail to the estranged spouse.
Nothing like a little education and planning before you dive. There's a lot of rocks below and good aim will reduce the chance of injury.
Ex-pat and transnational living can be very rewarding for those with a little intestinal fortitude, a good plan and the discipline to wait a while before jumping in to unknown waters.
Full sails and smooth seas!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)