Talk to me about living abroad.

[Rosy]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel?

Where did you go?

What was best/worst?

How did you support yourself financially?

Did you homeschool during this time?

Any experiences you'd like to share?

What was reentry like (if you came back)?

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this?

If you were in Europe, how long does it take to get from place to place, by train or car? And what are cost of living differences between the countries, or between any of them and the US?

Can you recommend any books/websites/message boards?

 

My family is considering Europe for a year, starting Fall 2013 (so we have time to meet some financial goals first). I'm in the process of learning everything I can. I've looked up old threads, but would love to hear more info from current boardies. Thanks in advance!

[LibraryLover]

www.transitionsabroad.com/

 

You'll need a visa for that length of time, and unless you have a job waiting somewhere, that's going to be a sticking point.

[knit247]

We moved to Germany just over a year ago. DH came to Germany six months prior, fell in love with it, and was able to get a job over here in relatively little time (he works for the US DOD). We absolutely love it here and plan to stay as long as possible. The Germans are incredibly nice and helpful, and almost all know enough English to understand what we need to convey (and they really do seem to appreciate any effort on our parts to use German when we can).

 

We do homeschool here legally (it is illegal in Germany), but that is because my husband works for the US DOD and we are covered under SOFA, which is an agreement between the US and Germany that addresses how German laws are - or are not - to be applied toward U.S. military and DOD employees. This does not mean that any US citizen can hs here - just the ones covered under SOFA.

 

The cost of living here is more expensive than in the US, based on the fact that the Euro is stronger than the dollar. DH is paid in US dollars, but we live out in town and spend a lot of money on the economy. When we first arrived, our monthly rent for our apartment converted to about $400 more a month than it does now. Even with the Euro's value falling against the dollar, however, we are still paying almost $1000/month more here than we paid each month for our house in VA, which was 1000 sq. ft. larger!

 

Germany - like many EU countries - has a VAT Value-Added Tax - added to just about everything. I believe that the minimum VAT in the EU is 15%. Germany has a 19% VAT, but several EU countries have 25% VAT. FWIW, a soft drink might cost €4 ($5.00) here, and for about €6 ($8) you can get a huge plate full of food at a local Bistro. Beer and wine is usually markedly cheaper than soft drinks or mineral water!

 

Here in Europe, you can get most anywhere by plane, train, or automobile. Gas is insanely high - last I checked it was equivalent to about $7.50/gal (here it is sold by liter) here in Germany. Diesel fuel, however, is much cheaper. Many countries require that you purchase a Vignette (toll sticker) to travel through, or else there may be toll roads. I have heard that to drive to Paris from where I live, you have to pay about €100 ($129) just in tolls! From what I hear, traveling within the EU is cheapest by train or plane - as long as tickets are purchased way in advance. We are just now starting to venture outside of Germany, so I don't have much experience with this.

 

I HTH! living in another country is an amazing opportunity, and one that I would recommend heartily. I think that as long as you do you "homework" beforehand, it can be a most enjoyable experience!

[Mrs Mungo]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel?

Where did you go?

What was best/worst?

How did you support yourself financially?

Did you homeschool during this time?

Any experiences you'd like to share?

What was reentry like (if you came back)?

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this?

If you were in Europe, how long does it take to get from place to place, by train or car? And what are cost of living differences between the countries, or between any of them and the US?

Can you recommend any books/websites/message boards?

 

My family is considering Europe for a year, starting Fall 2013 (so we have time to meet some financial goals first). I'm in the process of learning everything I can. I've looked up old threads, but would love to hear more info from current boardies. Thanks in advance!

 

We lived in Germany for 5 years, my dh is military.

 

Where did we go? Italy, France, Egypt, England, Poland, Czech, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and all over Germany.

 

The best thing? The travel. The worst? Being so far from home (although it's about the same as Hawaii).

 

We homeschooled, but only people covered under the SOFA may do so.

 

The biggest piece of culture shock when we came back? Shopping. SO many choices in the US!! The other? Driving. Driving is so much different, it was an adjustment.

 

We moved to Germany just over a year ago. DH came to Germany six months prior, fell in love with it, and was able to get a job over here in relatively little time (he works for the US DOD). We absolutely love it here and plan to stay as long as possible. The Germans are incredibly nice and helpful, and almost all know enough English to understand what we need to convey (and they really do seem to appreciate any effort on our parts to use German when we can).

 

We do homeschool here legally (it is illegal in Germany), but that is because my husband works for the US DOD and we are covered under SOFA, which is an agreement between the US and Germany that addresses how German laws are - or are not - to be applied toward U.S. military and DOD employees. This does not mean that any US citizen can hs here - just the ones covered under SOFA.

 

The cost of living here is more expensive than in the US, based on the fact that the Euro is stronger than the dollar. DH is paid in US dollars, but we live out in town and spend a lot of money on the economy. When we first arrived, our monthly rent for our apartment converted to about $400 more a month than it does now. Even with the Euro's value falling against the dollar, however, we are still paying almost $1000/month more here than we paid each month for our house in VA, which was 1000 sq. ft. larger!

 

When we first moved to Germany they still had the DM and everything was cheaper. They moved to the Euro while we there. It was still cheap, but not as much as before. The dollar was falling against the Euro by the time we left. So, things will be cheaper if the dollar gets stronger again, something to keep in mind as far as timing goes.

 

Germany - like many EU countries - has a VAT Value-Added Tax - added to just about everything. I believe that the minimum VAT in the EU is 15%. Germany has a 19% VAT, but several EU countries have 25% VAT. FWIW, a soft drink might cost €4 ($5.00) here, and for about €6 ($8) you can get a huge plate full of food at a local Bistro. Beer and wine is usually markedly cheaper than soft drinks or mineral water!

In some cases (depending upon your job/business), you can get a refund on the VAT.

 

Here in Europe, you can get most anywhere by plane, train, or automobile. Gas is insanely high - last I checked it was equivalent to about $7.50/gal (here it is sold by liter) here in Germany. Diesel fuel, however, is much cheaper. Many countries require that you purchase a Vignette (toll sticker) to travel through, or else there may be toll roads. I have heard that to drive to Paris from where I live, you have to pay about €100 ($129) just in tolls! From what I hear, traveling within the EU is cheapest by train or plane - as long as tickets are purchased way in advance. We are just now starting to venture outside of Germany, so I don't have much experience with this.

When we lived in Germany there were a lot of really good deals like a weekend train pass anywhere in Europe for 30 Euro. We never paid that much in tolls driving to Paris, but it depends upon where you live (we only lived 5 hours from Paris). It was 9 hours (with short stops) from where we lived in Germany to Vicenza and then 2 hours or so between most of the major cities in Italy. It was under 5 hours to Keukenhof.

 

There were also crazy-cheap plane tickets/travel packages through some of the German travel agencies. When we went to Egypt, for example, there were 5 of us (my dh, my sister and my girls). We paid $1,500 for our flight, hotel (we had a little villa with 2 bedrooms on the Red Sea), and meals for a week. eta: That was before 9/11, I don't think I would go to Egypt now.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[TravelingChris]

We lived in Belgium for three years. DH is military. In Belgium, you can homeschool even if you are not DOD. When we lived there (2003-2006), it was more expensive than in the US for many things but not all. Things like ladders and chain saws are extremely cheap because they have sensible liability laws (you have to put up a bond to sue so that if you lose, you pay the other person's or company's legal costs hence no frivolous lawsuits). Bakery products and fresh flowers were also cheap. What did I miss- little things like socks and file folders. Where did we travel- over most of Europe except for Scandinavian countries. I absolutely loved driving in Europe. Still have a hard time after 4 years of being back here with the low speeds here. We had culture shock when we came back- from where we had left (NM) and when to where we came back (FL) and when, since society seemed to have gone nuts. We came back to 110% mortgages with no money down. People were still going nuts about houses when we came back. When we had left, the only way you got no money down was with a VA loan and no one got 110% loans. Within six months, the housing market crashed.

[....]

I lived all over the Middle East in my late teens-early 20's. I have been to several countries in Europe also - but didn't live there.

 

Where did I go? Um, let's see...I lived in Egypt, Israel and I spent a semester at the University of Jordan (in Jordan, :tongue_smilie:). I've travelled to England, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, Mexico and a few unmentionables in the ME (that I should keep to myself).

 

Best/Worst? I'm sorry to say that anywhere in the Middle East was the worst and dangerous and I saw a LOT of very bad stuff. (And, yes, I know that's probably not PC, but I'm being honest) Best? Scotland. Hands down. Followed by France...

 

How did I support myself? I had a job that required living overseas. Also, I was not married at the time and had no kids. There are very specific countries in which I would NOT (NEVER!!!) take my children into...

 

Cost and travel in Europe? Yeah, it's OK. It's a little pricey and everything seemed extremely urban to me. Europe seemed like a bunch of cities with a short space between them...I guess when you've been all over the western/midwestern US, Europe seems tiny and smashed together. :001_huh: Their public transportation was incredible - no, really, it was. I wish we had something like that here, but the distances Americans travel are just astronomical compared to over there...

 

Also, on price...my uncle lives in Ireland and he says it's extremely expensive. He was looking to relocate to Spain because he said the cost of living is like half.

 

Considering a relo to Europe? I say, "Go for it." Keep your family's safety in mind, though. Most of Europe is very safe and friendly. Keep in mind that you have to pay to go to the bathroom in Paris :tongue_smilie: (LOL! Found that out the hard way).

 

Can I add one more time that Scotland ROCKS!? :D

[Mrs Mungo]

Keep in mind that you have to pay to go to the bathroom in Paris :tongue_smilie: (LOL! Found that out the hard way).

 

This is true almost everywhere in Europe. In some cities in Italy there was even like a little booth where you paid and then received your quota of toilet paper! Even if there isn't an official place to pay, there is usually a dish for tips. I LOVED this about Europe because it means that the public bathrooms are usually clean, especially in gas stations and such. Most gas stations on big highways even have family bathrooms with kid-sized toilets. The public bathrooms you don't pay for don't tend to be as clean.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[....]

This is true almost everywhere in Europe. In some cities in Italy there was even like a little booth where you paid and then received your quota of toilet paper!

 

Yeah, if you go into the train station in Paris, there's a booth - that looks like you're buying movie tickets - and they sell the tickets to the bathroom there. It was hilarious. I was laughing so hard when I saw that the first time. There was an English family behind me in line and they were laughing at me, laughing at the booth. :smilielol5:

[Rosy]

Thanks everyone! I love hearing everyone's experiences!

[FaithManor]

Okay, I have to admit that I never thought about the bathroom thing and traveling to the UK except possibly, the use of the Bidet if the UK has those. But, the ticket buying and toilet paper quota.....oh my, I am afraid that I would have a hard time keeping my face straight.

 

That said, here is a tactical TMI female question. I generally require more TP at that time of the month than others so how does one convey this to the ticket taker? Is one allowed to carry one's own or is there some sort of "maximum flush" capacity for T.P.? Seriously, is there some special method for the disposal of feminine hygiene products that is different from public bathrooms in America? I TRULY would not want to be the American tourist that had to get the toilet police because of a problem I caused from being female!!!!LOL

 

Faith, concerned a great deal about the little things

[mazakaal]

I've never experienced a public bathroom here in the UK that requires payment or rations tp. That may be just on the continent because I've never heard of it here. So, as long as you stay in the UK, you should be fine. :001_smile:

 

If you did make it to the continent, I expect the tp rationing is more from frugality than a problem with flushing, but if worse came to worse, you could carry tp and ziploc bags with you. Use what you need to and dispose of the tp and feminine product in the ziploc. Kind of gross, but do-able. They do sell small ziploc bags here, so you wouldn't have to carry them over from the States or anything.

 

HTH And don't worry too much. Europe is different from the States, but it's not another planet. ;)

[Rosy]

I'm sure we could live with the bathroom issues if necessary! lol!

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

For homeschooling in places like Germany---it is not just the military but also employees of a variety of government agencies that are covered by the various agreements. If this type of work interests you it is worth discovering when you job hunt. I don't know if the various countries' education requirements could be covered by enrolling in one of the online institutions or through a US umbrella school. Folks working in the private sector or as missionaries are not necessarily covered by their citizenship.

[Mrs Mungo]

That said, here is a tactical TMI female question. I generally require more TP at that time of the month than others so how does one convey this to the ticket taker? Is one allowed to carry one's own or is there some sort of "maximum flush" capacity for T.P.? Seriously, is there some special method for the disposal of feminine hygiene products that is different from public bathrooms in America? I TRULY would not want to be the American tourist that had to get the toilet police because of a problem I caused from being female!!!!LOL

 

Most toilets in Europe have two buttons; one is for little flushes and one is for big flushes. In my experience they are much better than American toilets. Understand, *very few* public restrooms did the tp rationing, only in *heavy* tourist areas (like Venice). I think it was more to keep the mess down than anything else. I did carry my own small roll of tp, you can buy it in plastic travel cases like this. Usually, you can dispose of feminine products like normal. If you can't, there will be a sign and usually a little trash can.

[Laura Corin]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel? Yes - most of my adult life

Where did you go? France (two years) Taiwan (five years) Hong Kong (seven years) California (two years) and China (five years)

What was best/worst? Cultural understanding and language learning were best. No worst, really.

How did you support yourself financially? I taught English as a foreign language for part of the time; husband supported us latterly.

Did you homeschool during this time? Yes

Any experiences you'd like to share? So many - what are you worried/excited about? You might like to look at my old blog - the first two-thirds are all about China.

What was reentry like (if you came back)? It needed careful handling - more details if you want - but it was fine.

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this? Think hard about how open-minded you are. If you go with an attitude of comparing everything to home, you won't enjoy it nearly so much as if you experience it for itself, without constantly comparing. Also think about how much you rely on friends and family, and how you would get by without them.

Can you recommend any books/websites/message boards? The best book on being overseas with children is Third Culture Kids, by Pollock.

 

My family is considering Europe for a year, starting Fall 2013 (so we have time to meet some financial goals first). I'm in the process of learning everything I can. I've looked up old threads, but would love to hear more info from current boardies. Thanks in advance!

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

Okay, I have to admit that I never thought about the bathroom thing and traveling to the UK except possibly, the use of the Bidet if the UK has those. But, the ticket buying and toilet paper quota.....oh my, I am afraid that I would have a hard time keeping my face straight.

 

That said, here is a tactical TMI female question. I generally require more TP at that time of the month than others so how does one convey this to the ticket taker? Is one allowed to carry one's own or is there some sort of "maximum flush" capacity for T.P.? Seriously, is there some special method for the disposal of feminine hygiene products that is different from public bathrooms in America? I TRULY would not want to be the American tourist that had to get the toilet police because of a problem I caused from being female!!!!LOL

 

Faith, concerned a great deal about the little things

 

But the toilet paper is in the cubicle. Most public toilets have bags and bins for feminine products.

 

Bidets are pretty rare in the UK.

 

Laura

[Rosy]

Any experiences you'd like to share? So many - what are you worried/excited about?

 

Worried--money, mostly. But I think we'll have to have our ducks in a row before I would consider going, so we'll either get a good plan in place or not go.

 

Excited--mostly I'm excited to experience a different culture, to live at a slower pace, to learn from life rather than doing formal education. I'm excited to do something completely different as a family. I'm excited to learn and grow and experience things WITH my kids, instead of teaching them things I know.

 

Thanks for the book recommendation!

[Giraffe]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel?

Where did you go? Turkey, for a year.

 

What was best/worst? Best - learning a new culture, stretching, growing, exploring. Worst - I had a hard time with the language barrier. Turkish is NOTHING like Germanic or Romance languages.

 

How did you support yourself financially? Savings, DH started a business, the kindness of family.

 

Did you homeschool during this time? No - DD was an infant. But I know that expats are allowed to homeschool in Turkey.

 

Any experiences you'd like to share? Where do I start? Ask me questions, it will help trigger memories. It was an experience I'll never forget and one I'd like to repeat.

 

What was reentry like (if you came back)? Total reverse culture shock. Cars were everywhere and SO BIG! I had to drive to get anywhere, which was hard without a car (DH took ours to work everyday, silly man!). Shopping was a huge adjustment - so many choices. I cried after my first post-Turkey trip to Wal-Mart I was so overwhelmed. I missed my weekly market for veggies, public transportation, the kindness of the Turks. I still miss tea time, even though I can do it here, it's just not the same.

 

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this? Plan, plan, plan. What are you going to do with your things here in the US - your house, your car, your mail, your bills? Consider health insurance issues (a biggie for us) - how will you maintain eligibility if you don't maintain coverage here? How will you pay your bills in the US (online banking)? How will you RECEIVE your bills (Earth Class Mail was our answer)? How will you support yourselves overseas? Educate your kids, etc?

 

If you were in Europe, how long does it take to get from place to place, by train or car? And what are cost of living differences between the countries, or between any of them and the US? It's expensive in Turkey, but there are ways to do it inexpensively. I think your question is more geared for mainland Western Europe, so I'll omit discussion of travel. It was easy, though.

 

Can you recommend any books/websites/message boards? Family Sabbatical Handbook

 

My family is considering Europe for a year, starting Fall 2013 (so we have time to meet some financial goals first). I'm in the process of learning everything I can. I've looked up old threads, but would love to hear more info from current boardies. Thanks in advance!

 

Hope this helps! PM me if you want more info. I feel like I rambled enough already!

 

I will add that you generally pay for toilets in public areas in Turkey too - and sometimes they dole out t.p., sometimes they don't. I generally kept a small pack of tissues in my pocket for those times when there wasn't t.p. or the ration was too small.

[Pata]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel? We have lived abroad.

Where did you go? Peru, China, Thailand

What was best/worst? Best-the simplicity of life in a foreign country, you walk most places, go to the veggie market everyday, tv isn't in english so you don't watch it much and so much more; Worst-learning to operate in an eastern culture, it's just so different and it's taken a bit of time to get used to.

How did you support yourself financially? Dh has a job that allows for lots of overseas living/travel and I write/sell homeschool science curriculum.

Did you homeschool during this time? Yes, we started homeschooling because we knew we would be living overseas/traveling a lot, we wanted to ensure continuity in her education.

Any experiences you'd like to share? Funny language story from when we lived in Peru-I wanted to ask our landlord if we could get a bird (pajaro) for dd, but what I said was pareja (fiance), you can imagine the strange look I got from that one :lol:! Seriously living overseas is a blast, but only if you can laugh a lot at yourself!

What was reentry like (if you came back)? Very difficult when we came back from Peru. Everything was bigger, faster and so much more impersonal. It was a tough adjustment, much harder than I expected it to be and we just weren't prepared for it. As for coming back from Asia, I'll let you know in a few months :).

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this? Research, research, research, maybe make a short trip before you move to get an idea of what your getting into. Realize that you have to take the bad with the good. It's an amazing experience, but there are hard parts, your children will have hard days (and so will you) and it will break your mama's heart to see it. That said, I've never meant a child who lived overseas that wouldn't do it again. I also agree with what Laura brought up, very wise words.

Can you recommend any books/websites/message boards? I second Laura's recommendation of Third Culture Kids, it's a real eye opener and prepares you for some of the challenges your kids will face.

 

My family is considering Europe for a year, starting Fall 2013 (so we have time to meet some financial goals first). I'm in the process of learning everything I can. I've looked up old threads, but would love to hear more info from current boardies. Thanks in advance!

 

Good luck on your decision, living abroad is an adventure!

[weddell]

We are moving to India for 2 years after the new year. DH's company has an office there and he requested a transfer. It is a 2 year transfer and then we will be coming back. So I don't have words of wisdom for you, but we are excited to do it!

 

For us, DH's company takes care of so many things, likes visas, help with housing, relocation expenses, etc. So for us, we feel like if we don't do it, we will be wasting an opportunity that we wouldn't be able to do on our own.

 

I will definitely check out the books people recommended. We will be doing some afterschooling but I think we will send dd to school. Mostly because I want her to have a chance to meet other kids, either ex-pat kids or local Indian children. I think it will be a good chance for her to make a really difference set of friends than she would meet here in the US and gain some cultural perspective. If school doesn't work out, I have no problem pulling her and homeschooling though.

[duckens]

I nannied for a family that had a summer home in France. We spent two summers there (1991, 1992).

 

1) Buy good travel books. I like the Fodor's series. The first summer I did nothing. The second summer, I did lots of touristy things. Fodor's also has/had lots of guided walks with points of interest.

 

Example:

http://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Switzerland-45th-Gold-Guides/dp/1400008220/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284515566&sr=8-1

 

If nothing else, see what your local library offers, and pick the travel book that fits your family.

 

2) Carry a dictionary in your bag everywhere you go. French/English or German/English or Spanish/English: whatever you need.

 

If you are trying to communicate with someone who doesn't speak English, you can look up the English word that you want to say and point to it in the dictionary. They will see the Spanish word, and know what you are trying to communicate.

 

Likewise, if a native is trying to communicate with you, you can hand them your dictionary, they can look up the Spanish word and point to it, and you will understand the gist of what they are saying.

 

3) Carry a pen and a pad of paper everywhere you go! Same idea. When I lived in France, I had only 2.5 years of high school French from 5+ years previously. I knew what I wanted to communicate, but I coudn't pronounce it properly. I wrote out the sentence, and got my message across....and my pronunciation corrected!

 

Another time, we were in Germany, where my boss had lived for 10+ years before returning to the states. We were ordering ice cream sundaes, but he couldn't remember the German word for "strawberry." I whipped out my pad and drew a picture of a strawberry. Mission accomplished!

 

4) Look around for someone who is reading something in English. If someone is competent enough to read English, they can probably answer your questions, too. This is how I confirmed that I was in the right line for the TGV to Paris!

[elinnea]

I lived in Germany on and off after I graduated from high school. When I married dh I lived there permanently for 10 years. Since dh is a German citizen I had a much different experience than most other ex-pats who are there with the military or because of their husband's job.

I enjoyed our time there a lot. The negatives for me were that i missed my family in the States and we did/do not have a great relationship with dh's family. Also because our kids are German nationals we were not allowed to homeschool them. We moved back to the US when my oldest would have had to start school there.

I loved being able to travel to nearby countries and being immersed in a different culture.

Edited September 15, 2010 by elinnea

[Laura Corin]

Worried--money, mostly. But I think we'll have to have our ducks in a row before I would consider going, so we'll either get a good plan in place or not go.

 

Excited--mostly I'm excited to experience a different culture, to live at a slower pace, to learn from life rather than doing formal education. I'm excited to do something completely different as a family. I'm excited to learn and grow and experience things WITH my kids, instead of teaching them things I know.

 

Thanks for the book recommendation!

 

If you are going to be working, and don't have an EU passport, then you'll need a work visa. In the UK these are applied for by the company for which you work, but I don't know how it works in other European countries. You will also need health insurance; you might want to make sure that it includes evacuation insurance if you would feel happier dealing with a serious illness in your home country.

 

How are your language skills? You will get more out of the country you choose if you arrive with a fair knowledge of the language in advance. I have once arrived in a country (China) with no knowledge of the language, and it was rather an isolating experience, although finally very rewarding.

 

We have found living overseas to be very rewarding. My boys are very internationally oriented and race blind. They understand that different cultures have different ways of doing things, but see these as interesting rather than threatening. They are fluent in Mandarin and are not worried by learning other languages - it's just now a big deal. 'Calvin' started school with 18 months of French (learned with me at home), but is doing well in a class with children who have studied French for many years. He picks it up well and is not afraid of it.

 

Good luck,

 

Laura

[nd293]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel? 5 years

Where did you go? Oman (in the Middle East).

What was best/worst? Best - living in such a varied and beautiful country with such friendly people; the positive attitude towards children and families; the food; safety (very little crime), meeting people from all over the world, learning that I am more resilient than I give myself credit for. Worst - being the "trailing spouse"; knowing that if anything went wrong the legal system might not be as transparent as we were used to (e.g. in a disupute with a local, the local will get preference unless you know someone more important than the people he knows (see wasta). Although it never caused any problems I found it very disturbing.

How did you support yourself financially? Dh worked full-time.

Did you homeschool during this time? No. There was a very limited HSing community, and it was too lonely. Dd went to an international school. School was not without its annoyances, but the richness of the experience she had could not have been duplicated at home.

What was reentry like (if you came back)? We moved to another country, rather than "home". Australia was so "ordinary" compared to Oman that we found the move quite easy. Ds (then 2) was very difficult for a time - he wasn't verbal, and I hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be for him. Dd (then 8) was fine, she stayed in e-mail contact with friends for a time, but I also realise that she is happy to homeschool to avoid being "the new kid".

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this? Try to think of where you are as "home". Commit to where you are. Expect it to be hard. It is. That doesn't mean it won't be good. Give someone you trust authority to operate your finances in the home country - it's 7 years since we left home and we are still sorting out the mess...

 

 

 

Nikki

[Heather in Neverland]

Have you lived abroad or did long-term (6+ months) travel? I have lived in Malaysia for a year and 2 months so far.

 

Where did you go? Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong

 

What was best/worst? the food and the weather are the best things. The traffic is the worst thing.

 

How did you support yourself financially? We work at an international school

 

Did you homeschool during this time? yes

 

Any experiences you'd like to share? you can read all about it on my blog (link below)

 

What was reentry like (if you came back)? still in Malaysia

 

Any advice for someone who was considering doing this? DO IT!!! It's a great experience.

 

And what are cost of living differences between the countries, or between any of them and the US? it is just or slightly more expensive to live here than in the US

[jld]

I haven't read all the replies, and of course this is just my own pov, but money is the issue. We lived in France (dh is French, works for a French company) and we felt so poor. Then we moved to India, and while we should feel rich (the poverty there is heart-breaking), a bunch of issues came up with our house in America, and so almost all the money we've saved living in India has gone to the house. The more money you have anywhere, the better you can live and the more you can do. I'm sure this can be disputed, but it's the rule I live by, crass materialist that I am.:D

 

We're back in America for another 6 weeks, and I can't believe I ever left. It is so clean here, so rich and full of resources. But dh wants to work abroad and I love dh and so I'll be going back to India the beginning of Nov. At least I have Cammie to talk to there. She is a great resource, Weddell!

[Rosy]

Ok, I thought of a few questions (for anyone): what is it like living in a smallish town vs. a city? Do the smaller towns have produce/meat/bread markets? How easy is it to get around without a car? We've thought about doing our weekend travels (mostly day trips) by train...would it be cheaper to own a car? Do they even have cars that seat 6???

 

How are your language skills? You will get more out of the country you choose if you arrive with a fair knowledge of the language in advance. I have once arrived in a country (China) with no knowledge of the language, and it was rather an isolating experience, although finally very rewarding.

 

We have found living overseas to be very rewarding. My boys are very internationally oriented and race blind. They understand that different cultures have different ways of doing things, but see these as interesting rather than threatening. They are fluent in Mandarin and are not worried by learning other languages - it's just now a big deal. 'Calvin' started school with 18 months of French (learned with me at home), but is doing well in a class with children who have studied French for many years. He picks it up well and is not afraid of it.

 

 

I would imagine we'll settle on a country in the next year and then do language study for two years before we go. My goal will be to be as fluent as possible myself and for the kids to be at least minimally functional (my oldest could probably be fairly fluent).

 

What you've described as the effect of travel on your kids is one of the main reasons I want to go. I want to be able to provide my kids with the knowledge that only comes from experience. It's hard to make travel a priority as a young adult and even harder when one is married with kids. My gut sense is that a year of travel is more valuable than a year of college, and yet college is mostly a non-negotiable.

 

Heather, I've read bits of your blog before. I think seeing your posts here was one of the first motivators for me to consider living abroad.

[Laura Corin]

Ok, I thought of a few questions (for anyone): what is it like living in a smallish town vs. a city? Do the smaller towns have produce/meat/bread markets? How easy is it to get around without a car? We've thought about doing our weekend travels (mostly day trips) by train...would it be cheaper to own a car? Do they even have cars that seat 6???

 

In the UK and France small towns would have supermarkets, bread shops and some other small shops. How easy it is to get around without a car would depend on local connections: it's hard to say. To get an idea of what cars there are available, you could look at, for example, the Thrifty UK site, so see what is for rent. Owning a car is not cheap - I just spent fifty pounds to fill up the tank of my Ford Focus - and trains can be a great option, but it depends on local connections.

 

Laura

[jld]

We lived in a medium-sized city in Northern France, right downtown because I don't drive, and we only wanted to buy one car. It was great. We took the bus out to Carrefour, and otherwise just walked around town. We took the car or the train into Paris. The train is expensive without a discount pass, which takes months to get. We didn't apply until our second year, and didn't get it before we left to come back to the U.S. (dh went on to India).

 

I think you're wise and brave to do something like this, though I would encourage you to consider a year in Asia or Africa instead. You'll learn a lot more, and I think your children's eyes will be opened a great deal more than in Europe. JMVHO, of course!

[Rosy]

I think you're wise and brave to do something like this, though I would encourage you to consider a year in Asia or Africa instead. You'll learn a lot more, and I think your children's eyes will be opened a great deal more than in Europe. JMVHO, of course!

 

I actually would prefer Asia...but DH's heart is set on Western Europe. And I would love to see the architecture and many of the sites we've studied. But I think Asia (or Africa, though I'd be more concerned about safety in Africa) would be a terrific and life-changing experience for all of us.

[elinnea]

Ok, I thought of a few questions (for anyone): what is it like living in a smallish town vs. a city? Do the smaller towns have produce/meat/bread markets? How easy is it to get around without a car? .

It is usually quite easy to get around without a car but it really depends on where you live. In a large city it can be easier without a car because parking can be a huge hassle. Gas is also much more expensive than in the States. On the other hand if you have a larger family and travel around alot a car could be more convenient and cost effective: Train tickets for several people are usually more expensive than the amount of gas it would take to get to your destination.

Edited September 15, 2010 by elinnea