If you’re heading overseas for an extended stay, you will want to have a good strategy for converting your money into the local currency. (I’m assuming that you will not be paid in the local currency, which is standard practice for international companies.) It’s important to learn before you go where to keep your money…
You might find it necessary to go to your local Embassy or consulate. It isn’t likely to be pleasant. Modern embassies are fortresses. Local guards surround it, carrying automatic rifles, maybe flanked by armored cars. Surveillance cameras watch every approach. Inside, Marine Security Guards stand duty behind thick glass, shotguns at the ready, with buttons…
While at an international conference in Muscat in about 1999, the head of our delegation suffered a mild heart attack. As the only Arabic speaker in the group, it fell to me to accompany him to the hospital, get him admitted, and keep the rest of the delegation apprised of his condition. All things considered,…
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A passport is a document issued by a government to allow the bearer to “pass” the “port” of entry of another country. It is evidence that the issuing country recognizes and validates the bearer of the passport. And while you may pay a hefty fee to get a passport, it isn’t yours; it belongs to…
Here at Ex Pat Facts, we will discuss all kinds of professional services available to expatriates (those who are living outside of their home country). We invite you to share your expatriate experiences, good and bad, with us as we all develop a fantastic Web resource for those who are now (or are planning to…
Shortly into your stay overseas, you’ll find yourself moaning about the lack of chocolate chips, or marshmallows, or barbecue sauce, or any of hundreds of other niceties you enjoyed at home. (I’d love to hear yours.) This melancholy pops up occasionally. Fortunately, it is offset by the realization, usually made during a trip home, that…
My name is Matt Ellsworth. I’m an American. And I have been an expat (short for expatriate from the Latin ex patria, meaning “out of the fatherland”) for more than 8 years. [Sounds like a confession in a 12-step program, no?] I first left the U.S. in 1975, spending two years in Chile as a…
My previous post, and several stories I’ve told, mention Mormon missionaries. They represent some 10,000-30,000 expats and are therefore worthy of further introduction here. You may have seen them, walking or riding (bicycles, mostly) two-by-two in their white shirts and ties, or in their modest dresses. I have met them in Colombia, Japan, Poland, Italy,…
Use these fast growing business social media sites to promote your business, feature your products, spotlight your business leaders, create links, and drive traffic back to your company site, all for free! BIZZlogos – Add your logo – free link to your site BIZZphotos – Add photos of your products and people BIZZprofiles – Submit…