Every couple of weeks, I receive an email from an American who’s considering moving abroad. They want to know about my experiences. They want to know what I was thinking. They want to know the costs. They want to know the trade-offs. They want, in short, to know if they should leave the US, too.
I can answer some of those questions, but not all of them.
According to US government statistics, more Americans are leaving the country–moving abroad permanently or renouncing their citizenship–than ever before. I believe I read that more people are leaving the country than are entering it. If true, that would be a first for the USA.
Many people leave because they don’t like the direction the country is going in politically. Some move abroad for quality of life issues. Of course, it’s much easier now to work remotely–hold a job or practice a profession and not have to be in an office in the United States–and people and companies are taking advantage of that flexibility.
The cost of living in some countries can be appealing, especially for retirees on a fixed income. Many retire, sell their primary residence, and have Social Security and pension payments to live comfortably in Panama or Belize where the currency exchange rate if favorable.
YouTube videos on the subject of becoming an expat abound. Some are informative. Some are misguided. Some are downright misleading.
As we approach the November elections in the United States, I think it’s important to address this issue. Many people are pinning their hopes for our democracy on our ability to conduct free and fair elections, and to them, the races for the House of Representatives and the US Senate are pivotal.
If the democrats prevail and gain a majority in the House and perhaps in the Senate, many people will feel that the US government can return to some sort of ‘checks and balances’ equilibrium and government can once again function with competence and integrity. If the elections result in the Republicans maintaining a majority in the House and Senate–either with free and fair, transparent elections or through corrupt schemes or an outright coup–many will feel that all hope is gone.
And they’ll react by rushing for the exits and starting a life overseas, in Mexico, in Central America, or in Canada without giving the move proper consideration or adequate preparation.
Don’t do that. Rash decisions are rarely good ones. Know this: it takes a minimum of six months to one year to plan and execute an international relocation. It takes a lot of conversations with family and friends. It takes money. It takes mental toughness. It takes flexibility. It takes the willingness to learn. (A new language is the least of it.)
Bluntly, you have to have the right personality type and you have to have resources. Forget creature comforts. Forget the familiar.
Be prepared to have your assumptions challenged. and be prepared for personal evolution as reality collides with what you’ve seen on vacation…and what you’ve seen on those YouTube videos.
A second language is a second world. Living abroad is going to do more than change your mailing address. It’s going to change you.
Be ready for that, if you decide to make the move.
- BGT