Expat Corner

[martyp]

I moved to Bangkok 5 years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area. In many places, and particularly in the major expat cities, language is not a serious barrier to every day living. If one insisted in living in the most remote countryside then of course it would be a problem but that would be a problem in any non-English speaking country. Over time, with a little bit of effort you can pick up snippets of the language. I can speak functional Thai but I am not conversational. You won’t be developing deep relationships with non-English speaking locals but there usually English speaking expats nearby. My Thai wife doesn’t speak fluent English but English is the language we communicate with. Finding expats to socialize with in Bangkok has been easy but even in the small city near my wife’s Isaan village there is a small community of friendly expats.

 

[JakeinChina]

I interviewed like 10 years ago in Southern China for a plant manager role with a U.S. golf grip company to manage their factory and staff. The expat that I would be replacing (I didn't get the job) was a white American about 50 yrs old who was retiring with his Thai wife to a fishing farm in some remote village hours outside of Bangkok. I couldn't even imagine living in a place so remote, with the heat and the bugs and all that.

I spent years traveling in SE Asia, and I will say language was never a problem. That being said, you need to realize like what Marty and others have said, you're looking to find friends and your community with the English speaking ex-pat community. Also, you will ALWAYS be an outsider in the eyes of the locals. You just need to come to realize that if you do relocate to Asia and even other parts of the non-English speaking world.

The other positives are it's very safe, and also easy for an older man to find a partner.

 

[Physics Guy]

How much of the ease of life with limited Thai is due to having a Thai wife who can do much of the language needs?

I can exist very easily in Korea with minimal Korean but Google and Papago don't solve all of my needs quite yet and whenever I have to interact with Korean bureaucracy or anyone on the phone I feel the disconnect strongly. Of course my wife is also from the US and we are already older than most of the expat community even pre-early-retirement since Korea doesn't attract retirees. Aging in place without the built in connection to the expat community through my job feels like it would get lonely.

Or perhaps I am merely very sensitive to the negative stereotype of the wealthy Westerner in Asia (or the rich gringo in Central and South America). 10 years ago I thought SE Asia looked like a great destination but now I find myself drawn to locations where I don't stand out as rich. Which tends to push me towards Europe.

 

[Lagniappe]

I just got approved for a residence permit in Portugal. I am renting an apartment in Lisbon and using it as a base for my European travels.

Since I started investigating this move, several new acronyms have been added to my daily environment. FACTA FBAR, PFIC, QEF and many others.

I spent three months last year living in a very Portuguese neighborhood and everyone was friendly and kind. Having some Portuguese language would have helped, but my brain just does not embrace that language. I found myself seeking out English speakers when I needed help. There is a great (and rapidly growing) community of Americans and Canadians in Lisbon and the beach towns just north. And lots of British and Irish people in the Algarve to the south.

 

[simple girl]

I just got approved for a residence permit in Portugal. I am renting an apartment in Lisbon and using it as a base for my European travels.

Since I started investigating this move, several new acronyms have been added to my daily environment. FACTA FBAR, PFIC, QEF and many others.

I spent three months last year living in a very Portuguese neighborhood and everyone was friendly and kind. Having some Portuguese language would have helped, but my brain just does not embrace that language. I found myself seeking out English speakers when I needed help. There is a great (and rapidly growing) community of Americans and Canadians in Lisbon and the beach towns just north. And lots of British and Irish people in the Algarve to the south.

How exciting! Are you living there now already?

 

[braumeister]

Parabéns! (Congratulations!)

Please keep us updated on the experience.

 

[Lagniappe]

Parabéns! (Congratulations!)



Please keep us updated on the experience.

Obrigada (thank you)! I am keeping my place in Florida for winters. I head back to Portugal in a month.

 

[Physics Guy]

I just got approved for a residence permit in Portugal. I am renting an apartment in Lisbon and using it as a base for my European travels.

Sounds great. Enjoy!

Does your residence permit have a minimum stay requirement in Portugal?

 

[JakeinChina]

I just got approved for a residence permit in Portugal. I am renting an apartment in Lisbon and using it as a base for my European travels.

Since I started investigating this move, several new acronyms have been added to my daily environment. FACTA FBAR, PFIC, QEF and many others.

I spent three months last year living in a very Portuguese neighborhood and everyone was friendly and kind. Having some Portuguese language would have helped, but my brain just does not embrace that language. I found myself seeking out English speakers when I needed help. There is a great (and rapidly growing) community of Americans and Canadians in Lisbon and the beach towns just north. And lots of British and Irish people in the Algarve to the south.

Very interesting. I'd love to learn more about your situation. Where in Portugal do you stay? Are you single or do you have a spouse who travels with you to Portugal? What age are you?

Not to sound to nosey, but Portugal is so popular now and I and perhaps others would love to hear from your personal experience living, even if it's part time, in Europe. Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[Lagniappe]

Sounds great. Enjoy!



Does your residence permit have a minimum stay requirement in Portugal?

The minimum stay is 14 days in every two year period. This was a much more complicated permit approval process than the D-7 which requires 16 months stay in the same two year period, but I needed the flexibility to be able to travel the way I planned.

 

[Koolau]

If saving money is the key driver for pursuing the expat life there are LOTS of places where that is still totally valid. I live in South East Asia, the prices here are in no way comparable to the USA. I spend about 60% less than in the USA and do a lot more traveling, eating out, going to cafes, movies, etc. Lower rent, not owning a car and healthcare are the big drivers of lower cost.

European locations like Portugal might be catching up cost wise but not SE Asia yet!

Thanks for this update. I determined before FIRE that I no longer needed the expat option, but the information may well be useful to those still seeking an early way out of the rat race of megacorp. In addition to the financial situation, there are other considerations that must be studied carefully and I think that's where I'm seeing the most rapid changes but YMMV. Aloha

 

[Physics Guy]

Thanks Lagniappe!

I can certainly see going for a more complicated visa if it allows better travel.

 

[Souschef]

As far as language goes, in my travels, I found a series of books called "Just Enough". They are pocket sized and are broken down into sections, such as market, restaurant, druggist, etc,
I used one of mine to get cold medicine at a pharmacy in Moscow. The man behind me smiled, , I assume because of my bad pronunciation.

 

[oiseux]

I know that your post was a year ago but I'd be interested in how you feel about owning a place in France now versus when you bought? Have you moved their permanently? Are you ever planning on living their permanently or is it strictly a second home?

And perhaps the biggest one; how did you find your place? I've spent time in Paris (normal tourist stuff) and Metz (longer stays with business and some personal connections) and could see a second home situation there if everything worked out right.

We are even more pleased than when we took the plunge, but that could change when we move permanently (but I doubt it -- we've lived overseas before). We added OMY so there is that, and the dog may delay our move a bit (he's nearing the end of his run --- although we did just find out about pooled charter flights with in-cabin dogs to Europe recently). We do go back and forth and will continue to do so but will plan primary residency. The current tax treaty and visa policies are very good for most retired/FIREd Americans, and we're building a network already of similar people.

We used a property consultant to help in the search, get set up with a bank account, notaire (a type of real estate legal person in France), a designer/project manager, a mortgage (saved half the cash, 1.6% interest in France), utility accounts, etc. Despite the pandemic lockdown, she says her business with Americans relocating has only increased above anything previously.

 

[Physics Guy]

Sounds like a plan. This thread has rekindled my interest in either full time retirement in Europe or a second home there and it is nice to hear success stories.

Randomly browsing last week I stumbled on a site listing property in France. Most of it is in rural small towns which I'm sure are losing population but there were some beautiful houses going really cheaply in Brittany and Normandy.

 

[kcowan]

...Despite the pandemic lockdown, she says her business with Americans relocating has only increased above anything previously.

The realtors in Mexico say the acceptance of work from home during the lockdown, has motivated many new buyers to move out of the US creating a huge bubble in demand and prices.

 

[brydanger]

We ran away on 2012 (wow... getting close to our 10yr freedomversary!) and the more time we spend out of the country the more we realize just how important a facotr it is to our continuing the freedom. Money, mindset, all the reasons.

Spent our several years driving a van down through Mexico and Central America, then through the western US en route to a Canadian, arctic and Alaska tour.

Somewhere in Alaska we decided to buy a boat and teach ourselves to sail and have been island hopping the Caribbean ever since.

Saw every island of note and realized that we'd already found the best one (for us) - so we returned, applied for residency and renovated a condo looking over the reef (for whenever we or our bodies decide we're done sailing and want to live on land again).

Imagine our surprise when we first realized that we can live the life of our dreams, spend less/save more money and get free terrific health care just by willing to leave the US. Who knew?

 

[Koolau]

We ran away on 2012 (wow... getting close to our 10yr freedomversary!) and the more time we spend out of the country the more we realize just how important a facotr it is to our continuing the freedom. Money, mindset, all the reasons.

Spent our several years driving a van down through Mexico and Central America, then through the western US en route to a Canadian, arctic and Alaska tour.

Somewhere in Alaska we decided to buy a boat and teach ourselves to sail and have been island hopping the Caribbean ever since.

Saw every island of note and realized that we'd already found the best one (for us) - so we returned, applied for residency and renovated a condo looking over the reef (for whenever we or our bodies decide we're done sailing and want to live on land again).

Imagine our surprise when we first realized that we can live the life of our dreams, spend less/save more money and get free terrific health care just by willing to leave the US. Who knew?

So glad it is working out for you. Stories and pictures are always welcome.

 

[Alan]

New Thread opened

A new thread has been opened to continue this discussion

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/expat-corner-part-2-a-116972.html#post2893738