Have you ever moved/lived abroad? What was your experiences, best advice?

ZenHalfTimeCrock said:
Spent just over a year in Japan teaching English in Osaka back in the late 90's.

It was fantastic. Among other things I enjoyed terrific company, ate stupendous food, visited active volcanoes, stayed in ryokans to sample their onsen and rotenburo facilities, watched a sumo tournament (and met Konishiki - the famous 'Dump Truck'), saw Cerezo Osaka FC in action, became fascinated with Japanese literature/poetry (especially the Tale Of Genji - a stunning medieval psychological novel), and Japanese cinema.

Kyoto, Nara, Kagoshima, Beppu and Hakodate were all truly memorable places visited.

Was already familiar with Buddhism before I got there but the subsequent discovery of mystical realist Soto Zen was an eye-opener.

It's a great place to spend time after graduating (though I went when I was 35) and will hopefully be an option again for travellers if we ever get past this wretched virus.
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Really, really love Japan.
If there is reincarnation, I hope I'm Japanese.
 
dickie davies said:
When I spoke to a Zimbabwean ex pat, she told me it was Mugabe's second wife that corrupted him, that's when the country's fortunes changed for the worse
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I would disagree with this. My dad got us out as soon as we knew there was going to be a "free" election. Mugabe said prior to the election that if he was elected it would be dangerous for whites or their employees to remain in the country. We knew he would win the election as, at the time, he came from the biggest tribe & they would all vote for him. The sad thing is that his enforcer is now in charge.
 
There are 2 reasons for moving abroad, work or retirement. As many have said already if it is for work you need to fully immerse into the job or you will be out petty quick. The off days and the chance to travel makes up for it. It is difficult when friends and family come to visit as they get the impression that life is a long holiday. Either way you should jump at any opportunity
 
nimrod said:
Really, really love Japan.
If there is reincarnation, I hope I'm Japanese.
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Lived there for a short period myself. Amazing place, people are so friendly and developed a taste for fish that keeps me in good stead today. I was in Tokyo at the time, my only regret is I was relatively young when I went an took me longer than I would have liked to get settled and going if I had gone later I would be far more efficient.
 
richardtheref said:
Lived in Rhodesia untl I was 13. Thought it was great when I was a kid but looking back at it with hindsight not so good. Where we lived there was a curfew and you were not allowed out of your house after sunset, school bus on a morning had armed guards, when my dad did national service my mum and me had to learn to use firearms. 1st day at our new house we couldn't leave as a pride of lions had took up residence in our garden.
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That is really interesting my wife is Shona and has consistently said the place was a paradise before the sanctions, admittedly they don't live in Mbari or the HDA. I always find it interesting that her father for instance thought Rhodesia for all it's flaws was better than Zim but her Aunt despised it and even in the current state would never go back

Amazing place but my god it is basket case. I've travelled a fair bit I've never seen anything like it, even trying to spend or use money is a challenge.

Have you been back at all?
 
Lived in Helsinki for 5 years, loved every minute, didn’t want to come home and wish every day we could have stayed.

We came back as my eldest is autistic and for the sake of his education it was thought better by the doctors and us that he had the same language at school as at home - also the U.K. is world leading when it comes to autistic education. Other than that we’d still be there.
 
Lived in Zambia for 3 years from 1966 onwards, I was only 7 years old when we went. My memories are of a fantastic country with wonderful people. I would love to go back one day to see how it is now.
 
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