Expatriate Engineers? Why Did You Move? Did You Return?

What a good topic _<subscribes>.

I'm from Lebanon but I never lived, studied or worked there for more than a year.

I suppose the reasons should be pretty obvious.

What can I say, I flow in the path of least resistance.

Born and raised in the UK, I quit electronics and trained as a teacher in the UK, then worked in Botswana for two years (teaching electronics) on a contract. It wasn't incredible money but the living costs were very low and I was out of work at the time with no ties and a college debt. I had a good time but was homesick. Now I'm back in the UK back in Electronics (although I had fun in between times learning and instructing in the Electrical world) I would consider spending some retirement time (6 months / 6 months say) in China, the wife's birthplace. An unusual combination of places perhaps. I'm really glad I had the chance to do all of this but at 51, which should be considered young, the clock is ticking and I think I'll wait to be pushed before I jump. The other (often unspoken) consideration is health care. If I make it to draw a pension then full-time out of the UK is a bit of a stretch, and I remind myself it's pretty here. So much to see and a finite amount of time to see it in. I like the idea of going off somewhere but family adds inertia and I have more to lose.

This is a curious topic... I am still a US citizen, but have not lived there since '98 when I received an offer to travel to south Mexico for what was then a six month project.

At the time I had some legal problems back up north and it seemed like a good way to hide from this BS, see something new and get a paycheck while I was at it. Then came the romance with the now ex-wife in Mexico, then came my current wife here in Mexico and the house and kids.

There is also the addiction to writing EXCEMPT on my W-2 and keeping the money I earn. I could not fathom the thought of going back to the US and needing to give someone else 30% +/- of my wages, not to mention the incentives that are always given to work abroad (although there is nowhere I would rather be)...

Since '98 I have sorted out my legal dilemmas, I work all over the world but always end up back home in Tabasco, Mexico. This year for work I have been to Amsterdam, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the US (for a stop over). The only place I have not enjoyed is the US stop over, just being in the LAX, seeing the typical US better than everyone attitudes and being scrutinized by everyone for a few hours was enough to last me a few years.

In my opinion the EXPAT way of life may not be for everyone but for those who enjoy the life, there is just no other option. To think of spending day and night, week in week out for months or even years doing the 9-5 thing just seems like a bad nightmare.

For what its worth....

Tim

Yes, I'm reminded of an Asimov robot short story where the robot runs round in a circle torn between two of the three laws, I feel like that robot (searches internet) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaround but stuck behind a desk and having to return to it daily. Wikipedia is great, I read that story back in the seventies but I can find from the article that my "allergy to danger is unusually high".

Originally ex Oz

Worked and lived most everywhere there.

Then started doing away jobs in 90 then back then away,then back and away and away....

I've been living in Phnom Penh now for 15 years. I am now getting ready to go back to Oz for a short stint (money reasons only).

I'm now 51 too. Costs here are low even good medical. Boom and bust cycle is normal.

Biggest expense here was international school fees.

The bastards will make me wear shoes in Oz ....

Working abroad is a once a life time experience but you must be lucky to end up in a good job,in a good,civilised country under a good employer. In mid-east there is no tax deductions but in some of those countries religious restrictions are severe and police not fluent in English language is another problem.

I have always travelled a lot, the RN wa just part of that.

I settled down in southern Uk in 1973, got married in 76 and divoced in 80.

I ended up with 3 women making life untenable, my ex (no children), my mother and Margaret Thatcher, who was fighting the trade unions and there was no guarantee that she would win (she did, but some time later!).

The US company I was working for made an offer in 1981 to move to Germany that I could not turn down. I packed my bags and left and have never looked back.......

I met my now wife in 82, got married and now have two daughters (29 & 26) and a 1 year old grandson.....

....they will bury me here!

Sad part is that my excellent French has degraded somewhat, but I did learn German eelatively late for a language (my fourth language, I also learnt Portuguese in the RN but I have never used it since....)

I do remember meeting a work colleague in the UK (probably around 1977) who spent some time in Germany and it enhanced his career dramatically in the UK, so I had a good example to follow so to say.....

Born in the USA i started working for a company 28 yrs. ago that had plants in Florida, Haiti and the Dom. Rep. I spent a week in each place going round and round. When they decided to move from the D.R. to Haiti i stayed in the D.R. and have been here ever since. I lost my leg in an accident 17 yrs. ago and in the past couple of years my right hand started to die due to lack of blood flow. Lost fingers then hand then arm almost up to shoulder. But i have no desire to return to the states. Being 60 and having to start all over again is not for me. 2 more years for my SS and i only work 5-6 hours a day.

I do live like a king with a 25 year old girl living with me and 3 or 4 other girls that take care of ALL my needs and desires.

Surely i will die here!

PS It had nothing to do with money.