General Discussion

Yep. ‘Bout had enough!

Some thoughts about living overseas

Rent an apartment/house there first and live there for at least a month, preferably three.

Remember you don’t have the rights you are accustomed to in the US.

Stay away from expat communities. You will never assimilate and you will hear constant complaining about how this isn’t Texas, New York, etc. I already know that life sucks in X country - I don’t need you telling me everyday.

If you are going to live there immerse yourself in the language and culture first.

Watch how much you drink. Ahem! Most of these folks drink - a lot!

Never, ever, ever, ever do drugs overseas. Never, ever, ever, ever attempt to bring drugs back to the US.

Taxes - hire a good accountant and be prepared for a huge US tax return. Ours ran about 30 pages many years ago. You will register as a foreign agent and must submit forms for a foreign bank account.

Be prepared to wait - for everything.

Please don’t be an Ugly American. Speaking Texan loudly will not help you when there is a language difficulty.

And finally - please ditch the American uniform - cargo shorts, tee shirt, white socks and sneakers. You will pay twice as much money for everything! 😉

These are some things I wish I had known as a young bride in Venezuela.

Most importantly - have fun!