Travel and Expat Articles about usa - Expatify

The cheapest country to buy electronics is the United States

Tom — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 19:35:24 +0000

As a lover of electronics and other gadgets, I’m always on the lookout for bargains. And as someone who has visited over 70 countries, I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time checking to see if things are cheaper in one place and another. It started when I looked for MP3 players in Hong Kong, […]

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As an American living abroad, I actually miss the tipping culture

Tom — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 11:08:00 +0000

I can name dozens of things that I prefer in other cultures to the equivalents in my native USA, including the Metric system, having the final price displayed instead of the pre-tax price, and a greater emphasis on local markets and seasonal foods. That’s just the beginning, but among the American things I prefer is […]

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How well can you get to know a country by watching its TV shows?

Tom — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:20:41 +0000

As someone who has traveled around the world quite a bit, and who also really enjoys television, I was intrigued by a recent article put together by BBC America. The title is 11 TV Shows That Explain American Culture (for a British Expat), and I found it especially interesting because I’m an American currently touring […]

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For many expats, complaining is a permanent hobby

Tom — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 03:45:02 +0000

My mother likes to complain about the weather. She was born in eastern Germany and now lives in Orange County, California, which is part of the area that arguably has the best year-round climate in the world, and yet she still complains about the weather. Weirder still, she has lived there for over 50 years, […]

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Living abroad in a cheaper country can make moving home very difficult

Tom — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:17:55 +0000

If you’ve grown up in one of the world’s richer countries, like the US, Australia, or most of Europe, it can be very tempting to move abroad at some point to one of the many countries where most things are cheaper. We might not consider it at the time, but it turns out that moving […]

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How many regret their decision to become an expat?

Tom — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:30:20 +0000

Once again we have to begin this discussion by separating expats into groups of those who’ve changed countries out of fondness for the new country, and expats who’ve changed countries mostly for economic reasons. The following is still a valid discussion for the economic expats, but it’s really more of a question for those of […]

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Lessons to be learned from a lifelong serial expat

Tom — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:12:54 +0000

We’ve discussed many times how there are two main branches of expats moving around in the world. There are those of us who are choosing to move to (or from) a place for social or lifestyle reasons, and there are those who move because their job moves them there. I suppose a third group would […]

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American-style kitchens vs. expat-style kitchens: Is the food itself any different?

Tom — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:23:43 +0000

One of the most striking differences from one typical residence to another is the size and scope of the kitchen. Moving all over the world it’s dawned on me that American (and Canadian and perhaps Australian) kitchens are quite unusual and they seem to be getting even more so recently. Unless you grew up in […]

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The pros and cons of expat escapism

Tom — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:27:13 +0000

People become expats for all kinds of reasons, and some of us lucky enough to have done it by choice by moving out of a First World country are doing at at least partially in the name of escapism. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately because I’m an American who is delighted […]

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Expat stereotypes: Do we deserve them?

Tom — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:58:53 +0000

We are all aware of the different stereotypes attached to local groups when we are visiting or living in their country, but it seems to be less often discussed how we expats might also easily be stereotyped. Obviously the locals in a city where many other nationalities are congregating can generalize about each group, and […]

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