have you ever decided to live overseas?

[dec756]

Its something we have talked about and in the next 6 months is probable. If you have...where did you live?

[nfowife]

We are military and did 2 years in Naples, Italy. It was an amazing experience for our family and we definitely would like to live overseas, hopefully somewhere in Europe again, in the near future. We are in the process of transitioning to the civilian world and hope to find an opportunity there. Go for it!

[MamaMolly]

PMing you :)

[AngB]

DH and I, pre-kids, lives overseas for 2 years also courtesy of the military. We were in a remote location most people haven't heard of unless they are military and had stopped or been stationed or known someone stationed there. (Lajes Field, Azores). The island is tiny, not really any beaches (all cliffs), 2000 miles from New York and I think it was almost 1000 miles from Portugual which is the country the islands belong too. We HATED it, but in fairness, I was only 19 and it was hard being newlyweds, so stinkin young, in a remote country like that. We might have even enjoyed it had we gone a little later in life or under different circumstances. (Although maybe not. They had a high rate of wives and families leaving early due to depression, etc.) It was bad enough that I told DH if he ever got orders to go overseas again, he'd go alone. I definitely have a newfound appreciation of all the comforts of the US and no longer have any desire to "live" anywhere abroad except maybe Canada which is not quite overseas, honestly, I don't even really have all that much desire to even "visit" overseas. I can look at pictures at other places and be pretty content with that. (DH has long since separated from the military so it's not an issue.)

[anamika]

Yes, I moved here!!

[fedoragirl]

It depends if you're going with the military or not. IMO, living overseas with the armed forces is not really living overseas. I am sure many would disagree and that's fine.
I currently live overseas because of my spouse and his job. I didn't love it here as my previous posts attest but I am settling in and coming to appreciate the good things I have here. I don't miss the U.S. as I used to. Of course, I'd love to be able to watch my shows, read magazines, and talk in English but I am beginning to see the joys of conversing in another language too. I live in Germany.
Before that, I have lived in France but I did speak French--horribly at first, and then, it grew to be more functional. I would never say I was fluent but functional. I loved it. I was in my 20s, young and single. What's not to love.

[dec756]

what kind of jobs did you have if you were not military?>?

[fedoragirl]

I taught Business English in France. It was not a great income but it was enough for a single person. I just wanted to live there and travel. Goal accomplished.
Currently, I am a SAHM and we moved here because I wanted to be a SAHM for a while, and not for 6 months. DH is self-employed.
There are many IT jobs available in Europe for non-EU members. However, if you've set your sights on Europe I have to warn you that it's very, very difficult to get here because all jobs are pre-screened for EU applicants and then for someone from another country.

[gatorsmom]

My experience might not help you since this was before I was married or had kids, but I was a nanny for 2 years in Strasbourg, France. I lived about 15 minutes from the German border. There were actually quite a lot of American expat families who lived here. It was a very nice place to be a nanny. Most parts of the city were very safe and I knew several families who would let their children ride the buses and explore the city with their groups of friends. There were a number of parks and beautiful public places where kids could play and I'd see groups of moms meet. On my days off i would explore the many boutiques where you could find everything you'd want and all within walking distance. The only thing I didn't like about Strasbourg (and the Provence of Alsace in general) was the difficulty I had in making friends. Even with my Alsacian boyfriend to intrroduce me around, I was never asked by myself to hang out with any of the girls. I was told a number of times that due to their political history of the region, Alsacian people don't typically befriend foreigners. I made friends with other foreigners there, but no actual Alsacians. I don't think it would be so hard to make friends in other cities in Europe.

The French medical system is socialized and is funded by the taxes paid by employers. The French take advantage of it and totally take it for granted. My host mom (and employer) was a doctor and when I'd get sick she'd think nothing of prescribing me every medication under the sun. A friend of my boyfriend sold medical supplies to doctors there and told stories of patients being prescribed a week spa vacation. This was terrible for the medical system (and their country) but fantastic for the patients. Doctors spared no expense for their patients. I've heard that the other socialized medical systems of other countries don't work that way. A close friend of mine is from Poland and patients are more at the mercy of the system. Because the quota for bipass surgeries had been filled for the year, her Polish father was going to have to wait a month for surgery! She bribed the head heart surgeon to get her father surgery within a week. So, i think before I moved my family anywhere I'd get a thorough knowledge of how their medical system worked.

Eta: for awhile my French boyfriend and I were considering getting married and staying together and so after my nanny job was finished, I applied with his help, for entry-level business positions (I had moved to France fresh out of college). It would have required the company paying for a work visa for me to stay. I sent out 100 resumes. There was interest from a few companies but only if I already had my work visa. It was actually easier for my boyfriend to get a job in the US! So we moved back here together. This was before 9/11. Not sure this helps. I just like telling the story. :D

[belovedgandp]

We did a housing hunt and were withing weeks of moving to Hong Kong with small kids. It would have been a corporate two year move. We looked at it for three reasons - cultural experience, money, and career advancement.

We weren't trying to make money, but it needed to not hurt us financially to move there. In the end the career options became shaky and the money offered was sad (weird rules that no exceptions were allowed even though our family was an exceptional case). We just couldn't justify doing it for the experience alone.

[american_mama]

I lived in Belgium for 18 months with my husband and toddler. Our second child was born right before we moved back, so I know a bit about the healthcare system. The Belgian system is also state-funded (as are almost all European countries) and is high in both quality of care and in how well it is run. It's one of the few things that Belgians will say they are proud of about their country, since Belgians tend to treat their country as a joke more than a source of pride. I never experienced waits for primary care or dental care, and never heard of waits for surgeries or the like.

We lived in a small-ish college town with lots of international people, but not many Americans. We really had to find our own way about housing, healthcare, banking, buying and owning a car, etc. It was hard, but a big source of pride.

Our family is also very likely to move to Germany for 8 months next year. That will be our first experience dealing with a foreign educational system and with our children learning a foreign language. I already speak some German.

In both these cases, my husband is an academic moving to do research abroad. In the 18 month case, he had a fellowship for the whole time. In the Germany case, it will be a blend of sabbatical and fellowship. I was already a stay-at-home mom in the US both times.

I also studied abroad in Sweden for 10 months when I was in college.

[brittone2]

DH and I have considered it. My preference would be to commit for no longer than 1-2 years, at least at first. I wouldn't want to be locked into it long-term until I got a feel for it. I also would not want to leave my parents or ILs permanently, especially as they grow older.

DH is a chemist, and does a lot of crossover work with things that relate to the energy field (batteries and other technology).

[twotimesblue]

I have lived in Kenya and Zimbabwe in Africa; in the UK for many years and now the US (we've also visited 52 countries as tourists). The experience of living in a different country is incredibly enriching and DH and I hope to move back to Europe when our kids are older. In the meantime, we travel as much as we can - both long and short haul - and I really think DS has benefitted from the exposure to so many different cultures. He definitely has 'wanderlust' like his parents!

[hellbennt]

a friend of mine & her husband & their 2 dds are moving this month to Q'atar to teach. then, in my obgyn's office, I was talking to a teacher who is moving to the United Arab Emerites.

I *think* the U of Iowa has some sort of center to find information regarding teaching overseas?
ETA: http://www.uni.edu/placement/overseas/
"Offering services since 1976, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Overseas Placement Service for Educators, a program area of UNI Career Services, connects international K-12 schools with certified educators year round. Services offered include the UNI Overseas Recruiting Fair, credential and referral services, and related publications. UNI is home to the original international fair for educators. We are committed to providing personal attention and quality service to all of our constituents. We do not charge placement fees to candidates or recruiting schools."

[cookiemonster80]

I grew up as an expat kid ( England and Singapore for 10 years total)- dad worked for big oil. I do think private companies take care of you more- pay for housing private, American/international schools, regular trips home, housekeeping help, car, etc. I do think it matters where you live-both of my places spoke English and had high standards of living. It was truly incredible and since technology is around now you would be able to stay close to family much easier than we were able to.

Just having the experience gives you a completely different worldview that you will never lose- I wish we could live overseas but DH's job isn't one that would be easy to work with overseas.

Pm me if you want more info.

[lmwbasye]

We asked for it and should be moving to the UK in the late winter. We are military but won't be stationed around other Americans. DH will be integrated with a British regiment there and the closest American military is over 4 hours away.

Praying this comes through for us and cannot wait.

[dec756]

best of luck to the above poster!! i really want this to work out for us too....were kind of thinking now or never while our toddler is still young.

[ged]

Yes, we moved to Germany 1.5 years ago. My oldest daughter is in the public german elementary school and doing great. We moved when she was in Kindergarten and with no German skills ( I don't have any either and I am nowhere near fluent). My DH is working for a small German firm. I stay at home with my 2 y.o. It's been a real unique experience.

[nfowife]

Regarding military vs. non-military. The support system the military has overseas is very good in most places. They will walk you through most things and obviously moving your stuff, a car, etc. overseas is very nice. The international schools who hire Americans have support systems as well, and that can be a wonderful experience if that is something you are interested in. There is a big job fair each year in a few major cities where the recruiting happens. I have a friend and her husband (both are teachers) who went overseas 10 years ago and they are still there (started in Malaysia and now in China) and love it. They've had 2 kids and don't plan to come back. The travel, lifestyle, and money have made it well worth their time to stay there!
I remember talking to her after her 1st was born and she had a baby nurse person (separate from the full-time housekeeper and chef) who did all the cloth diapers, gave her the baby to nurse, took the baby back to burp, and handed her back over for the other side! I was sooooo jealous!

[jenmcadams]

DH and I, pre-kids, lives overseas for 2 years also courtesy of the military. We were in a remote location most people haven't heard of unless they are military and had stopped or been stationed or known someone stationed there. (Lajes Field, Azores). The island is tiny, not really any beaches (all cliffs), 2000 miles from New York and I think it was almost 1000 miles from Portugual which is the country the islands belong too. We HATED it, but in fairness, I was only 19 and it was hard being newlyweds, so stinkin young, in a remote country like that. We might have even enjoyed it had we gone a little later in life or under different circumstances. (Although maybe not. They had a high rate of wives and families leaving early due to depression, etc.) It was bad enough that I told DH if he ever got orders to go overseas again, he'd go alone. I definitely have a newfound appreciation of all the comforts of the US and no longer have any desire to "live" anywhere abroad except maybe Canada which is not quite overseas, honestly, I don't even really have all that much desire to even "visit" overseas. I can look at pictures at other places and be pretty content with that. (DH has long since separated from the military so it's not an issue.)

Totally OT:

Crazy...I was born at Lajes almost 40 yrs ago :) my parents loved it, but maybe it was different in the early 70s. They both spoke Portuguese too (courtesy of Peace Corps time in Brazil), so that may hAve helped

[mum-to-be]

Yes, DH and I moved from Australia to England when we were engaged. We moved from England to Texas when we were planning to start a family. We then moved to California when DS was 1yr, and it was by far the hardest move.

Our second international move was much easier than the first. We made sure we had housing lined up for the first two months (it can be very difficult to get a rental property with no history in the country), and had bank accounts set up in advance. We also bought a house when we moved the US, so that was probably easier than getting a rental. We did a lot of research beforehand about buying cars too. Oh and we used Ozforex for transferring money - not sure if that would be best for you.

[mom_hanna]

Totally OT:

Crazy...I was born at Lajes almost 40 yrs ago :) my parents loved it, but maybe it was different in the early 70s. They both spoke Portuguese too (courtesy of Peace Corps time in Brazil), so that may hAve helped

Hey, my dad was stationed there when he was in the Air Force! He also spoke portuguese and really liked it there.

[oneplustwo]

I moved from the States to Brazil right after college, and lived there a little over 4 years. This was before marriage and kids though. I had quite a few contacts and some friends to stay with until I got my own place, and ended up first teaching ESL at an ESL school and teaching privately (traveling to people's homes to teach them), and then working in a British school (I became the school's guidance counselor and taught both English Lit and a course in the school's IB program).

More recently, friends of ours moved to Mexico with their children for one year, and just came back a year ago. They planned very meticulously, and it all went very smoothly. Both the husband and wife pitched the idea of working for their companies while abroad to their bosses and got it approved.

[mommy111]

Went to Cjina for 2 years to work at a non profit and took a huuuuuge pay cut for the experience. This was with two kids. Loved it. Totally worth even the pay cut and the fact that it put us way back financially esp since I was also in the middle of a divorce then.
We've loved coming back as well, but the school adjustment has been much harder coming back than going there. You would think new kids would be much more welcomed/accepted here but thats not quite the case. Conversely the school system there was an easy adjustment, things are much more relaxed and friendly and much less cliquish there and new kids are welcomed and rapidly made to feel part of a family.

[joules]

We lived overseas for 4 years in asia (I was in HS my sister was in elementary). My sister and I loved the experience. It was fairly easy for us to adjust since my mom's family lived there too and we spoke the language pretty well...but we couldn't read anything.

We went to an american school where everything was based on the same curriculum as the states or europe. We are still great friends with the people from school there.

ETA: I don't know if I'd be able to do it with 2 young kids. Like most people there, we didn't own a car. That meant you had to walk home with your groceries. I suppose you could take a cab..but it was never really far enough to justify it. She had to plan her grocery trips really well. Plus it rained alot and the sidewalks are so horrible. Plus I don't think I ever saw anyone use a stroller. Even if you had one the sidewalks are either really narrow and messed up or the walkway in front of the stores is always uneven...like 1 to 3 steps up or down.

[niccig]

I moved here. Prior to that I lived in Japan and in England. Moving overseas is tough, but it's also amazing. It's difficult in the beginning as you establish yourself and make friends. I say it's taken me a good 3 years to feel comfortable in the US. This is a different move as it's a forever move. I can't see us moving back, DH is American and his work is only here. In some ways it's gotten easier to be away (10 yrs), and in others it hasn't. We haven't been back in a few years and my parents won't visit (that's for a bitching post) and I told DH we're going next summer. He's upset my parents won't visit and we always have to go there...I said "you shouldn't have married me if you never want to go to Australia. I miss it.

[mum-to-be]

I moved here. Prior to that I lived in Japan and in England. Moving overseas is tough, but it's also amazing. It's difficult in the beginning as you establish yourself and make friends. I say it's taken me a good 3 years to feel comfortable in the US. This is a different move as it's a forever move. I can't see us moving back, DH is American and his work is only here. In some ways it's gotten easier to be away (10 yrs), and in others it hasn't. We haven't been back in a few years and my parents won't visit (that's for a bitching post) and I told DH we're going next summer. He's upset my parents won't visit and we always have to go there...I said "you shouldn't have married me if you never want to go to Australia. I miss it.

I'm going to take my kids out next summer too - it will be 4 years since my last visit by then! Let me know if you want a traveling companion!

[niccig]

I'm going to take my kids out next summer too - it will be 4 years since my last visit by then! Let me know if you want a traveling companion!

I may take you up on that. I'll probably go on my own, so we don't use DH's vacation time. I do understand DH's issue with my parents never visiting (they can afford it and are retired). Both sides of the family expect us to do most of the traveling and we've put limits on it. My sister is now living in Chicago and she may go back same time I do - I need another person in the house to help deal with my mum. I miss the sky and the smell of the air. CA is similar in many ways, but not the same.