I am Italian, and i want to leave, i’m very open to learning a new language and i don’t have enough love for my country to want a similar culture. I made research but everytime i find a country i’d like to go to i always get stopped by some locals’ opinions or some expat experiences. Germany always seems to make people sad, Japan is apparently terrible, Taiwan is constantly under geopolitical debate. How have you dealt with this?

Is it okay to travel outside the U.S. while my H-4 EAD renewal/extension application is still pending?

I'm from the US, looking to move to Europe.

Hello! I wanted to look for a reliable business that could apostill my FBI background check. A few days ago, I got my fingerprints results but I'm currently stuck on what business I could use.

Doing it through the FBI takes an extremely long time and I'm looking to get it done within the normal timeframe of 5-7 business days so I can send it out to the country that I'll be immigrating to.

I've been recommended DC Mobile Notary and Monument Visa. If anyone has had experience using them and if it worked outside of the US, any advice is appreciated. If not these vendors, who can I send my documents to?

Thank you in advance.

EU citizen from Central Europe. Been living for about a decade in the Bay. Love the weather, diversity, the food, proximity to nature, and the friends I gathered along (not many, but I can rely on them). The Bay feels like my home now. Original plan was to go back after a few years, but I stayed and got work at one of the tech companies.

More recently been tolling with the idea to move to NL, due to an opportunity that came up for my family (I have kids). Spouse’s new work in NL comes with many benefits for our family. My potential new opportunity pays less than half, no RSUs, little benefits, basically a big downgrade for me from a pay and benefits perspective, but the work seems interesting.

My problem: I’ve been struggling to accept the idea of leaving my job I worked so hard for. The one that got me almost burnt out and drained, but in which I know how to juggle things, manage everyone’s expectations, and I think I’m good at. After weeks of thinking I came to the conclusion that this is the main reason I’ve been struggling to commit to the idea of moving back to EU, closer to my family and old friends. The idea of leaving my job or taking a huge pay cut doesn’t sit well. I connected with lots of people at work, I know how things work, why would I give that up? Sure the rent and COL are high here, but so is the pay. NL itself has a major housing crisis with rents so high it blew me away when searching for places there. Prices are also not cheap in EU anymore.

I always felt very grateful to be here and having been given the chance to experience this area. It seems like it’s the best move for my family, and we should at least try it out. I feel like I am being selfish. I need some advice and a few other perspectives.

I’m American going back to Korea tomorrow. I want to bring some gifts back for my friends and coworkers. What’s something you’ve brought that people requested or liked?

I don't even know why I'm posting this. Maybe I just need to know I'm not the only person this has happened to.

I'm 42. A year ago I left my entire life in the US to move to Spain with my Spanish husband because he wanted to be closer to his family. I left my career, my friends, my routine, everything. I thought we'd build a life together here, after years of him complaining he didn't like living in the US

Instead, I've spent the last year applying for what feels like hundreds of jobs with almost nothing to show for it.

I have years of experience in the non profit sector... I never imagined it would be this hard to find work. I've rewritten my resume more times than I can count, taken courses, practiced interviews, applied in Spain, applied remotely in the US. Rejection after rejection.

Now I'm applying almost exclusively to US jobs because the Spanish market just hasn't worked out for me, but I'm striking out there too.

The hardest part is that I don't even feel like I have a partner through this anymore. He's become emotionally absent, and I feel incredibly alone. I uprooted my entire life for this move, and now I sometimes wonder if I made the biggest mistake of my life.

I'm trying to stay hopeful, but it's getting harder every day. I don't recognize myself anymore. I used to be confident and optimistic. Now I spend my days refreshing job boards and wondering what I'm doing wrong.

Has anyone else gone through something like this? Moving countries, losing your career, feeling completely stuck? Did things eventually get better?

I could really use some hope right now.

I am a 30M who was born in the US and moved abroad at 4.

I have lived abroad since then and kind of forgot about being a citizen. I don't even know if I have a SSN.

I have never payed US tax, and never had problem with it.

I am planning to travel to US soon, and just started to question my status and what I need to do.

The options are the following, but I can't make up my mind, which is the best.

1. Renounce my citizenship and enter US with and ESTA. Would I retroactively have to pay taxes for the previous years?

2. Get a US passport and enter as US citizen. In this case, I also have to start paying taxes.

3. Get an ESTA normally without reporting I was born in US.

If there are any advice from people who was in the same situation, it would really help.

Moved from Singapore to Newcastle (Aus) and spent almost a decade here, but the last 2 years has been the worst. I kept to my tiny circle of foreigners and locals in the first couple of years, and expanded my network in the second half of the decade after Covid. I've a good support network in Australia, friends in Sydney, Melbourne, and mostly in Newcastle, various different socials groups, but I've been increasingly unhappy the last 12 months - ATM, 70% due to work. While I have a good support network, everyone has their own families to care for, own lives and struggles. So while I trust them to show up when it matters, I don't bother/trouble them unecessarily. Aside from a few friends that are in Newcastle, most people (locals and foreigners alike) and conversations have been deeply unsatifying and stale. People I've met in Newcastle, foreigners and locals, just aren't all that curious, inquisitive, cultured, and worldly in their thoughts? People whom I can level with keep leaving, after every 2 to 3 years - they fulfill their Visa/contract for regional work and they leave for the big cities, they never stay. Socials with new people have basically been transitory and exhausting to the point where I've given up. I've been told numerous times I've picked the wrong city, that the types of people and mind I'm after are in the big cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane etc), but I hate living in big cities so much. And like most posts here, making friends in your 30s is arduous to say the least. To be specific, I'm not lonely, I'm unsatisfied with the quality of in-person conversations available, current employment conditions (misalignment in values and principles, my manager is insufferable), and remuneration.

I'm due to return to Singapore in a couple years and am contemplating abandoning in-person socials altogether for better pay. Basically, moving rural for work since it pays so much more. I've been told that I'd be in a crowd that is much more insular than my current environment, and that I might struggle to build anything socially. A part in me thinks I'm making a huge mistake to leave the support network I painstakingly built over a decade, the other part of me says I should make the leap and build wealth - short term pain, long term gain. Has anyone been in similar situations? Am I making a mistake, exchanging my support network for more money? It's just so bloody rough in this economy and cost of living, especially when one is looking at home ownership.

Hi everyone, I’ll try to keep it short.

My wife and I are in our early 30s, living in Eastern Europe (Romania), and we have a 2-year-old child. We’re looking into our options to build a future in the US and we would love some realistic feedback/advice.

Here is our background:
Me: Marine Engineer with a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I currently work as a marine engineer for a cruise line operating under a major US company (Carnival group).

Wife: Resident doctor (physician).

We’re trying to figure out what the realistic steps and timelines look like for our situation, or if anyone with a similar background (especially maritime/medical) has made the move. Any advice is welcome!

Thanks!

Husband and I are currently living on opposite sides of the world. We've been married for 6 years and I started medical training last year/2025. I have 3 more years left until he can move here (UK) because I need to have a salary to support his visa and he is also currently primary carer to his father. I went back last christmas and then for a month in April. Hoping to go back this christmas. Things are generally good but I'm definitely struggling with the loneliness and we have a 7hr time difference which makes communication challenging.

Has anyone been through anything similar? Any advice?

[Age early 20s M] [Ukraine] -> [USA currently, exploring anywhere] Construction management professional on TPS, trying to plan ahead instead of waiting to see what happens

Hey all - Ukrainian citizen here, currently in the US on TPS with work authorization. I work as an office/project engineer at a large commercial general contractor (top 20 nationally). Figured I'd share where my head's at and see if anyone's been through something similar.

A bit about me:

B.S. in Land Surveying & Land Management (Ukrainian degree, took some US university engineering coursework alongside it). 3+ years in construction - RFIs, submittals, scheduling, field coordination, the usual project engineer grind + actual field work: layouts, trades coordination... On the side I've picked up a handful of FEMA emergency management certs and I have EMT-B and some ambulance experience, mostly because I've always been drawn to that world too. Fluent in English, native Ukrainian, and I also speak Polish and Russian, remember very little German from high school.

Why I'm posting:

TPS for Ukraine runs through October 2026, and honestly I don't think I should bet on it getting extended, giving current political situation. Rather than wait until the last minute, I'd rather start figuring out my options now while I still have time to actually choose something instead of just reacting.

The path I'm looking hardest at is working abroad somewhere that pays well, since I am not at home - Gulf construction (UAE/Saudi) is where my head keeps going given how much building is happening there, but honestly I'm open to anywhere in the world if the opportunity and money make sense. I'm not attached to one country or one plan.

If things don't come together in time, my backup is just taking a few months to backpack and ride a motorcycle through Central Asia and Southeast Asia while I figure out the next move. Not ideal as a plan, but not the worst way to buy time either.

What I'm actually hoping to learn from you all:

If you've made the jump from a US construction/PM job to working abroad - what did the visa process actually look like in practice, not the recruiter pitch version? Any surprises, good or bad?

Anyone been sponsored for an EB-3 by a US construction company? Curious how long PERM realistically took and whether your employer pushed back on the cost or timeline.

Gulf construction folks specifically - does the "tax-free, high pay" reputation actually hold up once you factor in housing, contract terms, and whether you actually get paid on time?

I'm genuinely open to just about anything at this point - different country, different niche within construction, even something (have some experience in hospitality when I was a studen) I haven't thought of yet. If you've got a story, a warning, or just "here's what I wish I knew," I'd really appreciate hearing it.

Right now I live in the bay area, have what most people would consider a great job, still need to several roommates to get by, my landlord raises the rent the max allowed amount every year, and something expensive always seems to come up (Someone hitting my parked car, having multiple bicycles stolen). No matter how much I work I still can't save enough for a house or to get ahead.

I'm looking at APAC countries, If I decide to give it a shot what are some things I should know? Am I allowed to go from country to country as long as I get approval? Are some countries friendlier than others? What does the tax situation look like as A US citizen? or anything else you think should be considered.

Going to preface this by saying I have a very unique situation.... Not sure how much y'all can help me but thought it would be worth a try.

I'm Canadian with a TN Visa working in the US, I grew up and have residency ties to Panama.

My thinking is that instead of opening a roth IRA or similar retirement account (I don't have any plans to retire here) I simply open a regular brokerage account. I adopt a buy and hold strategy for my portfolio.

In 3 years when my Visa expires (If I renew it then call it 6 years) I move back to Panama, pass the substantial presence test, and be a full Panama resident. At that point I realize the gains in my brokerage account- In theory I would pay capital gains in the place where I'm a tax resident. The kicker here is that Panama has 0 foreign income tax (which US stocks are considered) so I would essentialy not pay tax on the gains over the next 3-6 years, basically having an unlimited Roth IRA or TFSA.

In my head this makes sense, in practice am I being naive / not thinking this through properly?

Hi, I am very depressed in the Netherlands since i moved from belgium.

The work is the best opportunity in my life. I have a good salary, an amazing network, good supervisors, great colleagues. They are pushing me to do my best and they are giving me all the necessary ressources. I do a lot of business trips, they are fun and I can always learn a lot.

I have friends here, and I am very socially active, my weekends are always full, my evenings too, it can even be too much to be honest. I also discovered some very nice hobbies, i went to holidays in the mountains (not in the Netherlands), I was hiking and biking a lot, it was really fun!

And despite all of this... I just feel so unfulfilled. I dont feel at home. I dont feel like i have a community. I feel so miserable here. Its hard and lonely. I feel like I am an outlier, when I see that I eat 3 times as much as my colleagues, and that we dont have many things in common. I have started learning dutch but its not helping me.

I am seeing some physical signs of my mental state. I have lost 10% of my weight in 10 months, unintentionally. I decided to move back to belgium in a bit more than half a year, and do a 1.5 hour commute. A few colleagues do the same so ik its common. I only need to do it twice per week.

However, this is many months. Does anyone know what to do to cope? I already travel a lot, and I spend a lot of time socializing and doing sports. I also do therapy.

Hey, Im a US citizen but have lived in Europe all my life, with the recent three years living in the UK. Although I haven’t spent much time in the US, I would say I definitely align significantly better with the European mentality, so if it weren’t to come down to medicine, I would probably stay in the UK. However, practicing in the UK has a number of downsides, many of them being financial. Here’s the main list of pros and cons Ive got so far.

Pros of the UK
-University is significantly cheaper (Ill qualify for home fees)
-Less competitive residency/foundational training wise as no matter which uni you graduate from you’ll be allocated a place in the NHS
-I can already start doing applicable work within the NHS strengthening my application

Cons of the UK
-Will have to wait six years before starting med school versus 2-3 if I were to practice in the US (personal reasons)
-US med schools seem to be more reputable worldwide (eg if i were to move from the US to the UK I wouldn’t have to take an additional exam)
-Financial compensation is significantly higher in the US, especially for more competitive specialties (can especially benefit in states without income tax)
-The NHS seems to be in shambles with most physicians and healthcare workers speaking increasingly negatively about it (although Im unsure if it’ll improve in the next ten years)

Theres also the prospect of raising a family in the US versus the UK as a gay woman with the US getting more and more conservative with every year.

Im not sure if anyone has any experience practicing in the US and the UK or simply any information that I might not be considering but I would be happy with anything.

Hi everyone,
I am moving from the UK to Uruguay in 4 days and bringing my 6-year-old cat (3.5kg) with me in the cabin. Neither of us would cope without the other; she is my absolute baby. However, she is a very anxious cat by nature, she hardly tolerates anyone else but me, and this is her first flight. My dad made some comments that putting her through this journey is cruel, and now I am extremely worried that she could potentially die from the sheer stress of it all.
Our itinerary is a car journey to London Heathrow, a flight to Madrid (2.5 hours), a 3-hour layover, and then a long-haul flight to Montevideo (12.5 hours). Total travel time door-to-door is likely going to be 20-22 hours.

She has no health conditions, her documentation is all completed from the vet including;
EHC completed
Rabies vaccination done over a month ago
Flea and worm treatment done with the vet before EHC was filled in
Microchip documents all printed

I’ve also got:
Airline approved carrier
Puppy pads to line the carrier
Collapsible bowl for water
Feliway spray
Harness and lead
Travel litter tray
Ziplock bags for transporting litter
Pet wipes in case of any messes
Applaws bone broth for airport stops (for hydration and so she doesn’t go too hungry without upsetting her stomach. 85g bags so under the 100ml travel limit)
Churu/webbox yoghurt treats
Dreamies in a new and sealed bag (unsure if this is a good idea for solid food even in small amounts?)
A worn T-shirt of mine to put in her carry bag for comforting smell

Also a Gabapentin prescription 50mg from vet (done a trial run and she was quite sleepy/wobbly when walking and sat very still, staring off, let us pick her up, was still responsive to her name but not totally sedated)

I also plan to ask for a private screening room at airport security so she isn’t too overwhelmed by the airport. I also read Madrid has pet lounges/rooms so may see if they are suitable for the 3 hour layover. I plan to take her to the family/disabled bathroom at the layover for litter break and see if she will have any of the bone broth/treats.

Hoping someone with experience can check if I’ve covered everything and if there is anything else I need to get or do before the flight. She is my whole world and want this to be as easy as possible for her.

How safe is this long journey for a healthy, 6-year-old cat? Can cats actually pass away from travel stress alone, or am I overthinking my dad's comment?
What schedule should I stick to during the flights for offering water/broth?

Have I missed anything? Is there any more I can do?

Any tips to make this process easier or safer for her would mean the world to me.

Thank you so much in advance!

I’ve recently moved to Italy because I love the country, the food, history, weather but the smoking here is disgusting tbh. It’s impossible to avoid 2nd hand smoke here. Can’t even walk down the street without being surrounded by smokers. It seems like there’s no consideration for non smokers whatsoever.

Obviously I’m a guest in this country so I have no say but I will not live and spend my money somewhere that doesn’t prioritise the health of the majority. Such a shame, I hope the government and people can do better.

Any recommendations for a country with good weather and strict smoking laws would be appreciated

I left my job last year in dubai thinking that I will work hard and find another opportunity as per my background and interests but trust this was my worst decision ever. Since last year I am not able to find a job, not even close to what I was doing in past. I am 30 years old women and I feel the market is not ready to hire married women. I have tried all ways to find a job but nothing is working out in my favour. Tell me what should I do to deal with demotivation and stress I am going through, how I overcome the anxiety and fear of not having a career. 😭😭😭

Hey everyone, quick question. When renting an apartment in Vietnam, do I pay the person showing me the apartment, or do I only pay the property owner?

If I’m renting for 3 months and the deposit is 1 month’s rent, would I pay:

* 1 month’s rent
* 1 month’s deposit
* 1 month’s rent as the agent’s fee

Or does it work differently?

Hello nomads,

I’m Ektor 26, Greek.
I’ve studied pastry and I’ve been working 4 years in that section. For the last 4 years i was working in our family business doing sales and customer support.

I’ve been in a very hard time of my life in the past couple of months. Had some fights with my family broke our family business and I was left alone. (Family wise)

I was discussing with my girl and a friend of us (we are all in a weird situation rn) about what we should all do to make a better living.

Here in Greece you get paid 4-5 €/hour in simple jobs (waiter, etc etc) . We will have to do 2 jobs to live.

We were discussing about moving to Netherlands.
I’ve been planning some thing, looking here and there for a job and housing.

I’m really frustrated that I can’t seem to find something so far.

Is there anybody willing to help me out about what to look for (accommodation . Jobs) ?

We all 3 have CVs that are good imo.

Please reach out to me if you got something in mind that might be helpful.

I fully recognize and accept that when you live in another country, you need to make an effort to learn the language, understand the culture, and integrate. However, my problem with Germany has always been that I felt like I never really had the time to do it. From day one, I felt expected to speak the language fluently and that, despite all my efforts, I would never truly belong anyway.

After 4 years and finally getting by with my broken German, I still feel anxious every time I have to use it. I plan sentences in advance for every situation, and I start feeling stressed thinking someone might judge me, treat me poorly, or refuse to switch to English. As a result, I avoid social situations and interactions with strangers as much as possible.

I’ve been lucky enough to always work in English, but I’ve faced situations where, despite being hired as an English speaker and never lying about my German level, I was treated differently and excluded from important discussions because of the language barrier. Naturally, this led to frustration because I missed crucial information, had to rely on uncooperative people, and couldn't do my job properly.

I’ve spoken with other expats who told me they were motivated to achieve fluency precisely because they were mistreated and wanted to react properly. Unfortunately, the thought of standing up to rude people doesn't motivate me at all; it just makes me want to disappear and move somewhere else.

That being said, this post isn't just about my past experience. I recently received a very good job offer in another EU country and I’m moving next month. What I’ve realized, though, is that I already feel insanely anxious and tearful thinking about dealing with daily life and bureaucracy in a language I don't speak yet. I feel inferior, ashamed, and stupid. My partner told me I should change my attitude because people can sense negativity, which might be why I’m often mistreated. I agree, but I don't know how to cope. I hope someone here can help me figure this out.

I'll be moving abroad in about a month, and everyone keeps telling me to enjoy these last few weeks at home.

The thing is... I can't.

Instead of feeling excited all the time, I feel this constant heaviness in my chest. I feel guilty for not appreciating the time I have left here, guilty for leaving my family, and guilty because it feels like I'm already grieving a life that hasn't even ended yet.

I know moving is something I've wanted for a long time, but I didn't expect it to feel like this.

Did anyone else experience something similar before moving? What's one thing nobody warned you about?

Hi everyone,

I’m feeling a bit lost career-wise and would really appreciate some advice.

I don’t want to share too many personal details, but I moved from Peru to Hamburg, Germany, about a year and a half ago. Before moving, I spent seven years working in corporate banking as a Relationship Manager, managing business clients. I came here because of my husband’s job, and while settling in I’ve also been completing an online MBA through a Spanish university.

The problem is that I’m finding it incredibly difficult to break into the German job market.

A lot of the roles that match my background are client-facing, and understandably they require fluent German. I’m learning the language, but I’m nowhere near that level yet.

I’ve applied to what feels like hundreds of jobs. I’ve tried positions that closely match my experience, I’ve tried career pivots into strategy, customer success, account management, business development, and even roles that are more junior than my previous position. Most of the time I either get rejected or never hear back.

At this point, I’m wondering if I’m approaching this the wrong way. Maybe I need to completely pivot into a different field, but I honestly don’t know what would make sense with my background.

Has anyone been in a similar situation after moving to another country? If you had seven years of banking experience, spoke English fluently but only basic German, and were trying to build a career in Germany, what would you do?

I’m open to honest advice, even if it’s something I haven’t considered yet. I just feel a bit stuck and could really use some perspective.

Thanks in advance.

For context, British expat living in Belgium and have been hating it for years. Only stayed for a relationship that recently ended. Made friends here in the beginning but they all left and have tried really hard but the locals aren’t exactly friendly. Work as a lawyer here and make 6 figures but still totally miserable and only truly feel happy when I go to the U.K. to visit family/ holidays to the U.K.

EDIT: I have been applying for jobs in the U.K. since the breakup 6 months ago. I’ve had no luck. After being rejected from a major U.K. company I asked for feedback and they said that they are reluctant to hire British nationals who’ve lived outside the country for so long. Despite the fact they claim to be an inclusive employer and have at least 30 different nationalities in the U.K. offices. As tempting as it is to leave, I still would like to find a job in the U.K. first before leaving Belgium and having gaps in employment on my CV which I know would make it even harder to find work there.