With globalization, many people are moving to foreign countries to work or retire on a semi-permanent or permanent basis. There are a myriad of different destinations across the globe that are attracting expats from countries around the world.
It is often hard to get a good comprehensive overview of how it is to live and work in a foreign country. Visiting and living in a foreign country are vastly different.
When visiting one only worries about hotels, restaurants, sightseeing and nightlife, while one who works must know about housing costs, living expenses, the availability of international transfer, whether bacs is available to send or receive money and many other day to day things that go into living in a foreign country.
Most posters on expat forums across the Internet will suggest to people interested in moving to a foreign country that they should make an extended stay in the country before deciding to live their permanently.
For retirees looking to relocate to a foreign country this is a priority. Retirees must find out before committing to a move whether they can afford to live there, accept the customs, traditions and culture of the location; if it is safe to live there and if they are willing to learn a second language if they do not already speak the national language of the country they are thinking of relocating to.
Often times, expats who retire to foreign countries are drawn by the different cultures, traditions and customs. Many relocate to foreign countries that have a lower cost of living.
Latin America has become a haven for expats from around the world as the cost of living in most places is much less, than it is in many places in North America and Europe.
Housing costs, food costs, utilities, internet services and cable television can often be first rate in a foreign country yet cost much, much less than in an expats homeland.
Visit first, decide second is the best decision when it comes to relocating to a foreign country.
