If the day-to-day challenges of expat life are to form a part of this discussion, then we must also not shy away from some more demanding considerations. Like David M, I think I can describe my expat experience so far as "enlightening and certainly life enhancing" (ref. Comments in the last post) but what about very fundamental factors that can make or break our peace of mind and security?
OK, you are settled in the new country and getting used to the idea of being surrounded by all those 'foreigners' - one morning the realisation dawns that you are in fact the foreigner here! Oh! Do you wonder if you might be experiencing discrimination without having known - or does that only happen to others? Or are you just paranoid? Perhaps some people are treating you as what you are, not who you are. Does that undermine you or affect how you behave?
Of course there are actually many reasons why someone coming into a community may be treated differently, so you may need to decide what, if anything, is happening to you - perhaps you are in fact 'enjoying' some positive discrimination...
Another big factor is language. It is obvious that being able to communicate with others makes a huge difference to how things go - but for some your willingness to speak their language is their measure of your acceptability. In the UK there are all sorts of moves to make a reasonable use of English an important factor for people seeking citizenship.
So, in your new country, will you take on the language if you do not really speak it already? Or perhaps you can survive perfectly well within a group of compatriots. How important, or acceptable, are expat communities in sheltering us from really learning the language and perhaps even protecting us from discrimination? And can the expat group itself form the relationships with the wider community?
Well, mainly tough questions today - help needed with the answers...
OK, you are settled in the new country and getting used to the idea of being surrounded by all those 'foreigners' - one morning the realisation dawns that you are in fact the foreigner here! Oh! Do you wonder if you might be experiencing discrimination without having known - or does that only happen to others? Or are you just paranoid? Perhaps some people are treating you as what you are, not who you are. Does that undermine you or affect how you behave?
Of course there are actually many reasons why someone coming into a community may be treated differently, so you may need to decide what, if anything, is happening to you - perhaps you are in fact 'enjoying' some positive discrimination...
Another big factor is language. It is obvious that being able to communicate with others makes a huge difference to how things go - but for some your willingness to speak their language is their measure of your acceptability. In the UK there are all sorts of moves to make a reasonable use of English an important factor for people seeking citizenship.
So, in your new country, will you take on the language if you do not really speak it already? Or perhaps you can survive perfectly well within a group of compatriots. How important, or acceptable, are expat communities in sheltering us from really learning the language and perhaps even protecting us from discrimination? And can the expat group itself form the relationships with the wider community?
Well, mainly tough questions today - help needed with the answers...
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