THE EXPAT EXPERIENCE 

Wither thou go-est.........

Enquiring Minds Want To Know
Does one need special DNA to become an expat?   Is there a secret sign-up sheet?
What makes one a potential expat?

I've been discussing my own expat experiences in previous articles.  Now I find I've become fascinated by this topic!

After all, what DOES motivate someone/anyone to pack up and move to a foreign country ---- to become part of another culture. Wow!  That's a huge undertaking!

A Simpler Life

Recently, I was on an airplane chatting with a seatmate.  It turned out she had spent her honeymoon in Belize.  She loved her experiences there and said she could see moving there to live.  I was amazed how she expressed herself ---- and how she totally "got it" and understood what Belize has to offer.  We're not talking Starbucks or upscale malls here.  We're talking about a more relaxed culture in a gorgeous natural setting that offers rest and respite along with every recreational activity that sand, surf and jungle can supply.

What this perceptive lady understood is the allure of living a simpler, less hectic and less materialistic lifestyle in a country where the emphasis is on interconnectedness -- between people and between human beings and Mother Nature.  She admired the rewarding possibilities of living in an environment finely attuned to people and nature -- where both are greatly valued and appreciated. And she was respectful of Belizean culture which emphasizes different values from those we find in the U.S.  That refers, of course, to the ever present quest of the almighty dollar in the and keeping up with the Jones. That's hard enough to do when times are good - much less when we now face shaky financial futures. 

If you are driven to be an Expat, your DNA is calling you to do it !