Living and Working Abroad - Online!
Things have never been simpler for people looking to break away from the United States and find another way to live, and another place to live. In times past, expats had a far more difficult time living in other countries that people today face. With the advent of the Internet, cell phones, and multinational corporations, people, commerce, and communications have never been easier, and the world has never been smaller. OK, sure, so the days of Columbus, Magellan, and all the other explorers are well over, and almost every square foot of the Earth has probably been tread upon, but just because someone else has been there and done that, doesn't mean that you have.
Who Works Abroad
These days people from all walks of life and backgrounds work abroad. In the old days, explorers went out for the king, queen, or church, but today people go out for themselves, in search of adventure, new experiences, work, or just cheap living in a new place. Today, more and more professions are coming online, and careers are transforming in such a way that many can be done from anywhere in the world. Graphic designers, writers, computer programmers, and webmasters are all perfectly capable of doing their jobs from any location with an Internet connection and a telephone. But, other, more staid and traditional professions are becoming mobile. Lawyers and doctors can become consultants, working over the net. Architects can design and email their blueprints. And of course, almost anyone can find a job teaching English, working in a bar or resort, or behind the desk of a funky hostel somewhere. Those with some savings can invest and spend their days on a beach day trading. The real question to ask is, if you can make U.S. money, and cut down your standard of living to 30-40% of what it costs to live in the U.S., why wouldn't you?
How to Find Work Abroad
In a way, the Internet and communication revolution has managed to combine the free spirited, bohemian lifestyle of the hippies with the professionalism of the yuppies. Anyone with a couple of weeks to learn a couple of software programs can make a dollar over the net. Websites and online businesses such as guru.com, elance.com, freelancers.com, monster.com, and hundreds - if not thousands - more, are full of unique job opportunities, and people outsourcing work. And every day there are niche sites popping up for specialized careers.
If you are looking for a "brick and mortar" corporate job in a foreign country, monster.com, hotjobs.com, and many other sites are full of companies that are hiring in every corner of the world. ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers have been ahead of the curve on this for years, and sites like eslcafe.com and eslemployment.com have been serving teachers abroad for years. Writers, designers, webmasters, programmers, and other freelancers associated with web development will find guru.com, elance.com, and freelance.com-all fee-based sites offering to bring together employers and talent based on a bidding system - invaluable resources for working abroad. And, of course, there are the classics, such as craigslist.com, which offer a classifieds section for all major cities in the world. People from all walks of life and skill sets can find job opportunities there.
Where to Go, and Who Does This
Investors and retirees, or just people with the right combination of money, desire, and adventurous spirit are leaving the U.S. to set up shop in other destinations around the world. Over the years, the destinations continue to change, usually based on the strength of the dollar, and the weakness of economy and livability of certain foreign destinations. In the 1920s, Paris was the place to be, and such notables as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot, and all the others from the "Lost Generation" flocked to Paris to work honing their craft, and to take advantage of living in a vibrant, beautiful city. Just after WWII, GIs returned home with scholarships and grants and, rather than going to school in the U.S., found an artist's community in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico that allowed them to stretch their money much further. Jack Kerouac, Allan Ginsburg, and Neil Cassidy were among some of the more famous visitors to San Miguel during the 50s and 60s. In the 1990s, the fall of the Soviet empire opened Prague and Eastern Europe to people looking to experience the new Renaissance taking place in the Eastern bloc countries. And in the early 2000s, the Argentine Financial Crisis took the Argentine peso from a 1-1 ratio with the U.S. dollar, to 5-1 for a while. It has now steadied to 3-1, and prices are rising in Buenos Aires, but Americans and Europeans are flocking to this city that once cost the same as New York or San Francisco to visit.
Where to Go Now...
Who knows where the next trendy destination will be, but what is sure, is that there are plenty of places that offer everything that an adventurous soul needs to work and live right now! From Mexico to Argentina, Central and South America offer a good standard of living, exciting nightlife and culture, great weather, and a very affordable economy for those able to make U.S. dollars. Asia is full of places like Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, with exciting history, great food, and decent enough infrastructure to make moving there and option. Africa, likewise, is very cheap and exciting, but typically is quite dangerous and lacking in infrastructure to make it a viable option for most. Aside from the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, and Aruba, the Caribbean is full of smaller island-nations that are still off the beaten path, but have great weather, friendly locals, and can be beautiful places to live for much less what it would cost for the more well-known and popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. Instead of Grand Cayman, Nassau, and the Virgin Islands, look at Isla Margarita (Venezuela), Bocas del Toros (Panama), Grenada, and Dominica.
The decision to leave the U.S. can be a tough one, but like any tough decision, is made easier with planning and information. For those thinking seriously about leaving, taking a visit to prospective countries is advised, along with doing plenty of research, reading, and looking online to hear stories from people who have lived there, or are living there now. The Internet is full of chat rooms and message boards with people eager to share their opinions and stories about their new homes.