Expat interviews
Switzerland
Philippe Michecoppin comes from France but is a globetrotter at heart. After having lived in Spain, Italy and Greece, he settled in Switzerland in 2005. Philippe has been with the Adecco Group for the past 21 years. In 2011, he took the lead of the Candidate International Mobility programme. Since then, his mission has been to restructure and enhance the international recruitment services offered by the Adecco Group to its clients, candidates and associates.
Mexico
Launia was born in France. For years, she traveled Africa, Europe and America before moving to Mexico 10 years ago. She has now retired and enjoys her relaxed pace of life.
USA
Anna comes from Bulgaria. It's been 16 years since she moved to the USA. Nowadays, she owns an insurance agency and spends her free time fishing, cruising and attending events.
Philippines
Van comes from California. She moved to the Philippines four and a half years ago with her daughter to study Nursing. She particularly enjoys going to the beach, partying and blogging.
Vietnam
Richard comes from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Music teacher, he settled in Ho Chi Minh City in September 2013 following several trips. Nowadays, he also runs a trading business.
Germany
Garrett grew up in New York, USA. After spending a few years in North Carolina and in Wyoming, he moved to Germany four months ago. Garrett particularly enjoys flying and writing.
Portugal
British expat, Sarah moved to Algarve in February 2015 with her partner. Autism specialist, freelance writer and blogger, she now enjoys a slower pace of life than back home.
Ecuador
Mike comes from British Columbia, Canada. He moved to Cuenca almost two years ago with his cat. Former Internet engineer, he now enjoys the easy-going local lifestyle along with his girlfriend's family and friends.
Puerto Rico
David comes from Texas, USA. Following a trip in 2013, he moved to Puerto Rico with his wife and two sons last year. David particularly enjoys the natural beauty and the laid back pace of life.
Anastassia Beliakova is responsible for developing strong links between the Global Chamber Network and the UK Chambers of Commerce. She tells us more about the main steps to set up a company or develop a business abroad.
Mexico
Terry comes from Oregon. Following her stay in Mexico, Central America and South America for several years, she decided to move to Sayulita with her husband. She has now retired and enjoys writing books and blogs.
China
Diya comes from Louisiana. Volunteer and writer, she moved to Qingdao, China, in 2015 following her stay in Indonesia. Nowadays, she keeps herself busy teaching in poor schools on a voluntary basis.
Bulgaria
English expat, Tracey moved permanently to rural Bulgaria with her partner Paul in March 2012. Nowadays, they keep themselves busy renovating their property and taking care of their garden and animals.
Australia
Chandan comes from India. He moved to Adelaide two years ago following a job opportunity. Chandan particularly enjoys photography and joining meet up groups.
Austria
US expat, KC has spent several years in Vienna before moving back to her home country. Nowadays, she lives and works in a management position in Vienna. She particularly enjoys the quality of life, cultural events and green spaces.
Scotland
Mel comes from Queensland, Australia. During a holiday visit to Edinburgh, she fell in love with the city. She decided to make it her home five years ago.
France
Mark comes from New Zealand. Following his stay in the Czech Republic, he moved to Grenoble in July 2015. Freelance English teacher, he particularly enjoys exploring the surroundings.
United Arab Emirates
Abbey comes from England. She moved to Dubai four years ago with her husband who was offered a job there. They now have a one and a half years old son and a grumpy cat.
Other Types
Schools & studies
For many families, choosing where to live means considering the quality of local schools. Some parents, however, take that logic much further and decide to move abroad altogether. Known as educational expatriation, this growing trend refers to families who relocate to another country primarily to secure a different educational path for their children. The motivations vary: a more flexible curriculum, alternative pedagogical approaches, reduced academic pressure, homeschooling opportunities, or simply an environment perceived as more conducive to learning and well-being. Although still a niche phenomenon, educational expatriation is attracting increasing attention as parents rethink what education should look like in an increasingly globalized world.
Everyday life
Living abroad makes birthdays feel a bit strange sometimes, especially when you're far from family and close friends. One of my first birthdays alone abroad, I got myself a ticket to an empty hotel beach and spent the day sitting alone under the sun, wondering if that was the weirdest and saddest way to spend a birthday. But as I started writing this article, I've realized that doing randomly unconventional things for your birthday abroad is actually not that random, and quite common.
Work
Most freelancers agree on one thing: if they went solo, it was to be their own boss, to no longer answer to anyone else, to set their own rules and to be free. The challenge is truly living out that freedom when dealing with local and international clients. Where and how should you set your boundaries?
Work
For many workers, retirement abroad is the ultimate reward after a long career. But an increasing number are making the move earlier than planned. While some actively pursue early retirement overseas, others find themselves leaving work sooner than expected.
Everyday life
Moving abroad is often associated with adventure, discovery, and new opportunities. While it can be a deeply enriching experience, there is often a less visible reality behind the excitement of starting a new life abroad: exhaustion. In my consultations, expats sometimes describe a fatigue that never seems to lift, unusual irritability, a sense of disconnection, or the feeling that they are no longer quite themselves. What I have also observed is that this distress is rarely confined to one person. In expat families, when one parent begins to struggle, the entire family often has to adapt. Partners may feel isolated or lose their sense of direction, while children can pick up on their parents' stress, worries, or emotional fatigue, even when these feelings are never openly discussed.
Schools & studies
Starting at a new school used to be about standing in lines, printing folders of documents, and going on campus tours. Today, in many schools, the enrollment process looks very different. Lots of things can be done online – and sometimes the first time you and your child will step foot in the new school will be on the actual first day. For expats and their kids, this is a trend that works in their favor. Because now they can explore, apply, interview, tour, and even enroll in a school before they are even there. Here's how it works.
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