Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with expat

Delinquent expat tax situation, will I need an enrolled agent?

tacocat — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:50:48 -0800

I've had a difficult time figuring out my tax situation since I moved from the US and now I'm trying to get everything settled. I'm behind a few years and need someone to talk directly with the IRS on my behalf. Will I need an enrolled agent? A tax attorney? Both? Neither? Arg it's so confusing! I've received recommendations from friends for CPAs, but they have either been unclear about their capabilities (experience with expat situations) or just completely non-responsive where they don't return my initial calls. Now I'm on the hunt for a tax expert to help me out of my mess, but I'm not sure where to look or who to look for.

I would like to avoid paying a huge amount for a tax attorney if they aren't necessary, but at the same time I would like to have someone that can represent me if needed. Then there's the enrolled agent, I'm not clear on what benefits they even have. I'm losing sleep thinking about the IRS so I would like to have someone I can rely on to do things right. Would it be better to approach a firm rather than an individual?

Finally, is there a good source online to find accountants? All their websites look so shady for some reason.

Looking for blogs and news sources about Romania in English

oclipa — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:12:54 -0800

In the not too distant future I will be relocating to Romania (through work), probably for a few years. Before I go, and while I'm there, I'd like to keep abreast of local current affairs and culture. What well-written and well-informed blogs or news sources *in English* should I keep an eye on? (obviously I am hoping to use this posting as a chance to brush up on my very limited Romanian, but that's going to take a while...) In addition, are there any expat sites/forums that would be useful to follow while I'm settling in?

I am aware of Bucharest Life and Bucharest In Your Pocket.

Thanks in advance!

Short-term housing in Singapore for a Corporate For'ner (and family) ?

armoir from antproof case — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:43:45 -0800

I'm moving to Singapore for a couple months this summer for Work, along with my spouse and our young child (3-year old). Please help me find the right spot for our small family to survive & thrive for 6-8 weeks. Also looking for tips for occasional childcare. My employer will cover the cost of travel and housing (yay) but I suspect it'll largely be up to us to find a furnished apartment or condo that's available for a short-term stay. It'll be out first time in Singapore, and my wife hasn't been outside of the US as an adult, although she's quite plucky and will no doubt adapt quickly & devour the culture with enthusiasm.

Our considerations:

- My spouse would prefer to be amongst, or near, other Westerners / Expats. Not necessarily US-ians; in fact I think she'd prefer Brits or Aussies. The intention is to find some kindred spirits i.e. perhaps other moms with young children. We've heard there are some apartments that are more 'expat friendly' than others, or at least where there may be other families. Neither of us is at all averse to living near locals / being integrated with the community, as long as we're near other professionals with kids.

- Ideally we'll live within about 20 minutes' commute (via public trans) of my office, which is close to Labrador Park, just north of the West Coast Highway (wish I knew what part of town this is called!)

- Want to avoid outrageous cost. I think my employer is planning for something on the order of $4000-$6000 (Sing) a month. Realistic?

- We'd prefer an location from which my wife and daughter could easily wander for daily outings to parks, playgounds, casual dining / hawkers, coffe shops, etc. Doesn't have to be very near a dense Retail (shopping-for-shopping's sake) area.

- Are there e.g. apartment complexes with common outdoor areas (courtyards w/ swimming pools)?

Also, I am wondering what sort of day-care options exist; we'd be looking for a situation such as 1-2 days a week where our daughter can be in a safe environment with other toddlers. She's pretty adaptable and social, is almost ready for Pre-School here in the US.

Thanks for your tips!

Should I go to my aunt's funeral?

jlibera — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:39:53 -0800

My beloved aunt was ill for a long time; I spent time with her over Christmas and said goodbye expecting not to see her again. She passed away the night before last in my home country in Europe, and her funeral will be in Monday. I am in my final year of grad school in Halifax, Canada. If I leave this afternoon/evening, I can be there by mid afternoon tomorrow, and I can just about afford the airfare (about $1500). I was thinking of staying until, say, Wednesday, to be with my parents and support them as best I can; but they told me yesterday that there would be no point in my coming. I'm torn. She was very close to my dad, who did most of the caring for her in her last days, and he does not have any close family there other than my mum. I spoke to my parents yesterday, and they told me that it was silly to come back just to look at a coffin, that my aunt had been happy to see me over Christmas and that it would not benefit her any more for me to come for a short tome now, especially given the travel time and jetlag involved; and that they would be better able to appreciate a visit some other time (given where I'm at in my PhD, which I have been struggling with recently, that may not be for some time). I miss them; I would like to be with them and comfort them now, and if I were sure that they were only telling me not to come because of the tiring travel arrangements, then I would go. At the same time, they have had to deal with all of the emotional and practical arrangements of dealing with my aunt's care over the past months, and now her funeral (I will not be able to return in time to help them with arrangements); if they are overwhelmed, I don't want my visit to be another source of stress that they have to deal with.

I haven't spoken to my supervisor about this yet, and there isn't really anyone here that I feel I can talk to about this, but putting my thoughts into words is helping a bit, and perhaps seeing different perspectives/hearing from others who've been in the same boat will also help. I'm a bit afraid that the wording of this will sway interpretations one way or the other, when the truth is that I've spent the past day swinging back and forth between absolute certainty that I should go anyway, and absolute certainly that I shouldn't.

Academic job in Kazakhstan: take it or leave it?

auctor — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:01:21 -0800

I was offered an academic job at Nazarbayev University, a new English-medium university in Astana, Kazakhstan. I am in a STEM field. Help me decide whether I should accept it. The contract is for three years, extendable, but there is no tenure in Kazakhstan.

Salary and benefits: $75k a year + performance bonus, free on-campus housing, full health benefits, two paid flights home a year, relocation. This is significantly more than I would be making in the US, especially considering the free housing and 10% flat income tax rate.

Research funding: $25k start-up funds + $50k targeted funding for equipment (ok in my field). Then there are 3 rounds of grant applications a year. Proposals are sent to the US for review and awards are contingent on recommendation by their partner universities (see below). Recent grant amounts are in the range $500k-1m (comparable to US). The success rate is not published, but the competition is likely smaller than in the US. Some travel funds are also available.

Teaching load: 2+2 (subjects I would actually enjoy teaching, all at junior and senior level). The student body seems exceptional: the acceptance rate is 10%, the average high school GPA is 4.8/5.0. All accepted students receive a full scholarship (covers tuition costs and living expenses).

The university: founded in 2010. Its official mission is to be the first Western-style university in Kazakhstan. The university is not subordinate to the Department of Education, but governed by a special act of parliament that gives it a degree of autonomy unprecedented in former Soviet republics. All instruction is in English, 75% of the faculty obtained their doctorates in the US, and about 40% are American-born (the rest come mostly from Europe, Russia, Japan, and Kazakhstan). Even much of the staff are Americans: librarians, HR personnel, etc. The university president is Shigeo Katsu, formerly the World Bank VP for Europe and Central Asia. The provost is Anne Lonsdale, formerly the pro-vice-chancellor for external relations and president of New Hall, Cambridge, and an experienced international education administrator. The chairman of the board of trustees is Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev, for whom this is a pet project. The university has partnership agreements with UCL (School of Engineering strategic partner), Carnegie-Mellon (School of Science and Technology strategic partner), U Wisconsin-Madison, U Penn, U Pittsburgh, Duke, Cambridge, NUS, LBNL, Argonne National Lab. Partners are involved in curriculum development, funding decisions, faculty recruitment, quality control, exchange programs for students and faculty.

I can't complain about my interactions with them so far. They have been surprisingly efficient at organizing my interviews, reimbursement and such.

The country: Kazakhstan is the fastest-developing economy among former Soviet republics, sometimes referred to as "the Singapore of Central Asia". The country is authoritarian, but the president is less eccentric and more intelligent than most authoritarian leaders; he is an admirer of Lee Kuan Yew. The standard and cost of living in major cities is comparable to Europe and the US. The capital, Astana, was largely built within the past 15 years (its population tripled since the capital was moved there) and seems a bit similar to Dubai.

My concerns are: 1) Would going there be career suicide? Would it be very difficult to get a job (say, at a smaller university in the US or EU) afterwards? 2) The undergrads may be really great, but the best grad students and faculty are probably hard to lure to Kazakhstan. I wonder if the environment is at all stimulating. 3) What is the country like? I have never been to Central Asia. I have been told, Astana is an ok place to live, but would like to hear more opinions. What should I be aware of? I speak enough Russian to get by there and don't mind the cold :)

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

What to bring to an American expat in Ireland?

exogenous — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:25:56 -0800

I'm planning a trip to stay with a friend and his family in Dublin next month, and would like to bring them something to enjoy from the US that they'd have a hard time finding in Ireland. The friend is American but lives permanently in the Ireland now, and his wife lived here for many years but is Irish. They have two boys ages 4 and 9.

Something consumable would probably be best. It doesn't have to be fancy (some sort of uniquely American processed snack food could go over OK), but it could be.

How to open an IRA from overseas, for expats

convex — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:25:27 -0800

I am an expat and currently overseas (Dubai), and I want to open an IRA, how do I go about doing that? Is it even possible or do I have to actually be present there? My previous employer cancelled the pension plan I had with them and I have some money that I want to move to an IRA, I could cash it but I will be left with 40% of it after taxes and penalties.

I'd like to live and work in Amsterdam, how do I make this happen?

dobie — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:41:30 -0800

As a 33 year old Canadian professional with a background in IT project and program management at some of the big firms, how do I find work in Amsterdam? In the simplest terms, I would like to be Dutch. I've spent some time in Amsterdam in the past and have fallen in love with the place. It just makes sense there. Not a Dutch speaker, though I would throw myself into learning it if I had the opportunity. My ladyfriend and myself would both like to relocate.

Some background:
I have a degree in computer science as well as an MBA in international management and a PMP designation. Started out in the dot com boom in the late 90s. Grew up as a developer and project manager while my peers were doing their undergraduate degrees. Went to school part-time at night.

I have worked at major IT implementation and management consulting firms over the years. I excel at working as the glue between business and technology because I get both sides of the equation. Recently, I delivered an award winning ecommerce website that supports $90 million in monthly customer account revenue for a public entity on the west coast of Canada.

My questions are:
- What are the best ways to tap into the NL job market without actually physically being there?
- Should I use a recruiter to gain traction?
- Do any MeFites have suggestions on the best ways to proceed in achieving my goals?

Relocating from US to Turks and Caicos - help needed

Jackie_Treehorn — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:36:49 -0800

My wife and I will soon be relocating to the Turks and Caicos. Specifically Providenciales. We've visited the island once and plan to do so at least once more, but probably twice more, to gather more information regarding employment, accommodations and basic living information. We are much too young to retire and would need to obtain full employment fairly quickly in order to become self sufficient. We are not expecting to replace the large home and lifestyle that is typical here in the US, but rather a much smaller and basic way of life. Continue reading... I'm finding it quite difficult to locate employment opportunities and apartment/home rental listings online. We are both professionals in our respective occupations. One in middle school education, the other in construction/renovation. Other skills include property management, computer repair, technical support and networking support. While it would be nice to find something in similar fields, we of course would embrace new employment opportunities along with our new location.

I’m hoping someone here, perhaps an expat, can point us in the right direction as far as obtaining information resources, forums or specific contacts to aide us in our relocation efforts.

Thank you so much for your help.

Baby products craved by expat moms in India?

cranberryskies — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:13:11 -0800

I'm visiting some expat friends in India who are on baby girl #2. What baby products (from high end, organic products to anything purchasable on amazon) do Western moms living in India miss the most / absolutely cannot find in India? This couple already has one older child (1.5yo) and a nanny, so I'm sure they already have most of the products they'll need. But I would love to bring them a gift for their new baby as well as a gift for the 1.5yo toddler that they'd never be able to get in India. Some ideas are:

A collection of the most loved American children's board books?
Some beautiful dresses from Janie and Jack? (are super high end baby dresses hard to find in India, or do they have Janie & Jack there?)

I would love any and all ideas, especially from parents who recently lived or are still living in India.

Just moved to the UK 3 months ago from the US. Have US tax questions.

the_wintry_mizzenmast — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 03:47:26 -0800

Just moved to the UK from the US in mid-October. I haven't paid any income tax in the UK yet due to not earning above the personal allowance, and I have a same-sex partner in the UK who is not a US citizen and never lived in the US, and I did a bit of cross-state moving in the US before relocating overseas, so this may make my state returns from California and my reporting of foreign bank accounts more complicated. Hey MeFi,

I know you've answered some tax questions before, but I have some extra complications, so I was hoping you'd be able to provide some advice.

Here are the facts:
I moved from the US to the UK in mid-October, and will conceivably be in the UK for the next 3-4 years. In the US, I was employed in California for most of the year (January-September), but moved out of California and back to my parents' house in Utah for the 3 weeks just before the move because my lease had run out and I was still waiting for my Tier 2 visa in the UK to come through. I submitted to the California DMV that I was moving out of the state to Utah and changed my "permanent address" for my employer and all of my relevant accounts to my parents house before moving overseas. I also filed for an overseas/absentee ballot in UT for the 2012 elections before moving.

In the UK, I am living with my domestic/civil same-sex partner. We are registered as partners in California, but she is a Swedish citizen and has never lived or earned any money in the US. We were a long-distance international relationship. In the UK, we have a joint current account. This is my only foreign bank account. As of December 31, 2012, this bank account never had more than $10,000 in it.

I haven't paid any income tax in the UK yet. I only have two months of payslips (I'm on the PAYE system through my employer in the UK) for November and December, and I apparently haven't paid any tax because I haven't reached the income tax personal allowance of £8105 yet.

Here are my questions:

1) I know I don't qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) yet, because I haven't lived in the UK for more than 330 consecutive days. On my payslip, as of the end of the US tax year, I hadn't paid for any UK income tax yet because of earning less than the income tax allowance. I would prefer not to pay any income tax in the US on my UK earnings, because I will be paying UK taxes on it over the UK tax year, which ends in April. By then I will have earned above the allowance. Should I just calculate 20% of my UK earnings and apply the Foreign Tax Credit since I'll be paying this eventually on my salary (even though there's no 2012 paperwork to back this up), or should I apply for an extension until September when I meet the residency requirements for the FEIE?

I've heard that I still have to estimate what my taxes will be and pay said taxes in April, or be charged a penalty and interest. Even if I'm filing for an extension, should I pay extra with an estimation form even though I've already had taxes withheld when I was employed in CA?

2) How should I file my federal and state taxes, since I am in a registered domestic partnership in California? Since the US federal government does not recognize same-sex partnerships, I file federally as single, correct? Should I also file for my residency for California as domestic partnership filing separately?

3) I would like to consider myself as having officially moved out of California. I know that CA state taxes are pretty strict when it comes to expat income. While living for 3 weeks in Utah, I believe I did still get paid from my employer in CA for my work from home. Do I have to file income taxes on that in both CA and UT? I still hold a driver's license from CA and my US bank account is with a credit union in CA. Will this still make me liable for state taxes in CA in the future, even though I reported to the DMV that I moved back to UT and no longer have any other ties to CA?

4) How do I report my foreign accounts in the UK? I have a joint account with my partner. Its value hasn't gone above $10,000 (USD) yet, but I'm pretty sure in the future that it will. Are there any taxes that I would have to pay on this account? Do I have to keep detailed records on what part of the money is mine, and what part of that money can't be taxed by the US government because my partner is not a US citizen and has never lived or worked in the US?

5) I am contributing to a pension scheme in the UK, mostly because this is pretty default for my employment institution and I have no idea whether or not I will be moving back to the US. How does this factor into reporting my taxes for 2012?

Any guidance would be helpful, MeFi!

Please help me not burn down my new apartment in Singapore

zennoshinjou — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 07:51:38 -0800

Who makes reliable, well manufactured step down transformers? I am in the process of relocating to Singapore from the US and I am in need of step down transformers. Understanding that cheap or poorly manufactured electrical components such as this can lead to all manner of misery (and fire), I want to ensure I am purchasing something well manufactured. What brands have you used and liked?

Alternatively, what qualities should I look for in one that would be considered well manufactured/quality?

As a bonus question, is there an issue with plugging a US power strip into the output of a step down transformer provided its big enough to handle (with overhead) all of the devices plugged in to it?

Corporate security while working internationally

puddleglum — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:11:06 -0800

My company has a security policy against using their equipment outside the U.S.A. What steps can I take to get them to make an exception for me? I work for a financial services software company, and my job is well-suited to working remotely. My goal is a lifestyle of global travel—if all goes according to plan, I'd like to explore a single place with my SO for 2–9 months, then move somewhere else.

Corporate policy forbids bringing their equipment outside the U.S.A. They've made exceptions before—on short-term, emergency bases—and I'd like to find out if they'll make a [long-term, semi-permanent] exception for me. So I'm looking to write a proposal outlining the details of my plan and the security steps I'm willing to take to make it work.

What I need help with is:
1. What is the purpose of their restriction on international travel in the first place? Are there security risks unique to non-U.S. network access, or are they just concerned about the lack of IT/helpdesk infrastructure?
2. What steps can I take to demonstrate that I take security seriously and will go above and beyond standard security protocols to keep their data and equipment secure? What would it take for them to regard my working from Ushuaia or Addis Ababa or Kuala Lumpur as a great idea?

Standard security measures include—
– The computer doesn't leave my possession unless its locked in my own room.
– I use only private, password-protected networks with WPA encryption, and never a public hotspot.
– I follow recommended procedures for frequency of password changes and password strength.
– The VPN uses two-factor authentication with an RSA token that generates a new password every minute or so.
– My laptop hard drive is encrypted & requires a password to even boot up.

Brainstorming about "enhanced" security—
– Would it help if I promised to only use wired internet, and not Wi-Fi connections?
– I could ask for a computer with no corporate data or software at all on it except the VPN and Remote Desktop—and remote-connect to computers physically housed at headquarters.
– I could get a notebook lock.

What else?

US bank recommendation for Canadians recently moved to the Bay Area?

Chaotic Bedlam — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:46:33 -0800

US bank recommendation for Canadians recently moved to the Bay Area? My wife and I recently moved from Canada to the SF bay area (south bay) and are looking for a US bank or credit union. We would like to open a joint checking account, credit card, perhaps money market account etc.

I have a checking account and VISA with RBC Bank US (affiliated with the Royal Bank of Canada) - however this cannot be converted to a joint account without a trip to Canada, hence the impetus to find a new bank.

Some relevant details:

- I have an SSN, my wife does not (she is not eligible to work in the US currently).

- Ideally we would like to find a bank that will leverage our existing strong Canadian credit history, but we understand this may be difficult to find.

- We live close to a Wells Fargo and a KeyPoint Credit Union, if either of these are particularly good...

How is life in Abuja?

aaanastasia — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:48:32 -0800

My friend is moving to Abuja, Nigeria! What should she know? My friend just got an awesome job offer in Abuja, Nigeria and will be moving there at the start of January.

She's trying to figure out what living in Abuja will be like. Do you have any info beyond the State Department's "THIS PLACE IS ULTRA DANGEROUS" advice??

She wants to know what life there will be like. How much is rent for one bedroom? What is there to do? Is there an expat community? How easy is it to travel to nearby countries? Also, she is a vegetarian -- will she be able to maintain that in Nigeria? (she also saw online that there is a sailing club. can she join the sailing club?!). Any other advice would be great too!

Thanks, Metafilter! Your answers will be awesome for her (and also for me, because I totally want to visit her!).

What do Australian expats do about their super?

nerdfish — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 08:11:24 -0800

I'm an Australian living in the EU (I'm a resident for tax purposes). How on earth do I contribute to my super back in Australia? Google is no help I specifically live in The Netherlands, but I'll be retiring in Australia (I think). Is there any way for me to easily continue contributing to my super? Or do I just sign on to receive a pension here and hope I'll e able to access it when I need it?

Help us decide if we should move to Edmonton?

jasperella — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:47:22 -0800

Edmonton, Canada! That's where we (me, husband, 13 month old daughter and our trusty dog) are considering moving. We currently live in sunny Perth, Western Australia. What should we know? Husband has a work opportunity in Edmonton and we think we'd like to live abroad for a few years before the kidlet starts school.

I lived in Canada (Windsor Ontario) for a year when I was a teenager, so I do understand that it will be much much much colder than Perth. Much. But that's ok, we can buy appropriate clothing and find a house with central heating and lose our minds by February. I also understand that Canada is big, really big, and we won't be driving down to Toronto for the weekend.

The things I would like to know include what suburbs would be good for a young, active family used to living in a lively, walkable inner-city locale; availability of childcare places; things to do on weekends; cost of living and getting around etc.

But what about our dog? Is it really hard to find pet-friendly rentals? And the logistics of living with a dog in a cold climate also puzzle me - do they sell snow boots for pups?

I'd also really like to get a sense of what Edmonton is like as a city. What are its charms, its peculiarities and its flaws? What do we really need to know before we take the plunge and shift our whole lives to the other side of the world?

Where should I spend a few months abroad?

cvp — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:15:14 -0800

I'm a freelance web designer in New York State hoping to move abroad for 2-3 months early next year. I'm very interested in going somewhere warm, cheap, and accessible. A few more details inside... I'm apartment-less starting in January, and decided this would be a good time to do something new.

I was hoping to spend on the lower end of $400-800 per month with basic utilities and Internet, somewhere warm and easily accessible abroad.

The current top candidate is Malta, but it seems that if I spend less than six months there most rentals consider it a "short let" and the rent costs almost double. It's still in my range, but I thought I'd get some other ideas as well.

The "2-3 month" requirement is mainly based around the Schengen Agreement restrictions. It's not really hard and fast (except when it comes to Schengen zone countries, of course).

I am pretty open-minded, but I'm particularly interested in the Mediterranean.

Thanks!

What are the pluses and minuses of moving to Italy?

davisnot — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:25:20 -0800

What are the pluses and minuses of moving to Italy? Financially independent/retired and seriously considering moving to Italy. If Italy does not work out, I will consider somewhere else in Europe. Europe agrees with my sensibilities; the US does not.

For those who have lived in Italy or Europe as American expats or know others who have, what are the benefits or disadvantages of life there as an expat? For example, what are the things that affect your life as a resident that you might not notice as a visitor?

Please don't just tell me "it's a dream" or "it's impossible," because I am very determined to make this happen. Thank you.

Moving to the Washington or California: A question in many parts

saradarlin — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 13:08:24 -0800

Several opportunities for my family to move to the States from Canada have come up and we are considering moving however we, early 30's SAHM and Husband + toddler, have no idea how basics such as down payments, mortgages, health insurance and retirement accounts work down there. We are considering a move to Bellevue, WA or Mountain View, CA so any advise on deciding between these two would also be great :) We are well versed in how all of these things work in Canada and are current home owners, so Bonus points for any side by side comparisons of how the American and Canadian systems differ or are similar. I have turned to google for answers but I keep seeing references to "points" and "FHA loans" etc that I am not familiar with. Also, I frequently see questions here on the green about people in terrible trouble with poor health care, bad mortgages, balloon payments, which worries me. So help us learn so that we can make an informed decision. I am looking for nice clear introductions, links or summaries of:

HOUSING
- How do US mortgages work and what is "normal"?
- Does every place sell off your loan? Is this even bad?
- What are standard down payments, post crash, and what happens if we only have 10% down?

HEALTH INSURANCE
- What is "good coverage" and how much do you spend out of pocket on top of your employer coverage?
- How expensive is having a baby? Do you pay anything out of pocket (with insurance)?
- In network/Out of Network providers? What happens if you are away from home?
- Pre-existing conditions? If I am pregnant when we start coverage will that be a problem? Can coverage of the pregnancy be denied? We would like to start trying now for baby #2 but given this move might happen in 2-3 months we are wondering if we need to/should wait.

MISC
- Tips or an introduction to living as an expat?
- Retirement accounts, 401k wtf?
- Saving for University for the kid(s)?
- Bellevue, WA vs Silicon Valley? (we have lived in Vancouver and loved it so we are familiar with the malls of Bellevue and the weather)
- School districts? Just yesterday I was reading a question here about lying to get into a better school. I have never heard of that before in Toronto/Vancouver. Are the "bad" schools that much worse? How do you even find out what a school is rated and what school zone a house is in?

Thanks so much for any help you can give me on my huge list of questions.

Though being able to attend IRL Mefi Meet-ups would be cool!

Where's the best place to learn a foreign language?

boghead — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:49:01 -0800

I'm going to quit my job and spend 6 months living in another country learning a language. I'm looking for your personal experience with excellent schools. Where should I go? My benchmark here is CEPE UNAM, which is a part of the National University of Mexico. A good friend told me it offers well-taught classes, it's relatively cheap, and it's got a good community - expat and otherwise. This is what I'm looking for in a school, but I'd like to see what else is out there.

Interview attire: UK academic edition

penguinicity — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 05:21:35 -0800

What should I wear for my job interview. Difficulty: UK, technical position at an academic institution. I have an upcoming job interview for a technical position at a UK scientific research institution. For the equivalent job in the US, it's the kind of thing where I'd be as concerned about dressing too formally as I would about not dressing formally enough. In other words, showing up in a suit and tie would probably put the interviewers off and show a bit of a clash with the corporate culture (see this and this for previous AskMe-s addressing the too-formal issue).

How much does this attitude translate to the UK, though? I get the impression that it's more of a jacket and tie country. My interviewers are mostly going to be scientists and programmers. Suggestions?

What types of jobs or careers would let me live in the US but travel internationally every couple of months?

inatizzy — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:39:48 -0800

What types of jobs or careers would let me live in the US but travel internationally every couple of months? After living abroad for a couple of years, I've moved back to my hometown in the US. I had an incredible experience abroad but I was ready to return home, and it has been nice to be back and feeling a little more settled. Now that I've been back for many months, I miss traveling and I've developed a desire to get involved in work that would make a positive impact on the world. But I don't think I really want to move to another country for years at a time again.

I have started looking for jobs that would allow me to maintain a home base here while doing occasional/frequent travel abroad for weeks or months at a time, but I feel sort of blind as to what my options could be. Most of what I've found so far are for people who are specialized in areas like finance or IT. I'm not in those fields, and anyway I would rather do something that is more about helping people or solving problems to help disadvantaged populations have a better chance at leading a satisfying life.

I live in the midwest, speak Spanish, used to live in South America, am currently freelancing in web & graphic design and I'm considering taking up freelance translation. Although I think I'd like to get out from behind the computer and do more work directly with people, and get experience that could help me grow into a meaningful career that motivates me beyond the need to make money to support myself.

Do you have any ideas for jobs that would allow me to be based in my midwest city AND interact with the international community? My brain is about maxed out with this right now, so your ideas and suggestions would be so welcome!

What was time apart from your significant other like for you?

wintersweet — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:58:53 -0800

Help me make a decision: What was your experience living abroad without your partner for a year or more? I'm looking into jobs that would involve my working abroad for 1 or 2 years (the best jobs are 2 years). The jobs would fulfill various personal and professional goals that I don't think I could fulfill otherwise, would improve my chances for better jobs when I got back, and so on. Unfortunately, it's impossible for my husband to come with me because of the nature of his job and other things. (This is non-negotiable.)

Anyway, he's okay with my going, but we're basically best friends and partners who spend most of our free time together. We really enjoy being around each other, not to mention physical contact and so on. We've never really been the "you do your thing in one room, I'll do mine in another" couple, by mutual impulse.

We're both keeping in mind Skype, watching movies online together, and other good ideas that have been listed on AskMeFi for a sense of closeness. What I'd like to hear about is how things actually went for you if you did this.

So, did you and your (established) partner live in separate countries for a year or more? How did it go? How did you feel about it and the decision afterwards?

Your experiences would be useful data that would help me clearly think about my problem of whether or not to pursue my goal of working abroad. Thanks!

(I hope this isn't considered chatfilterish. It was the sort of thing that I thought might be on be the green, and that I think might be useful for other people. Basically, I'm trying to put into practice advice from various researchers on decision-making by asking people about their experiences.)

How to work in/move to a gay supportive country where same-sex marriage is legal?

Firegal — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 05:46:19 -0800

I'm looking to work in/maybe move to, a country where same-sex marriage is legal and gay people are treated equally. Any recommendations? Any advice from expatriates? I've been in a committed and loving relationship with my partner for over 6 years. Looking forward, I would like to move to a country where I can get married, live, work, raise a family and be openly gay in a country with as much respect from the law and the community as everyone else. I'm lucky to be well-qualified and am considered talented in my work, with a Master's, several published papers, and a Bachelor's from an Ivy League university in Electrical Engineering and Physics, and 6 years of work experience as an expert on solar energy and semiconductor technology. I've business consulting experience and am trilingual, in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Unfortunately I also grew up in a place where most gay people are closeted at work and society. Most gay people face heavy and regular discrimination and ignorance in most major areas of life, from the law, society, employment, family, to the government. It's a daily toll to be closeted, and it's very difficult to have a home of your own if you're gay, not to mention raise a family.

I would like to work in a city/country where I can be out, equal, and have my children proud to tell their schoolmates they have two mothers. Of course, I would like to be able to have my partner join me as soon as possible.

Preferably this is a place where, while same-sex marriage is legal, gay people are treated the same as straight people, and it's easy for new people to fit in. A place where people don't avert their eyes when you hold hands with your partner in public, don't blink when you tell them you're gay, and you and your partner are invited, as a matter of course, to straight friends' homes. It'd be good if it's a city or place open to different races and cultures.

What would your advice be? What cities, places and companies to work for would you recommend?

If you've moved cities or countries before with your partner, what was your experience? How did you secure a job in a new city? What did you do to make new friends and get used to a new culture? How did you and your partner make such a huge life change as easily manageable and successful as possible?