Justin's Expat Adventure starts in 2012
It’s a brand new year (well, not brand new, it’s almost February already!) and Just Landed has got some exciting things planned.
Last year was a busy one for us… You will probably have noticed the redesign on our site by now. The fresh, new colours and simpler navigation we launched in the second half of 2011 have proved to be a big hit with our users and advertisers.
Also, Just Landed became a far more social experience in 2011. You can now share your favourite articles with your fellow expats on Facebook and tweet useful information to your Twitter followers.
And it’s not only www.justlanded.com that saw some big changes. Hopefully you will have already checked out our new sister sites, Expat Wealth, Expat Health and Expat Marketing, which have been making waves both on the web and their social media pages.
But, amazingly, this year is going to be even busier for us! As part of our plan to maintain Just Landed’s position as the number one place on the web for people living or moving abroad, we’re investing a large amount of resources into making Just Landed an even more informative, user-friendly and enjoyable experience for our users. For example, Justin’s Expat Adventure will see our very own alien mascot travelling around the world looking for the best places for expats to live. You’ll be given the opportunity to comment on his adventure via Facebook, as well as finding out helpful information about living in popular expat destinations. Get ready to start following his adventure by liking the Just Landed Facebook page.
We’ve also been working hard on a new housing portal, set to launch in the next couple of months, that will make finding a new home abroad a far less stressful experience. Watch this space…
Of course, we’ll also be busy making sure our extensive archive of country guides are always up to date, keeping you posted on the latest expat news via our blogs and social media pages and generally making life easier and more enjoyable for people living abroad.
Exciting stuff!
Expats tend to change their eating habits.
Are you an expat with an overhanging belly? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Putting on weight seems to be very common in expat communities.
But is it really that surprising? Moving to another country isn’t only about new languages and cultures but also about new and exciting food. Exotic dishes, bizarre food combinations and traditional drinks are something every cosmopolitan expatriate should experiment. So, let your food adventure begin!
How do we gain weight as expats?
It usually goes like this… The new expat, feeling good and in fairly good shape, arrives in a new country ready for new experiences. The likelihood is they’ll first stick to their regular eating habits, probably even craving familiar foods from home. But soon, all the exciting new delights in shops and restaurants start calling. The expat can’t resist the temptation of the curious packages with funny-sounding names on supermarket shelves or the weird dishes available in traditional restaurants. Without even realizing it, the expat has already said goodbye to mama’s comfort food from home and is plunged into an intoxicating mix of flavours and spices. But this is just the beginning…
The second fatal phase of the fattening journey begins with making new international friends. It’s at this stage that eating evolves into a social event. Invitations to dinners where guests prepare typical food from their countries are so much fun, that the expatriate just can’t resist. Parties with calorific drinks become more frequent. Then inevitably, the phrase “I heard about a great restaurant, we have to go!” becomes commonplace. When the connoisseur finally gets short of cash, cheap junk food starts to work its way into their diet. With a tight budget, and even tighter jeans, their only consolation is that their fellow expats are getting larger as well.
Is culture shock to blame?
Your extra fat may be just a natural consequence of culture shock. This is a state of loss and disorientation that every new expat experiences after changing their environment. Culture shock commonly leads to lethargy, depression and, believe it or not, weight gain! Living in a different country without support can make expats feel anxious and, as a result, they will often seek emotional comfort in food. Being more aware of what, how much, and why you’re eating can help you understand how you’re feeling on an emotional level, and hopefully lead to overcoming your anxiety about living abroad. Expats should take extra care to make sure they stay healthy and informed about expat health news.
What do you think? Is it common for expats to be overweight? How did your moving abroad affect your weight? Share your experiences and tips in the comments section.
It’s not just us “normal” people who decide to pack up and start a new life abroad, the rich and famous also have reasons for becoming expats.
Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably the most successful expat in the USA. The former bodybuilder originally made the move to the states to pursue a movie career. Not only did Arnie manage to fight his way through the mountains of paperwork and bureaucracy involved in being an expat, he also managed to become the governor of California. Not bad.
British actor Sir Sean Connery prefers the sunny Bahamas over his native Scotland, purportedly to avoid the invasive British press. Sir Sean claims it was a politically influenced move and has been quoted as saying, “like a lot of Scots abroad, I look forward to coming home to an independent Scotland”. We imagine the millions of pounds in tax savings would be a bonus though… Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger also moved to the south of France to avoid high taxes in the UK. The Rolling Stones critical album Exile on Main St. is a nod to this move.
“Look twice before you leap”
Some famous expats move for love. American socialite Wallis Simpson caused a scandal in the 1930s when she met and fell in love with King Edward VIII of England, who consequently abdicated (stepped down as king) to marry her. The couple were asked to leave Britain and they spent the rest of their lives together abroad. A less successful love story; English novelist Charlotte Brontë moved to Brussels with her sister Emily to study in 1842. She fell unrequitedly in love with her teacher and returned home heartbroken.
And did you know that Monty Python actor Terry Gilliam was born an American but took British citizenship? He left the USA in the late 60s to work in London as an illustrator and editor. For years he had dual-nationality and paid taxes in both countries. But In 2006 he renounced his US citizenship citing “the man at the head of the US” (George W. Bush at the time) as the main reason. As a result, he can now spend less time per year in the USA than most Europeans.
It seems that even rich and famous expats don’t always have it easy…
Skype is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family.
Two of my best friends independently announced their engagements last year and started planning weddings for this summer. Great news, except that they both asked me to be bridesmaid and I don’t even live in the same country! After the initial congratulations, a sense of dread overwhelmed me as I realised exactly what I was letting myself in for.
Being a bridesmaid twice in as many weeks would be hard enough without coordinating things from another country; how would I be able to perform my duties correctly? Flying in a week before the big day, hoping the dress fits, throwing together a suitably raucous hen party, make-up and hair run-throughs. Would a week be enough?
In this age of social networking, email and Skype, there is no excuse for not staying closely in touch with friends and family. Without it I am sure I would have lost touch completely with a few people. With two weddings looming I set about putting all this technology to use. Potential dress choices were exchanged on Facebook, Skype chats went a long way to calming any bridezilla tendencies, and the hen parties were booked and coordinated via email. I even managed to contact a long lost university friend through LinkedIn.
In an age where many people malign technology and claim it takes over their lives, I rejoice in it. I can see pictures and videos of my friend’s new baby, experience my Grandparents’ wonder when they see me on Skype and book flights home quickly and easily online. As an expat I am having an experience no one at home is having but I’m still in close contact with those people, so as I see it, I have the best of both worlds.
There are a whole host of films featuring the trials and tribulations of expats abroad, all with various tragic, happy, thought-provoking story-lines. Whether you think them realistic or not, read on for a guide to expat life as portrayed on the silver screen. The classic The King and I (1956) – The tale of a British [...]
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