Expat Yourself! » United States

Why Are People Leaving the US, Part 4

Jeff — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:50:55 +0000

Reason 4: Patriotism

I hear you…”Wait, Jeff, patriotism? Seriously? How can you call someone wanting to leave…a patriot?”

To answer, I remind you that around 250 years ago, when families were so frustrated by their country’s tyranny (England), whose ancestors had fled, they chose to struggle in a new country (United States)? They desired a free life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Today, we call those people our founding fathers, our country’s first and original patriots. (Happy 4th of July today, in fact!)

Yes, I do consider someone who believes strongly in personal freedoms as a patriot.

It’s Not Your Fault if You’re Blindly Patriotic

Don’t take it personally, but if you believe the United States is strong or “going well,” that’s not patriotism. Blind belief in the government does not make one a patriot. It never has. A patriot thinks for his or herself. A patriot questions authority. Patriotism is not blind faith in a government.

No worries, it’s not your fault. It’s just a matter of timing. Not so long ago, the US encouraged freedoms and liberty -even proudly founded herself upon them. Today, however, we have the Patriot Act (wiki and critique) which goes way beyond discouraging liberty.

Benjamin Franklin, a Domestic Terrorist?

Before you start whistling the Star Spangled Banner, be careful. The patriot of yesteryear is now a potential bad guy for the US government today.

In fact, if Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin were around and talking today, they would be jailed as domestic terrorists.

The Department of Homeland Security labels someone a domestic terrorist when they …:

make “expressions of libertarian philosophies.”
express “fears of Big Brother or big government.”
“declare Constitutional rights and civil liberties.”
exercise self-sufficiency (stockpiling food, ammo, hand tools, medical supplies)
homeschool (if you teach your kids outside the Dept of Education’s curriculum)
buy certain books (in fact, these two by name: One Second After and Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse

(source for these here)

Question: if I publish the above, should I fear any consequences? Sure, I don’t picket in front of the white house, but here I am, suggesting you abandon the US for reasons above. Does that alone make me a target? Take the case of Susan Lindauer, a well-connected, productive and intelligent woman who voiced her concerns too loudly against the US govt. Her world got spun around so fast it made me sick to my stomach.

Okay, So How Do I Protest As a “Patriot”?

1. Leave.

Leave now. Cash out your chips like you’re leaving the casino. Sell your home, your securities (funds, stocks, options) and cash out your pensions. Take the money and run. Run like the wind.

2. Reinvest.

Decide on a new place that more suits you and your patriotic needs. When you (and your cash) land in a safer, freer, more stable country, then the patriotic thing to do is reinvest in that country, for yourself. Purchase property and/or a business there. A new life requires new equity and new income.

3. Protect Yourself (at tax time).

US citizens must file a tax return every year. And that goes for US citizens living abroad, too.

Yes, when living abroad, working abroad, even if earning zero US income, you must still file a US tax return every year, plus a couple extra forms just for expats (more on those below). Yeah, I think it’s bullshit, too.

BS or not, US citizens are required to report their worldwide income, regardless of residency. You know what? To my knowledge, the United States is the only country that requires this of its citizens. Write me if you believe otherwise and we’ll talk.

p.s. Two Extra Forms at Tax Time (for US citizen expats)

I’ve written about tax time before, but these 2 forms are too important to ignore: the 2555 and the FBAR. Filing out those extra forms isn’t optional.

Yes, the Internal Revenue Service tries hard to persuade any US citizen against living abroad. Well, as a patriot, you don’t care what the IRS is against. Right Benjamin?

The 2555 is the “Foreign Earned Income” form, which basically says you can earn up to $92,000 tax free (for 2010). (Remember: Even if you earn under $92,000, you must still fill out this form to say you did. In short, you must file, even if you simply didn’t earn anything or owe anything – that’s the IRS for you.

The other extra tax form for expats is the FBAR (Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts). You can thank the Department of Treasury (not IRS) for this one.

The FBAR requires you to list your foreign bank accounts (and report the highest balance you had over the year). I have filled out the FBAR for many years and I’ll never stop, because I’ll always have foreign bank accounts. Thankfully, the FBAR is actually relatively easy. The last good reason is, over the past few years, the Dept of Treasury has gone crazy in prosecuting non-complying expats. (Remember the idea of hiding money in a Swiss bank account? Not any more)

If you’ve never heard of the FBAR and you’re considering filing it, read this article here.

The tax filing deadline for US citizens living abroad is June 15th (postmarked as mailed out). For the FBAR form, the deadline is June 30th (must be received by).

Anyway, I’ve been sitting on this post for a while and I’ve got to publish it. I wish you all a Happy 4th of July, wherever you are.
If you’re in the US, celebrate your home’s independence. If you’re outside the US, celebrate your own independence!

If you’re looking for other popular reasons people leave the US, read up on Frustration, Adventure and Seeking an Improved Life.

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Why Are People Leaving The US, Part II

Jeff — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:29:54 +0000

In case you missed it, this is Part 2 of a series of why people are leaving (as they run the f*** away from) the US. Part I is here.

Reason 2: Adventure

When I say “adventure” you might picture backpackers. Or maybe the young, single crowd, no-responsibilities type. No. At least, that’s not how I label me and my wife.

How about sleepwalkers? That’s how I label us. I and my wife are classic sleepwalkers through life. Or at least we’re prone to be if we’re not careful about it. And I believe if you’re reading this blog, you might be too.

Who’s a Life Sleepwalker?

Like I just said above, we are. We all are. Is it human nature? We get more settled, more stuff, more routine. Cruise control sets in and we sleepwalk through life.

A few weeks ago, a new friend, Vernon wrote in to me. He asked about our reasons for travel. I mentioned we once lived in Korea (mid 90′s) but then moved to the States. He asked “Why did you leave the States after having spent time in Korea?” I’m guessing Vernon half-expected we left because we were frustrated with the US.

Nope, not frustrated, except with ourselves. We longed for adventure. My then girlfriend and I came from Korea and decided to live together and find work in beautiful New Hampshire. After a few years, we got married. Then we got a house. Then we had a baby. Slowly, over about 10 years, we went from Korea to absolutely rooted. We were lulled to sweet slumber.

Bored or Sleepwalking?

Are you bored or sleepwalking? There’s a difference.

Bored is when you’re lacking stimulation. You need a hobby or passion. Note: careful not to confuse boredom with procrastination. That’s self-inflicted resistance against what’s important and is only posing as boredom. (When I blow 2 hours on Digg, I realize I’m procrastinating)

Sleepwalking is when you’re lacking uncertainty or adventure. You need to take a step (or tw0) out of your comfort zone.
Sleepwalkers aren’t just in their comfort zone, they’re spinning around in there like a toy top.

When life seems like it’s moving “fast enough for us,” — then you might be sleepwalking.

When you feel busy, yet your to-do list is all urgent but not important — then you might be sleepwalking.

If in 5 years you won’t remember what you did today, last week or last year — you’re probably sleepwalking.

Trust me – the months/years will drop away like you wouldn’t believe. Do something that spooks you awake.

Problems to Fix: Boredom and “Sleepwalking”

Bored? Swallow the frog!

If only bored, fine, seek out a hobby. Or tackle your to-do list with fervour. See “Swallow the frog”

Sleepwalking? Three Questions

If you suspect you’re sleepwalking, ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Is my life “comfortable” but not giving me comfort or peace of mind?

If you answer ‘yes’ – you just might be sleepwalking

2. Do I find that the days (weeks, months) seem to be the same?

If so, you may be sleepwalking (or actually sleeping in a coma)

3. Do you have a vision of how life will be better in 5 years from now?

If not sleepwalking, life can be better when taking aim at something.

Like I said above, we had it all: the house, the careers, a solid network of great friends, and the infant (and even a cat). We were so “set” we felt we were almost sleepwalking. That thought made us miserable (okay, maybe that’s dramatic, but you get the idea).

How did we fix it? We spun the globe, picked 3 cities. Three cities we hadn’t seen before but were curious about: Auckland, Barcelona and Prague. I sent out CVs to recruiters in each. We sold the house, quit our jobs and put all our crap in storage.
In 3 months, we were living in Prague.

Would we do it again? We did. Fast forward 4 years. We find ourselves owning another house (our flat in downtown Prague) and we popped another child. (What can we say? Our house-warming parties are super fertile!)

Then, come summer 2010 - we’re here in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Adventure is the primary reason my wife and I had left the U.S. for Prague in 2006, and we are NOT your stereotypical backpackers. In short, adventure drives people of all ages, all kinds, and all sizes, to make what seems to others some rash decisions. And when you’re sick of the status quo, you do whatever needs to be done.

Want to do a final test? ”Pinch yourself.”

That’s how we wake ourselves when sleeping, right? Then “pinch yourself” awake from sleepwalking by stepping well outside your comfort zone. Take a Leap of Faith and Scare Yourself Silly.

Some Ideas How to Pinch Yourself Awake:

At work, organize and present a topic completely unrelated to work. (think Toastmasters)
Try a new sport – take up running, skateboarding, swimming. Less experience, the better
Get a major adrenaline rush – do a bungee jump, skydive, tell a Baptist to go to hell (testing if you’re still with me)
Contribute to the community – volunteer as a pollster, in a food kitchen, read books at a daycare
Take up an instrument – you’re not getting any younger….go ahead, dust off the guitar
Move abroad. (oh, you knew I had to add this one, right?)

Hope this has been helpful. If you have any comments or thoughts for me – leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Why Are People Leaving the US? (Part 1)

Jeff — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:13:46 +0000

People are leaving the US in greater numbers today than every before. Why? I write for you about the primary reasons over several posts. Here’s number one.

As you’re reading, ask yourself “Do I feel the same?”

Reason 1: Frustration

“Frustrated? What in the great US of A could I be frustrated about?” you ask.

Well, let me rattle off a couple…

rising taxes for fewer services
disappearing personal liberties
a shitty healthcare/insurance system
fastest growing gap between the lower & upper classes (& disappearing of the middle)
tripling of national debt in past 10 years (we’re up to 15 Trillion now)
dumbing down of our kids’ education
entering into an unjust war; or even ~~two~~ three simultaneously. [Updated with Libya]

The list goes on. These are only what frustrate me. You might have your own reasons (feel free to comment below).

Sure, some of these reasons exist in other countries, but then it comes down to a matter of scale. And then the question “Why can’t the USA be better than them?” Or perhaps it shouldn’t.

Problems to Fix: All the Above (=Too Many)

This is reason #1, because it’s massive and the most common. Well, common only if you’re in the lowest 99% of the population.

Now, I’m not saying the US is going to hell in a hand-basket. Some would argue so, but I can’t. Not with a straight face anyway. Let’s face it – you’re not doing anything other than griping about these problems. It’s the old anecdote of how to (slowly) boil a frog. Now, you’re cooked.

I just don’t blame you if you did decide to say “F*** it all, I’m done.” From the e-mails I get, many of you say just that.

Healthcare as an example

Take the third bullet above, healthcare, as one example. Okay, my labelling our healthcare system as “shitty” isn’t exactly objective or impartial. But that’s how I feel based on much experience both in the US and out. My wife and I have two kids, one born in the US and one born in Europe (Czech Republic).

How do these births compare? The US birth for our daughter entailed a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt, and ended in a caesarian birth and an invoice with 5-digits. Thankfully we had enough insurance to cover most of it. We were lucky.

Compare that to our Europe-born son, whose birth was simple and cheap. I literally paid for it out of my wallet as my wife recovered. Another stark difference from the US birth: our 2nd child was a VBAC. Had we been in the States, I’m sure we would have been pressured against it and opted for another caesarian. VBAC is rarely practiced in the States with only 10% of eligible women opting for it. And that is a drop in the bucket of healthcare differences.

Healthcare alone has people fleeing for other countries. In seemingly “third world” nations you find a wider choice of providers, lower medication costs, lower or no wait time, and even *gasp* better quality. And believe it or not, their doctors are not hamstrung by their pharmaceutical and insurance companies.

In fact, in many countries, medical coverage is a birthright, not a purchased service.

So, sorry to Americans who can’t afford insurance (don’t worry, “only” 1 in 6 US citizens can’t afford it).

Yes, I sense frustration when I read someone’s e-mail with something like this:

“I can’t stand how … !”
“How can that country possibly have … , while the U.S. can’t even …?”
“Why aren’t our kids the best in math and science? I thought we had the best R&D in the world?”
Why do I pay more and get less?
Why do teachers make so little, but Halliburton makes so much? Couldn’t just $1 billion go to schools?

Frustration leads people to make uncomfortable decisions, such as “abandoning their own country” for another. Ah, there’s the popular debate of whether I’m being patriotic. But I’ll leave that for another post in this series.

For now, I ask this question: is it better to stick around in a bad situation, or to make the tough decisions to do what you know is best for you, for your quality of life? Wait for the next post.

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Metric System and You

Jeff — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:26:55 +0000

How long is it?
How hot is it?
How much do you weigh?

Those 3 questions can trip up a new American expat faster than asking for directions to the nearest metro stop. Why? Because we’re American, that’s why.

The United States of America is one of only 3 countries in the world (out of ~200) that still use feet, ounces and Fahrenheit. Everyone else? – they use metric system.

Check out the map below.

It's Just US, Burma and Liberia Against the World

Yeah, amazing, huh? America, Liberia and Burma. That’s it – that’s all who are still stuck in the 19th century with the old British system.

When did the meter catch on? Well, take France for example. France finally adopted the meter officially right after Napoleon overthrew the ruling French Directory. And that was 1799.

Yeah, the meter is that old.

Do all other countries really use only the metric system?
No. There are some exceptions. In England, some people know their weight in stone. In Canada, they buy carpet by the square foot.
Well, I didn’t say there were many cases. (Why they’re called exceptions.)

Some Arguments You May Hear Against the Metric System

“Oh, but metric is so un-American!”
Actually, Thomas Jefferson proposed a base-10 (decimal) system for measurement. His proposal in Congress lost by one vote. That was 120 years ago. Imagine how different America would be if it weren’t for that one vote?

“Oh, but metric is so hard!”
Actually, it’s not, period. It by 10s. Not 3s, 12s, 16s, or even 5280s.
It’s 10. Then 100. Then 1000. And so on. There you have it.

“Oh, but moving to metric would cost too much!”
NASA would disagree. Remember the case of the Mars Orbitter?

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I Want to Be An Expat: You + 700M Others

Jeff — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:00:31 +0000

“I want to be an expat” – a dream of over 700 million people.

A survey, which took 3 years to complete, was finally released. The survey asked “Would you like to start a new life abroad?”.
Across 130 countries, 16% of the people answered “Yes.”

What countries were most popular?
Mostly developed western countries, plus Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Where does everyone want to go?
If everyone had their wish, the United States would swell by 165 million people (growing it by 50%)
Canada would bring in 45 million people (a whopping 150% boost!)
France, Thailand and Britain each would grow also by another 40+ million people.

What’s the biggest motivator for all these people?
Jobs. For many folks, the big deciding factor whether to stay or go was employment. Do you want to work abroad?
Last year, HSBC released a report about expats which reported that half of surveyed expats are in their residence country and plan to stay because of a better contract than they could get back home. Another tidbit: more than half had lived outside their home country for longer than 5 years.

Both the HSBC report and the very recent Gallup survey show a growing trend: people are seeking to become expats.

credit: Source article

“I want to be an expat” said by 700 million people. That’s a lot of people. It’s a big dream. Start now, while you’re ahead of the pack.

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