You asked me about my being “location independent?”
Maybe you’re there or almost there, or …wanting to be almost there?

Tomorrow – Tuesday May 18th you have an opportunity: Build your own empire. That’s key to location independence in one year.

Being location independent means freedom. Freedom to earn as you want and then have the time to do what’s most important to you…maybe spend more time with your kids, take long vacations or travel. Or all the above.

I have one source of great information I have to share: Chris Guillebeau. I’ve followed him for a few years now.

It’s Chris who is launching the Empire Building Kit tomorrow.

A bit about Chris (longer story here): he made a name for himself by announcing he intends to visit every country of the world and blogs about it. For that, Chris is well on target. I believe he’s hit over 120 so far. He doesn’t stay long per country, which would be more my style, but if your goal is quantity over time – Chris sets the bar darn high!

But he’s not just a super, uber-traveler. He’s a real guy like you & me.
And he has a great knack at being happily successful & describing how, easily for people like you and me.

Chris shares plenty of know-how. For example “279 days to Overnight Success” and “Brief Guide to World Domination”
Both are free. Grab them to see what he’s capable of delivering.

Last month, Chris revealed the Empire Building Kit.
The EBK is a paid-for product. Three tiers, price balanced with what’s provided. Even at the lowest tier, it’s a huge collection of case studies of successful entrepreneurs, with video interviews, transcripts and actionable info.
Plus, the 365 messages (daily for a year) from Chris to walk through it all bit by bit.

Forty days ago, Empire Building Kit was first released (also for one day only).
I scooped it up (the middle tier).
Normally, I don’t shell out cash for products, “sight-unseen.” But I have bought from Chris, a few times. And every time, I never get buyer’s remorse.
Again, as with everything Chris offers, I’m very satisfied with this EBK. Chris’ daily newsletter has a nice ‘babysitter’ for me, reminding me to act & stay focused, even during these busy times.

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 18th, Chris is opening the Empire Building Kit again for people.
I hope you see it as worthwhile as I do. It’s your key to becoming location independent.

For full disclosure, I partnered with Chris and his site. So while I brag about Chris’ stuff as a satisfied customer, I will also get a commission, too. I do sincerely believe in Chris and his work so I don’t feel ‘dirty’ doing so.

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I am now officially retired from the corporate rat race.
Two months ago, I wrote how I was laid off. As of just Friday, April 30th, I am officially out of work.
How cool is that?

Big Life Changes Explained
A couple days ago, I mentioned big life changes. I even wrote it borderline mysterious: “Even bigger life changes…stay tuned”
Well, time to fess up. Yes, I’m out of work. But the bigger life change is: I’m not looking for work.

I (with my wife’s support) will no longer work for anyone else. I’m freelance. I’m working for myself, on my own terms, according to my own demand. I’m an expat from corporate life.

Did I Make the Right Choice?
You bet your ass.
Last Friday, April 30th, after surrendering the laptop, blackberry and all other stuff that pseudo-defined me as a corporate manager, I walked up to the receptionist. “Take care,” I said as I handed her my access badge.
She said: “Okay, well have a good weekend and a good rest of the life!”
Thanks, I will.
I never want to be in that environment again. And if I did end up doing the cubicle thing again, I know I would be completely miserable. What kept me somewhat content in this past job was working with people whom today I can call friends. Good guys, miserable lifestyle. (And I’m quite certain those guys would agree with me)

My Last Day
I left corporate life around lunch time. That left me several hours of the day to fully absorb the start of a new me, a new life.
I got home, stripped off my shirt, tie and slacks, got into much more comfortable clothes. I figured that wasn’t “transition” enough, so I decided to ceremoniously ditch my black dress shoes for good.
My 4 year old daughter and I walked to our park, across the street from us. On our way to the park, we left my dress shoes near the recyclables containers on the street. That’s where people leave behind old clothes for other folks with more need to pick them up. My dress shoes will no doubt be more enjoyed by anybody other than me.

At the park, my daughter and I had a long talk about how, from now on, I will be more available.
I’ll be more available for playing, more available for helping her, more available to pick her up for school, and so on.
We’re both pretty happy about this.

No Work DOES NOT Mean No Income
I hope no one believes I’m retired, as in never working again. While that would be nice, it’s just not doable. Daddy and family need income. It’s just not going to come from a place where I need an access badge.

How will I help contribute to the family income? I have already been doing piecemeal work for a publisher for …wow, has it been 10 years already? For 10 years now, I accept editing and authoring work on demand. How is this different from regular work? Well, for starters, I’ve never actually met my publisher face to face. It’s great, rewarding work and I do it when it feels right.

Breadwinner/Homemaker Role Reversal
My wife, on the other hand, has chosen the opposite direction – she’s going from full-time homemaker to full-time employee. After four+ years at home, raising now 2 kids, this makes her happy. I’m guessing a lot of stay-at-home moms can understand.

Between some online work and my wife’s future income, we believe we can maintain our standard of living, but both enjoy a much happier living, too.

Location Independent
Becoming location independent is an up and coming lifestyle and one that I think will catch on more. Hell, technology nowadays practically allows you to work wherever and whenever you want.
If you’re guessing I’ll be writing more about this as time goes on, you’re right.

If you’ve ever wanted to become location independent, let me know. I’d like to know what stirs you. I look forward to helping you in any way I can.

What are my next steps? Well, I should update my LinkedIn page and this site’s “About Me” page for starters.

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Rather than dive into filling out forms, let’s be sure we’re all starting on the same page.
Read the below Q&A. Once you know & understand them, you’re ahead of most.

What’s a Visa?

Not the credit card. Here, we’re talking about permission to visit a country. Consider it like your personal “green light” to go.

When I traveled around Europe, I got lots of stamps in my passport – are they visas?

No. A passport stamp just acknowledges you’re “in” or “out.” You get those when crossing a border. A visa is something you must apply for ahead of time.

How do I tell if I need a visa?

Two things determine if you need a visa: your citizenship and where you’re going.
If you intend to stay a while, that might affect things, too, but more on that later.
US citizens can check on this page to see if your destination country wants you to get a visa first.

If I’m American, do I need a visa to visit ABC country?

For most countries, no. US citizens need visas for only about 20% of the world’s countries. Bottom line reason why you need a visa is reciprocity. It’s a tit-for-tat thing. If the US requires a visa for that country’s citizens, then often that country will enforce the same on Americans. What breaks the “visa mini-cold-war” is a strong desire between countries to be friends. Example: To visit Mongolia, Americans don’t need a visa, but citizens from all European and most Asian countries do. Interesting, huh?
Combine those two facts and you’ll see Americans travel very freely. In fact, only folks from Denmark and Germany travel more freely than Americans:
(see graph)

Does it matter why I’m going to that country?

Yes, sort of. When filling out the visa application, it matters whether you’re a tourist or someone visiting on business. However, in general, the requirements -and more importantly- the wait for your visa to get approved is the same.
A business person visiting a country is very different from someone needing a work visa.

Do I pay for it? How much?

Yes, visas cost. My rough experience and sample research says this: you’re going to pay between $20 and $100 for the permission to fly to that country.
Sure, it’s not much when compared to the flight or accommodations, but paying for permission to come over (plus the added paperwork) isn’t exactly welcoming either.

How long does it take to get a visa?

Stay tuned for the next part: Visa Process – Timelines

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This is a Big Topic: the visa process.

By the way, when expats talk about visas, we ain’t talking credit cards!

Whenever I hear the question How do I get a visa?, I cringe. I cringe because I know it’s the most common question to ask and the most difficult one to answer.

Some people may stop at “Well, it just depends on the country.” Instead I will write a series of posts, hopefully answering some of the first and tougher questions about the visa process.

Any questions on your mind? Ask them in the comments here or in the forum.

I got my ears open. Stay tuned…

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I’m not just adventurous in real life (yeah, right), I’m adventurous in website administration.

My dream of helping people live overseas suddenly found a glass ceiling – enough time to answer e-mails.
So, one idea I came up with is to create a forum where people could ask questions (and I still answer them), but future people could see the same questions (& answers!).

A central place for questions. Easy access to (everyone’s) answers. It’s a win-win idea.

I present the world’s newest Expat’s Questions and Answers forum: www.expatyourself.com/forum

You may think it’s light on the questions so far…you’re right. You need to ask them first.

Please post your questions there and I will be very diligent about answering them.

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Before I talk about expats, let’s go over a typical ice-breaker conversation in the United States:

Charlie: “Hey, Alice – I want you to meet Bob. Bob, this here’s Alice. Talk amongst yourselves.”

Alice: Hi Bob. What do you do?
Bob: I’m a butcher/engineer/shepherd/{any trade you want} You?
Alice: I write for the local paper.
Bob: Oh, that must be interesting…how long have you been there?
Alice: About 4 years. Yeah, I like it. I meet a lot of interesting people.
Bob: That sounds interesting.

Should sound familiar. It’s pretty much the dialogue you have each time you meet someone, right?

Okay, now how about the same ice breaker between expats?

Jeff: So, where are you from?
Martin: UK {note to non-Britons: they never say Great Britain! }
Jeff: Cool. American. How long you been here?
Martin: 8, 8 1/2 years – you?
Jeff: Just 4 years.
Martin: What do you do?
Jeff: I work at {insert multinational company or global datacenter}
Martin: Oh, yes, I know a lot of Americans there. You know Buddy Sowenso?
Jeff: I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know him yet. What do you do?
Martin: I’m teaching English at the {insert language school or city college}.
Jeff: Oh, okay. Do you get home often?
Martin: Once, maybe twice a year. You?
Jeff: Not as much. Been back just one time

[ ...... after more socializing / drinking ..... ]

Martin: I couldn’t believe it …Totally didn’t expect that!
Jeff: Unreal…only here, right? So, plans to return home?
Martin: Yeah, probably after another year or so. You?
Jeff: I’m almost ready. Maybe after another year or so.

See any differences? Talk amongst yourselves.

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I just read an article listing these 3 countries where expats are returning home in droves:

United Kingdom
Spain
Ireland

Reportedly, the big cause is the weak pound. No surprise there, the British sterling has been losing ground for months, even against a weakening dollar. What does this mean to expats paid in sterling? It means they don’t make as much locally as they used to AND their salary isn’t as powerful back home as it used to be. It’s a double-whammy that is a risk for expats when earning abroad and sending most of their wages home. (Incidentally, when it works the other way, it really is GREEAAATTT!)

The stats in summary: 37% more UK expats are returning home this year compared to last. For Spain, it’s 39%. And for Ireland, it’s a whopping 75%. ouch.

In short, if you’re from the UK, Spain or Ireland and you got a friend living abroad, then he may come knocking on your door sooner than you think. If you’re thinking of moving abroad, plan better than most or have a sweet package set up before leaving.

Here’s the rest of the article, if you’re interested.

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Just a few years ago, it was too easy getting a job as a foreigner (that’s expat to you) in the Czech Republic. Finally, after the recession has hit Europe hard, the Czech Republic is trimming back the fat. And, again, that’s expat to you.

Update: And in China, too!

It’s been reported that jobs for foreigners are rapidly disappearing. Czech companies are making cuts to those high-priced positions entirely or searching harder for local Czech workers who may be capable to do the same.

Some of the big reasons a company will hire a foreigner is the worker’s native language, e.g. English, French, Portuguese, so that the company has the advantage to get into their respective markets, UK, France, Brazil. Such native language skills are much harder to find locally, especially when the person also should have other skills, like software development, accounting or project management.

The flip side of hiring a foreigner is the added cost. Additional costs may happen once, like airfare for an interview, relocation expenses or initial work permit services. Then, there are recurring service fees, such as sponsoring visa paperwork every year. And lastly, foreigners typically command a larger salary than the local workforce.

Which of the above applies to you would depend on the position you go for and what country you’re relocating to. But these are some of the pros & cons of being an expat. It’s all part of the adventure!

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If you’re thinking about starting over completely new, you may wonder how long it will take. Fair question – and here’s my answer: 3 months. Three months is all it takes to drastically change your life, self and all that’s around you. And that’s assuming you have a house, job, perhaps even family as we did. Even as “settled” as we were, it was just 3 months from wondering about getting work overseas to all moved and working overseas.

Our Timeline
23 April 2006 Initial inquiry about a couple jobs
03 April 2006 Telephone interview w/manager
02 May 2006 Face-to-face interview in Prague
05 May 2006 Offer tendered and accepted, to start 3 July 2006
26 May 2006 Wife’s last day of work
31 May 2006 House on market; luckily sold soon from real estate boom
21 June 2006 House sale ‘closed’
5-11 June 2006 Jeff & friend go apartment shopping in Prague
30 June 2006 Jeff leaves for Prague
3 July 2006 Jeff starts first day at work

We moved to Prague, Czech Republic in July 2006. On July 3rd, 2006, I started my first day at work at a new job. Only 3 months before, I was thinking “Our life needs help – I wonder if I should look for something new.” Wow, it didn’t take long and we got what we asked for.

I’m thinking of documenting this whole timeline in a detailed, step-by-step process. But I’m can’t get really into it, unless I know someone out there could use it. If you are interested in such a detailed write-up, please sign-up with your e-mail address to the right. Convince me; then I’m on it.

Thanks, -Jeff

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As an expat, are you the elite or the hired help?

Every expat knows their answer. The answer is different, depending on the country. In fact, it depends on two factors: what country you’re in and what country you’re from.

Depending on where you are, and from where you hail, you rank higher in social status or you rank below others.

In one case, your job is something that very few if any native citizens can fill. In the other case, they assume you fill a vacancy which no one locally wants.

In one case, native citizens assume your salary is much higher than theirs. In the other case, because you’re not local, you probably earn a pittance.

Why? In both cases, it’s because you’re an expat. Let’s look at some examples.

Example 1: Local workers in Prague perceive foreigner workers from the West as the “elite.” Take me and my job here: I sit alongside of a few Czech management peers, doing nearly identical work. However, my salary is 1.5 to 2 times their salary, which is already several times the nation’s average salary. Sure, sometimes I get teased as being on an expat contract (which I’m not) or being overpaid (which I am), but I’m fine with it. Wouldn’t you be?

Example 2: Another personal example. As an English teacher in South Korea, my salary was well above the cost of living, easily allowing me to send 20-30% back home. And my accommodation was provided for free. Sound good? Well, the accommodation was actually a 12′ by 12′ classroom, complete with chalkboard and a long, fluorescent ceiling light. Instead of desks and chairs, my classroom apartment had a bed and dresser. Water was available from the school’s bathroom. So, while my commute to work was only a flight of stairs, I was clearly the “hired help.”
In verbal and nonverbal terms, the perception from the school director and his staff was that I was only a mouthpiece which spoke native English and my value stopped abruptly there. And I was fine with that, too, as it was all part of a great experience.

Example 3: Foreign workers in Dubai are the extreme -on both ends. Laborers from countries such as India, Philippines, Pakistan or less developed countries may earn more than if back home, but are considered much worse locally. And the least fortunate will end up living in squalor in labor camps.
On the other extreme end, Dubai workers from the west, e.g. Europe, Australia, US, enjoy a lavish lifestyle, commonly including free housing, paid school fees, even annual flights home -above and beyond a massive salary!
In fact, this is the case throughout much of the Middle East. But Dubai is arguably the extreme even when compared against its neighbors. If you can respect some particularly strict social laws, then get a job anywhere in the Middle East, and you’re living large!

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