Living Abroad -- How

Hello,

Lurking for awhile, and found the "living abroad" thread quite interesting.
I have a question for those that have done it, and that is how did you do
it? Did you move as a result of a transfer in your current job, did you
find a job before you went over, did you know people there? How did you
find housing?

I have decided that I want to try living abroad for a time (France,
specifically). I have been taking language lessons with a private tutor for
about a year and a half, some of this covering culture and general life
there as my tutor was born, raised and educated there, and still maintains a
home in Paris. After a trip there earlier this year, I decided that I want
the experience of living there for awhile. It's now a perfect point in my
life to do such a thing, but where to start.

Would anyone care to share some information on how they did it?

Very interesting...gives me some insight into each of you when I read your
posts! ;-)
Now a question...do you ever get homesick? If so, how often do you return
to your native country(ies)?

--Jean

"Keith Anderson" <keefy@> wrote in message
news:125093pkmsvf6o47mdml9ndrdt6jmfp4kh@...
> On Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:51:08 GMT, "Jean O'Boyle"
> <j.oboyle@removefudged.> wrote:
>
>>Very interesting...gives me some insight into each of you when I read your
>>posts! ;-)
>>Now a question...do you ever get homesick? If so, how often do you return
>>to your native country(ies)?
>>
>>--Jean
>
> The first time I worked in Germany, I went home after 3 months, then
> returned to Germany. Another 6 months and I was back in the UK
> permanently.
>
> Homesickness was strange. Clearly, I missed the social setup I'd had
> in England - but there were things I hadn't expected. The main one was
> the landscape - gently rolling hills and above all hedges around
> fields and certain types of architecture, particularly thatched
> cottages and Midlands red brick.
>
> Once re-settled back in England, I missed things about Germany, too.
> Food especially - crisp rolls, black bread and sausage for breakfast
> and an indefinable energy and straightforwardness that is often sadly
> lacking in the UK.
>
> Since the first time of living in Germany, I've worked there for short
> periods over several years - to satisfy my wishes to experience both
> cultures.
>
> The change now will be from living in the UK with spells in Germany to
> living in Germany with spells in the UK.
> Keith, Bristol, UK

Nice...a compromise of sorts and the best of both worlds.

--Jean

On 7 juil, 15:33, "Butterfly" <none> wrote:

< Lurking for awhile, and found the "living abroad" thread quite
interesting.
< I have a question for those that have done it, and that is how did
you do
< it? Did you move as a result of a transfer in your current job,
did you
< find a job before you went over, did you know people there? How did
you
< find housing?
<
< I have decided that I want to try living abroad for a time (France,
< specifically). I have been taking language lessons with a private
tutor for
< about a year and a half, some of this covering culture and general
life
< there as my tutor was born, raised and educated there, and still
maintains a
< home in Paris. After a trip there earlier this year, I decided that
I want
< the experience of living there for awhile. It's now a perfect point
in my
< life to do such a thing, but where to start.
<
< Would anyone care to share some information on how they did it?

Got it the easy way: worked for a company with international
activities - more or less frequent travel but also assignments
up to 2 years at subsidiaries to be set up or for customer
projects. Some collegues stayed then for good at places they
liked.
Disadvantage: limited influence on countries you might be sent to,
often enough short notice.
Advantage: company takes care of working permits, housing,
car ....