Living & Working Overseas
One hears and reads all sorts of talk about how
wonderful it is to live and work overseas. How it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,
how your life will never be the same and how it has opened up the world to a
person.
Honestly? I have lived overseas for about 26 months
now, short of trips home and vacations to other countries, I can honestly say, I
have learned a few things. Some good, some bad.
Good
1.
People are people. They want to be
happy, they want health care, education for their children, enough food on the table,
they like to laugh, and they enjoy downtime. Hearing a taxi driver tell you
about his children, all with a smile on his face.
2.
You get to try some wonderful foods,
you would normally never get a chance to try anywhere else in the world. Fresh,
wood oven baked, spiced bread, steaming as it’s placed on your table.
3.
You meet others like yourself, expats
who are exploring the world for the first time, people who are living to
travel, people who are trying to make money and those trying to be productive
in their remaining working careers. These people are your connection home, they
are the ones that make the living overseas bearable.
4.
Some places have ridiculously inexpensive
basics. Food, water, gasoline and various other items. Gasoline for 26 cents a
litre or a whole chicken, French fries and bread for 5 dollars or a dollar
beer.
5.
Experiences. You get to experience
things you could never experience in suburban Toronto. Walk places, see things,
swim in water most people have never heard of. Sitting out a tropical storm on
a balcony with a drink in hand.
Bad
1.
A lack of empathy amongst some
people, where tunnel vision is the norm, and to hell with anyone else. Doors
slammed in your face, because it would inconvenience the person in front of you
for three seconds to hold it for you.
2.
Food that tastes the same. Out for
dinner with 5 other people, everyone orders something different and because of the
spices and cooking techniques, everything not only comes out tasting the same,
but has the same texture.
3.
Inefficiency and ineptness seem to be
built into many systems around the world. When 95% of your population is employed
by the government, one really doesn’t care if you have to see 10 people in 5
buildings just to get a driver’s licence.
4.
Poor infrastructure.
5.
A belief that they, their people and
their way of life is the model society for the world. It’s funny so many
countries believe this, western nations and others, they all can’t be right!
