Living & Working Overseas

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!

Airport Etiquette

Airport Etiquette

With the amount of people traveling by air these days, there needs to be some edumacation regarding the hordes that are now inhabiting airports and aircraft. Too often the correct etiquette is either not known or simply ignored. If you travel, pay attention!

 

1.    When the airport is busy, don’t put your bag up on the seat beside you. People are looking to sit down, have some manners!

2.    Basic etiquette folks, stop talking loudly on your cell phone when people two gates over can hear you talk about how your day was!

3.    Those moving walkways, those are there so people can get to their gate quickly. If you wish to stand there and talk with your friend, move to the right side and let people walk on the left side!

4.    Control your children. Letting them play on the escalators, the moving walkways, running and screaming through the terminal is ill-mannered. If they need to burn off energy, go find an isolated gate. Everyone doesn’t think your child is cute and wonderful.

5.    If the restaurant is busy, finish your meal and leave. Sitting there reading your paper while people are waiting on tables, is…..bad manners!

6.    I get it that you need to sleep, long flights, long layovers, I get it. Don’t lay down and stretch out in the narrow hallways. You are just waiting to be stepped on, move to a quiet gate.

7.    Be a Boy Scout, be prepared, and plan ahead. Don’t stop right in front of or at the end of the escalators or moving walkways. You hold up everyone behind you as you pull up or push down the handle on your bag, or shuffle your bags. If you need to adjust, move to the side.

8.    Seriously, the first thing you need to do on an airplane, isn’t to tilt your seat back. The plane is still loading, relax and let the damn thing get into the air first!

9.    When the crew tell you to turn off electronic devices, turn them off. When the plane is taxiing down the runway, twenty seconds from take-off, it’s likely not a good time to change seats with your husband. Listen to the crew!

10.                       Once the plane lands and everyone is getting off, those who are in front of you, get off first. Wait your turn.

11.                       If you grab the wrong bag, put it back on the baggage conveyor belt, don’t just let it sit there on the floor. Someone is waiting for that bag.

12.                       Try not to have more than one carryon bag per person. Filling up two overhead bins with your shopping bags just inconveniences the whole plane.

13.                       If you are one of those people that needs to use the restroom more than twice in a flight, request an aisle seat. Don’t make other keep moving for you.

14.                       Middle seat is the shit seat. Middle seat gets to use both arm rests. Period, no discussion.

15.                       Before you travel, shower, wear clean clothing and wear deodorant. Yes, you may have 22 hours of airport and flying time, but you shouldn't smell like you just ran a marathon when you show up for your first flight.

16.                       Do not put on perfume or cologne when you first get on the plane, everyone within twenty seats can smell you, and we don’t want to! Save it, use the bathroom in the airport after the plane lands!