International Nesties
dulcemariamar1
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Ultimate checklist for returning expats
http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/usa/ultimate-checklist-returning-us-expats-919371?hpt=hp_bn8
That was kind of depressing.
Re: Ultimate checklist for returning expats
I wasn't feeling most of the article although this did make me laugh. If you identified as liberal before your expatriation, it's likely you're returning home to a tent city of organic patchouli smoke and protest signs.
Then they got to the end and that was spot on: boredom, no one cares, no holidays and no one gets it. All so true.
I think they should have added all the legal changes. That was H's biggest problem repatriating.
I read everyone's comments before I read the article and was scared to read it, especially with my impending move in 5 months!
But I don't think it's that bad really? There's nothing there that I didn't already expect... and I guess because I'm still largely unsettled (single and my finances are fairly simple and straightforward) and going to a new city, it still seems exciting.
The only thing that worries me is dealing with filing back taxes....
Thanks for the post though - useful and it made me laugh!
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
Yeah, this article is kind of irritating actually. Are they assuming all expats live in a tent in the middle of the Sahara and don't know what is still going on in the World? Or in the US? Most of the people on this board keep up with US entertainment and shows, so Kim Kardashian or Charlie Sheen wouldn't be these weird people you know nothing about.
It seems like it was written by someone who doesn't use the internet. I don't understand where this person was an expat to that they didn't worry about the IRS.
Also, the first comment (which might not be the first comment anymore because it looks like the first comment is the latest comment):
Expats do not live under a rock! We don't need tips on pop culture, technology, fashion, and the IRS. We do get that information in the furthest corners of the earth! Also, regarding "Nobody cares where you?ve been"--maybe hearing about life abroad will take care of that feeling of superiority and disinterest!
--An American living abroad
Unless I'm reading it wrong, is she saying that by expats telling Americans where they were that Americans will care enough to not feel superior or disinterested? That's funny. I don't know that most Americans don't care about an expats time abroad because they feel superior, but I do think they're disinterested. I mean, it's almost like sharing pictures of a family vacation. A really long vacation. I would love to see how that goes for her when she repatriates and tells everyone of her time abroad.
Also, until a TV show makes it onto the radar of a good friend, we don't usually bother downloading it, so there are lots of big shows (including Boardwalk Empire) that I don't know much about.
Albeit, these things wouldn't really cause me much culture shock since I don't care about them. I've never even seen an episode of The Sopranos, and I was around for that (but we didnt have cable or HBO under my rock.)
My biggest culture shocks when I visit short-term are the wastefulness, the lack of environmental concern, the materialism, and the seemingly-mindless live-to-work drudgery. Of these, the only one mentioned was the work thing, and the comment was basically, "Everyone hates their job. It's part of the American way." Not particularly useful.
I don't know why the Kardashians are famous either, and I live here.
But honestly the stuff you wrote above is so generalized. Not everyone in the US is like this, and there are people in other countries who are as well. It is not US specific. And fwiw I know very people who hate their jobs.
Same here, Andrea. I found the article funny in the way anything grossly over generalized is funny. Yes, the sopranos used to be big and now game of thrones and boardwalk empire (and Downton abbey) are. Yes, gas is more expensive here but it is in other countries, too. Yes, lots of people make less now compared to the increase in costs of utilities and consumer goods but isn't that true in Europe, too? Yes, we get less vacation time but since when is that news? It was funny because of the way it was written. But not scary or mind blowing to me because none of that stuff was news.
Sure these problems exist everywhere, but I take it for granted here. Just like I took 24-hr pharmacies and grocery shopping on Sunday for granted when I was in the US. It would take me a while and a few tips to find ways to readjust if I move back.
I didn't find the article scary, per se. Just depressing. I feel like the US is less the hopeful looking-ahead place that it once was.
And it probably matters that I'm living in Norway, which is currently going through its own golden "future is bright" era.
Even though the government is getting better about recycling programs, Singapore is INSANE with the excess packaging. A popular bakery will put every pastry item you buy in its own bag, then put all of those in one big bag. And this bubble tea place puts every single drink in a plastic bag. Dude, I'm drinking it right now. I don't need a damn bag. I try to catch them before they get the bag out, but they're so fast and not paying attention, half the time I get one anyway, or they have started to put it in the bag, hear me decline it, so they take it off and then throw it away.
And Singapore has a lot of trouble with trash. It's a tiny island--they don't have much room for landfills! In fact, I just realized I don't even know what they do with it....
With pop culture, there are things I know about because of the Internet, but I do feel out of the loop. Even with the news, there are only so much time in a day I can spend keeping up with things back in the States.
I think the article generalizes a bit too much about life in America but I agree with the point that nobody cares about your expat life. A lot of people dont understand it and sometimes if you talk about it, you can come across as snobby or it can sound like you are bragging. However, I dont agree with the article about life being more interesting when you are abroad. I guess it depends how long you live in another country. If you are spending like 3 years or less, of course, everything seems fun and interesting. But if you are it for the long run, it can be just as boring. Life is life everywhere. You have to work and pay taxes. But I do admit, then I do love the longer holidays here.
Exactly. I knew everything that was going on in the US while living in England. It's hard not to with TV and internet.
This line is true for me "The homeland has always been there waiting for you, so coming back to your country of origin actually makes you more homesick for the foreign land" but the rest is kind of malarkey.
I get that but I think it is a matter of the company you keep maybe. I don't know anyone who doesn't make a concerted effort to do things environmentally correct. My son goes to a preschool where they use real china for snacks and parties and use no paper products at all, everything is wiped up with towels and we take turns doing the laundry. Everyone in our neighborhood recycles. Is everyone in the US like this? No. But to state as a whole the country is materialistic and wasteful is painting with a broad brush.
I agree that no one cares about your abroad stories not because they think America is superior but because it is like hearing about a vacation or a dream or something. I love hearing stories about people who are from other countries and cultures but I guess I just don't like it when the person starts off with, when I lived.... the ... was soooo much better... or I can't believe you've never been to XXX place. It's all how you put things.
I am days away from returning to the US and quite sad about it. I prefer Quebec City.
In the US, there is more pressure to buy and belong and work very hard and I just feel like I don't fit with that anymore. I just don't care that much about my job title, my education. Here, it doesn't seem to matter so much. And I got used to the environmental stuff too - like, they don't pack 2 items into individual plastic bags, you have to pay tax for plastic bags, and people walk instead of drive.
Also, when I went home for Christmas, everyone seemed to talk super loud. Ever notice that? It really bugged me. I felt like everyone was screaming at me.
I disagree w/ the commenter on the article who said "go somewhere with a culture." Americans have a culture: it's blue jeans, rock n roll, coca cola, etc. I talk to people from all over the world on a daily basis who love USA culture.
I just left the U.S. 8 weeks ago and honestly have no idea how much gas costs (haven't had a car since 2001) or why in the heck anyone cares about the Kardashians. I don't know what gas costs in France, either, or what TV shows are popular here since I pretty much have kids' stuff on for DD when the TV is on (same as when we're in the U.S.).
Is that all this article is about or is it really worth reading?