Expat Forum vs. "Beyond Backpacking" Forum

[Continental Op]

I think the forums work wonderfully, but I wonder if we might benefit from changing the Beyond Backpacking forum (which goes largely unused because the same types of questions fit easily in the BnA Member's Forum and the Chit Chat forum) into an Expat/Living Abroad forum for those who seek to make a life in one of the places they stumbled during their travels.

If so, I'd be happy to contribute as I'm sure many other expats would. Obvious topics would include making the transition, dealing with finances and residency, citizenship, culture clashes, cost of living, etc.

I'd be curious what some of you mods and members think about this.

[Continental Op]

And I realize that we have a Volunteering/Working Abroad Forum, but that isn't the same as living the life of an expat. Some of us barely work at all. I, for instance, am a man of leisure. So is Skobb, for that matter, as he works for the State Dept.

I demand that those who simply wish to exist abroad, without a focus on economic motivations, have a place here on BnA. (This argument should, I think, appeal to the dirty hippies here as well. )

[Sophie9]

One of these days we're all gonna quit this traipsing around and go home.

Then we'll need a folder for ex-expats.

[Continental Op]

quote:

Originally posted by Sophie9:
One of these days we're all gonna quit this traipsing around and go home.

Sophie, if you come stay in Italy after you're done with Moscow and Beijing, I promise we'll find you a place you'll never want to leave. The only finder's fee? A simple bottle of grappa mirtillo.

[skobb]

I'm leisuring as we speak.

[Continental Op]

quote:

Originally posted by skobb:
I'm leisuring as we speak.

I'm sure it's all caviar and midday sex romps in Kiev.

[Not the first Travis]

I can't imagine which thread inspired this poll...

I think I'll go back and edit my original question about the FEIE and put a warning on it that says, essentially, if you're not interested in this aspect of becoming an expat, skip to page 6 of the thread. You know, sort of a public service announcement. I'll even do that for free.

[Continental Op]

quote:

Originally posted by Not the first Travis:
I can't imagine which thread inspired this poll...

It's actually probably one of the more thorough expat threads I've read. I wish it, and the popularized interweb , were around back when I first decided to relocate abroad many moons ago.

Plus, once you've moved down toe Mexico, I'll be interested to hear all of the expat gossip you can muster.

[Not the first Travis]

As to the poll question itself....selfishly, I think I would vote "yes". But I don't know if there are enough BnA members interested in expat issues to justify it. So I dunno.

Oh screw that. I'll just vote selfishly! Yay selfish voting!

quote:

Plus, once you've moved down toe Mexico, I'll be interested to hear all of the expat gossip you can muster.

But I'm not a gossip...

[halfnine]

I vote yes as well.

It would be nice to have a dedicated ex-pat forum.

[Continental Op]

quote:

But I don't know if there are enough BnA members interested in expat issues to justify it.

Yeah, I don't know either. I get a lot of questions about living abroad, but I don't know that very many people are really interested in the tax, residency, and daily living issues associated with such a move.

quote:

Originally posted by Not the first Travis:

But I'm not a gossip...

Oh. But you will be. You will be.

[Not the first Travis]

quote:

Originally posted by Continental Op:

quote:

Originally posted by Not the first Travis:

But I'm not a gossip...

Oh. But you will be. You will be.

Heh. The town we're looking at has eight, count 'em, eight expats living in it. We met all of them at various times. What they were saying about one another was absolutely unreal.

[Continental Op]

quote:

Originally posted by Not the first Travis:
The town we're looking at has eight, count 'em, eight expats living in it. We met all of them at various times. What they were saying about one another was absolutely unreal.

Did you hear about the one guy Thomas? He totally hooked up with his kids' nanny Freda. It gives a whole new meaning to the term foreign earned income exemption.

[anniebanannie]

I would rather just get rid of the Beyond Backpacking and the other really quiet one whose name I can't remember, and put ex-pat issues into the general forum or perhaps as a sticky in the top of the forum of the appropriate country/continent/whatever.

But, I think there are too many forums, and people don't look in many because of that.

[ginger]

Now as a expat from the UK to nz the idea of a forum where people can share their experiences and offer help is a great idea