You are currently viewing [Vlog] Expat Life Pros & Cons (Kids, Depression, Work)

[Vlog] Expat Life Pros & Cons (Kids, Depression, Work)

Depression, dating, relocating … when it comes to the 19 years I’ve been an expat in Mexico, Spain, India, China, Hong Kong, and now Malaysia, it’s safe to say I’ve made more mistakes than good choices!  And sure, from time to time I wish my expat life was different but the funny is that I NEVER wish I could go back to my old life in California.  This isn’t a lifestyle for me, it’s just my life … and I want to start sharing more on what you could expect when living abroad.

5 Pros & Cons of Expat Life

This vlog was inspired by the best expat survey I’ve ever seen, which touches on all of the major topics and aspects of expat life (check it out here: Aetna International’s Wellness Survey)

What’s in the Vlog >>

  1. The Costs
  2. Making Friends
  3. Working (changing jobs)
  4. Sex & Dating
  5. Raising Children

The first time I lived in a foreign country was 1991, when I was 20 years old, in Mexico.  I had fallen head-over-heels for the sweetest guy named Daniel who I met on holiday a couple weeks earlier …. and I threw caution to the wind, left uni, and moved to Puerto Vallarta.  That move was a nightmare and so dangerous that in the end I moved back home with my tail between my legs.  But about a year later I tried again and this time it stuck.  I ended up in Sitges (Barcelona), Spain for four years and it changed my life.

Since then — and as a single mom until my daughter left for uni who was a 3rd culture kid — I lived a 2nd time in Spain for eight more years, then India for three years, China for a few months, Hong Kong for a year, and it has been about two years that I call Kuala Lumpur home (well, my Southeast Asia home base anyway).

Here’s the blog post I reference about my daughter’s thoughts on being an expat and how it changed her life.

If you’re looking for more info on expat life, please do subscribe to my YouTube channel.  I plan to launch more vlogs on the truth about living abroad.

XOXO Angela

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Angela Carson

At 21 I left uni, jumped into my Jeep Wrangler, and drove from my native California to live an adventure in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I've explored 37 countries on 4 continents, residing in 8 of them (currently Indonesia's Riau Islands is my home). I even have a private pilot's license and was shot at once by bandits!