An expat (expat) is someone from one country who resides in another country. By permanently departure their country of origin, a person becomes a emigrant. For entering a foreign country, that person becomes a immigrant. Then by residing in that foreign country, the person becomes a Expatriate. There are many reasons why someone becomes an expat. The expatriate could be fleeing a judicial process for a crime / presumed crime that he committed in his country of origin. Or they may hate their home country, family, or lifestyle, so by uprooting themselves and moving to another country, that person tries to restart their mortal life (a repeat) elsewhere.
There are also positive reasons why someone will become an expat. Meager savings or retirement income can support a better lifestyle in a third world country. The new country can be an exotic land, a place, and a long-cherished lifestyle that eventually becomes a reality for them. The new country may be central to a region that the person wishes to travel and experience, such as Austria, which is central to Europe. Perhaps a job offer in the foreign country, one with generous benefits, will become the turning point in a person’s decision to become an expat there. For whatever reason, if the new country has an expat community that welcomes others like them, the temptation to do so often turns into a decision to move there.
My choice as an example of where I could travel to become an expat is Penang, Malaysia. Search the web for “Penang Expat” to find and enjoy a great expat video on You Tube titled “The ExPat: Penang, Malaysia”. In the video, see how the producer / narrator sets a financial benchmark (cost of living should not exceed). You then immerse yourself in the culture of your target (Penang), to experience the costs of eating, travel, transportation, accommodation, and entertainment, by meeting and talking with other expats there, locals, and merchants, all the while counting the costs for you. You can make the wise decision to stay on budget.
Why am I interested in Penang? Penang, is an island as well as a state of Malaysia, and I am specifically interested in the capital of that state, George Town, as a location. On the island, south of George Town, Penang International Airport is a gateway to all of Southeast Asia. From that airport, I can fly cheaply with Malaysia Airlines to see about 25% of the world, and the trips will be short. Equally important to me, the history of Penang is convincing. To live there is to have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the exploits of the Chinese Ming dynasty of the 15th century, which launched naval expeditions to settle there. In the 18th century, the British East India Company established diplomatic relations with the Penang-based Malay Sultan of Kedah, and this brought the company into direct conflict with the Dutch and Portuguese East India companies. Numerous trials for diplomacy and for fighting between ships and armies of these three companies occurred in the area. East Indian companies, forerunners of modern corporations, endured a long history before learning to replace bloody confrontation with political cooperation to do business profitably.
Take a look at Penang on Google Maps. Scan to see the Straits of Malacca, a stretch of constricted water which has been a crossroads of maritime trade since the 15th century and is more so today. The pirates ambushed this area. Penang is at one end of the straight; Singapore is on the other side. During World War I, a German cruiser sailed to George Town, sank a Russian cruiser, retreated, and then sank a pursuing French destroyer. In World War II, the Japanese, who conquered Malaysia, signed a pact with Germany to organize a German submarine force (Monsun Gruppe) to operate from George Town, along with a Japanese I-Boat group.
Did you know that you can find details about a God-sent expat? Web search Hebrews 11: 8-19. The book of Hebrews is found in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. By traveling and residing in the land of Canaan, Abraham became an expatriate. It was there because God, in whom Abraham had faith (deep trust, rooted in spiritual belief, rather than physical proof) told him that it was a land that would become the home of his heirs. The expatriates Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were childless and very old when they went to Canaan, well past their childbearing age. However, through their faith, a great new people (the Hebrews) and a nation (Israel) arose. Bill Barrick researched his story in depth. His article, “Abraham: An Expat from the Bible,” is well written and includes supporting biblical scriptures.