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Finding the expat community and what travelers can learn from them

by Meg Nesterov (RSS feed) on Jul 6th 2010 at 1:30PM

matter how well-traveled you are, moving to a foreign country and living as an expat is a whole new ballgame. Your priorities and standards change, and hours that you may have spent as a traveler in a museum or wandering a beach are now spent in as an expat search of an alarm clock or trying to distinguish between eight types of yogurt. You become like a child again: unable to speak in complete sentences, easily confused and lost, and constantly asking questions.

Enter the experienced expats who can help navigate visa issues, teach you dirty words in foreign languages, and tell you where to buy pork in a Muslim country. Finding the local expat community is not about refusing to integrate or assimilate in your new country, but rather meeting a group of like-minded people who understand what you are going through and can provide a bridge to the local community and culture.

So what can the traveler learn from an expat? How about where to buy souvenirs that are actually made nearby and well priced, restaurants not mentioned in any guidebooks, bizarre-but-true stories behind local places and rituals, and inside perspectives on community news and events? And those are just the Istanbul bloggers.

Read on for tips on finding the blogs and a few of the must-reads for travelers.

Where to find the expats:

Expat forums such as ExpatFocus, InterNations, and Expat Blog are good starting points for finding and connecting with expats, though some forums may be more active than others.
Local English-language publications: Many big cities have a Time Out magazine in English and local language, often with frequently-updated blogs or links to other sites. In Istanbul, the newspaper Today's Zaman has an "expat zone" full of useful articles.
Guidebook writers are often current or former expats, so if you read a helpful guide or travel article, it's worth a Google search to find if they have a blog or Twitter account.

Some stellar expat bloggers around the globe:

Carpetblogger: sarcastic, insightful blogger based in Istanbul but with lots of coverage on Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Indonesia. Stand-out post: expat guide to duty free shopping.
Miss Expatria: prolific writer and instantly-loveable American in Rome, a joy to read even if you have no plans to visit Italy, but you might find yourself buying tickets after reading about her life. Stand-out post: Italian idioms.
CNNGo: great round-up of finds in Asia from Bangkok to Tokyo with everything from restaurant reviews to a look at Tokyo's elevator ladies. Stand-out post: Japan's oddest vending machines, a favorite topic of Mike Barish, who has chronicled some of the vending machine beverages for your reading pleasure..
Bermuda Shorts: Enviable (and crushworthy, too) travel writer David LaHuta covers all the goings-on in Bermuda and all things Dark n Stormy-related. Stand-out post: name suggestions for new Indiana Jones movie set in Bermuda Triangle.
Fly Brother: Series of funny and poignant misadventures in Brazil and around the world from the African American perspective. Stand-out post: how an afternoon of seemingly simple errands can take up to seven hours.

The next time you plan a trip abroad, consider reaching out to a fellow American (or Canadian, Brit, etc.) for some advice or even a coffee meeting (assuming you aren't a total psycho). I, for one, am happy to offer Istanbul tips and tricks, and I'd be even more amenable to helping a traveler who comes bearing Boar's Head bacon.

Any expat blogs you follow or travel tips you've learned from them? Expat bloggers want to share your websites and your insights for travelers? Leave a note in the comments below.

Filed under: Asia, Europe, South America, Japan, Turkey, Italy, Brazil, Caribbean

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

David LaHuta Jul 6th 2010 1:51PM

Great first post! And thanks for the shout out. Bermuda Shorts is in excellent company indeed.

Cynthia Jul 6th 2010 5:27PM

Love it! I fantasize pretty much daily about becoming a expat myself...you can bet I will be checking out every link in great depth! And when I do finally break fee of the shackles of American suburban life someday, you and A. can bet on an always-open door at our villa in Italy :)

pam Jul 7th 2010 10:01AM

This isn't entirely hyperbole: expat bloggers saved my life. It was a relief to know that I wasn't alone in my frustrations and uh, crippling depression? And yup, this is a nice list. Good stuff.

Francesca Maggi Jul 12th 2010 10:35AM

Here's one on the True Story of Life in Italy:

http://burntbythetuscansun.blogspot.com

Carpetblogger Jul 9th 2010 8:32AM

Thanks!

Balanced Melting Pot Jul 9th 2010 10:38AM

This is a great tip and often overlooked option for many travelers. Anyone headed south to Caracas, Venezuela, feel free to contact me. (http://balancedmeltingpot.com).

Karen Jul 20th 2010 10:04AM

Very interesting post...I am an American women expat living in Japan for over 14 years. Ever wonder what it is like to always look different from everyone else, what it is like to live in an old Japanese house, or how helpful, or overly helpful the Japanese can be? Read about it at www.insideoutsidejapan.com

Karen