Why I want to be an Expat – a guest post

Today’s Summer of Guesting post come from a young Australian blogger who blogs at Chasing Gains (but who says he wants to blog anonymously so I’d better not use his name!). This young man is only 19 – but he has ambition, in spades! And one of his ambitions (alongside becoming a millionaire, owning a supercar, having a YouTube video with a million views and – sweetly – rescuing a dog from the pound) is to live and work in another country. So, what is it about expat life that attracts him? Over to Chasing Gains:

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Not everyone wants to or can handle being an expat. Family, friends and a sense of security and familiarity may be more important for some, but I want to explain why I think the Expat life is for me!

The Challenge

I want it to constantly be on my toes, always seeing and experiencing new things. I have had a rather easy life living with parents (eternally grateful for that, not complaining!) but I think there has to be a time where I need to step out and face the world head on by myself, be able to pick myself up when I fall or stumble and never take a step backwards.

The Experience

I don’t want to live and die in the same place in my life. I want to gain experiences in other cultures, be able to speak a second language and also be able to tell kick-ass stories about my experiences living abroad. None of that will be possible if I’m tied down and stay in one place my entire life.

Tokyo

Career Advancement

Living and working overseas I believe will be highly beneficial on my resume, and give me an edge of other potential job seekers. If I can be bilingual than that is an even greater edge over others, and by living and working overseas it shows not only am I up for and open to change, but also face and tackle challenges head on.

New Faces

I’m from a pretty small town in Australia and tend to see the same people around the place again and again, not that there is anything wrong with them! I really do love the place I live in, but there are another 7 or so billion people in the world I haven’t met yet and while I know I won’t meet them all, I want to at least meet and make friends with a new face or two!

Overall I believe that the expat life is a constantly changing and exciting journey and I cannot wait to be a part of it!

(photo: pixabay.com)

What do you think? Does this man have the right attitude? As an expat (if you are), do you think he’s imagining expat life as it really is? Any advice anyone wants to give him? Let me (and him!) know in the comments below.