Living and working in a foreign country

[Boogeyman]

I'm in the last 2 most important years of secondary school and I'm trying really hard for a scholarship. I intend to study in Canada, get a job and live there too. I was attracted to this idea because my country (Trinidad) has always repelled me due to the high prevalence of what I thought as "backward thinking," among other things like high crime, poor infrastrucure etc.

What really made me look at this differently though was a chat with my old uncle. He was a draughtsman (now really old and retired ) and he told me he traveled all over the world for work. But he warned me that you'll have backward thinkers and crime everywhere. Most importantly he highlighted the fact that at least here at home you have a sense of belonging whereas abroad you're always a tourist.

Is this the case today? Or has globalisation completely changed it..what are you experiences living and studying in a foreign country?

 

[Astronuc]

I'm in the last 2 most important years of secondary school and I'm trying really hard for a scholarship. I intend to study in Canada, get a job and live there too. I was attracted to this idea because my country (Trinidad) has always repelled me due to the high prevalence of what I thought as "backward thinking," among other things like high crime, poor infrastrucure etc.

What really made me look at this differently though was a chat with my old uncle. He was a draughtsman (now really old and retired ) and he told me he traveled all over the world for work. But he warned me that you'll have backward thinkers and crime everywhere. Most importantly he highlighted the fact that at least here at home you have a sense of belonging whereas abroad you're always a tourist.

Is this the case today? Or has globalisation completely changed it..what are you experiences living and studying in a foreign country?

I've not had that experience when traveling.

Actually I live and work in the US, and I received the bulk of my education in the US, but technically it's a foreign country to me. Yes - there are pockets of crime, but any country has that. There are also great opportunities for people to succeed if they work hard.

I've done numerous projects overseas, and I've never felt like a tourist. That might be because I know the people with whom I do the projects, and many I've known for nearly two decades. I love to travel abroad and meet new people and colleagues, and I feel like a guest in the home a friend.

 

[jtbell]

Canada has a reputation for being less crime-ridden than the USA, anyway.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm an American. Crime is a big issue here, but luckily, has not intruded much into my life. Backward thinking exists everywhere, but in America it is intermingled with foreward thinking. I worked in Israel for about 6 months when I was 18/19. I was a laborer on a Kibbutz. Crime was not an issue, but it was just after the 6 day war, and backward thinking was rampant. When I was 35, I went to work in Japan and stayed there for 9 years. Crime is practically non-existant there. Backward thinking is quite prevalent, but with lucid intervals of foreward thinking here and there. I think my experiences abroad have heightened my appreciation of my own country. I find less griping about America among expats, and ex-expats than among the general population.

 

[Evo]

I'm an American. Crime isn't an issue in all parts of the country. I live in the midwest where you can leave the doors to your home unlocked and your purse with all of your money, credit cards, car & house keys, bank cards, checks, and work ID sitting on top of your car in plain sight for two days and no one touches it. Where my short term memory ex-husband can drive off with his wallet on top of the car and 3 times, someone has found the wallet in the street, looked us up in the phone book and returned the wallet with everything in it. It's a big country.

There are a lot of members here that can share their experiences with working in other countries. Good luck to you.