Ten Best Places for Living Abroad: Don’t Believe It!

by | Feb 17, 2022 | Global | 1 comment

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many… But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”  —Buddha

Want to know where the top 10 best places to live abroad are?

They are China, Thailand, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, Qatar, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, Dubai, Germany, The Netherlands.

So says Kerry Clossick, a writer for lifehack.com, who, I noticed, does not make any claims about living or even visiting any of these countries. As a practicing expat, I am here to say…

Don’t believe it!  Don’t believe anything anyone tells you about another place.

Observation and Analysis

That observation and analysis begin with you. To start, you need to understand yourself.

With goals in mind by Estée Janssens
With goals in mind by Estée Janssens

Personal observation and analysis lead to understanding oneself, including being clear about your motivation for wanting to leave your home country to travel or live in another country.

To understand your motivation, you will want to be clear about your goals. If you don’t know how you hope to grow, prosper and contribute to this world meaningfully, how can you possibly choose the best country for you?

The Good and Benefit of All

Where to go? by Javier Allegue Barros
Where to go? by Javier Allegue Barros

Know thyself is stepped one. Step two is the second part of Buddha’s wise advice. Analyze your plan and determine whether it is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all.

It may be easy to see yourself in the guise of a missionary, a tireless worker in a healthcare NGO. Or, perhaps you are an entrepreneur with a plan to bring water to the desert. Good for you!

If you are not one of the world’s best and brightest, if you are a regular person, your sphere of influence may be more local. The “good and benefit” of all may only include your family: your spouse, your children, your aging parents, your boyfriend, even your pets. I call these people your stakeholders.

Who Are Your Stakeholders?

Anyone who will be affected by your departure (or your arrival) is a stakeholder and, as you explore your options, your impact on the people you love, the people and things for whom you hold some responsibility should be part of your analysis.

The decision about where, when and why to move overseas begins with you but includes everyone who loves you, needs you, depends on you.

Not an Easy Decision

Moving overseas is not an easy decision. It is one that should be taken seriously, and that means taking the time to think about it.

I will be holding an online webinar soon. This one-hour interactive session will provide community support, coaching tools, and, most importantly, an opportunity to ask yourself some serious questions about your desires and dreams.

Keep an eye on your emails from TCI. When you receive your invitation to the webinar “What’s Stopping You? Finding a Way to Make Your Move” – respond! This webinar will help you view your potential destinations through the lens of what is important. And by showing up, you may be taking your first step toward finding your personal best place to live.

by: Dana Dwyer