The magazine for expats

Sometimes, after several years spent abroad, it's time for expats to return home. Even though it tends to be overlooked, planning your return is just as important as moving abroad. But how do you plan your career when returning to your home country? What should you look out for? Here are some tips.

The phenomenon of “workforce nationalization” happens when expats are systematically replaced by locals in various jobs. The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have come into the spotlight in recent years for implementing nationwide job nationalization measures.

Distance learning and online courses have been booming since the pandemic. They were first thought of as an emergency solution, but online courses are increasingly becoming more efficient. But while distance learning has gained momentum, China is taking a hard line: online courses will no longer be recognized; only face-to-face courses will. This is a major concern for Chinese students enrolled in universities abroad. This is an important reminder for international students who are finding it hard to choose before moving abroad to study or distance learning.

Expatriation started as a necessity when I was looking to progress with my academic studies of a Master's degree in England. However, it was earlier in my life, when I began travelling for leisure, that I figured out moving countries is a lifestyle I would like to revel in. Since 2007, I have lived and worked in five countries in Europe, Africa, and East Asia, and I am currently preparing for my next expatriation project. I may find it easier to board a plane and start all over again than deciding what to have for dinner, but the journey is not anxiety and sorrow-free. So, if you are interested in how a life away from everything you take for granted is, please don't ask me (or any other like-minded expat for that matter) any of the following questions — here's why.

I have always been very thoughtful about the things I own, and how I organise them in my space — whether it's the tiny studio in South Korea, the shared-flat in Ghana, or the two-floor house in Mauritius. I love change, and I see moving to a different country as an opportunity to reset my reality and rediscover myself; living abroad helps me look at things with fresh eyes and get rid of preconceptions. Packing is a big part of the whole moving process, and when you have to limit your belongings down to two suitcases, you reconsider the value of possessions. Here's how I learned to put my life on the scale and hit the 23 kg target.