The Expat Chat

The Expat Chat

By Tony ArgyleSociety & CulturePlaces & Travel
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The Expat Chat episodes

  • Finding Money on the Road – Starting Our Income As We Traveled

    You’ll love today’s interview with Stephenie and Tony Harrison. In 2013 these guys hit the road for an undetermined length of time relying on savings they had made during the previous 3 years. (Tony had been a graphic designer while Stephenie was completing research for her degree in neuroscience). 12 months into their journey they knew they wanted to travel fulltime – Tony could pick up work doing graphics and designing websites but what could Stephenie do?

    Recognizing her skills in research they discovered an opportunity in Google adwords and Stephenie has now firmly established an online business that she never could have imagined when they left. As she loves to say – you don’t need to see the whole staircase to climb the stairs!

    You can find out more about their adventures and online businesses via their website http://www.20yearshence.com

    What I learned from speaking with Tony and Stephenie:

    1. You don’t need your income in place when you leave. These guys didn’t even know how long they would go for – but once they decided they needed money they approached it in a very pragmatic fashion. Much like Stacey Kuyf these guys have been willing to make up the income as they go along.
    2. Going home to cement their future was important. They were disciplined enough to return state side to build up their business before leaving again…and they set some very clear income and timeframe goals as to what and when they needed it by. Had they stayed on the road the process of building their business may have taken longer and been more expensive.
    3. They told everyone their plans. It’s easy to be quiet in case you fail but by letting others know what you want to do means opportunities open up – as happened with Google adwords.
    4. Traveling with pets needn’t be a hassle. They have found crossing into Mexico relatively easy. They secured a health certificate for both dogs before going and although they may occasionally pay a little more in rent because of animals, the costs of good quality vet care, which is easy to find, is as little as 1/3 to ¼ of what they would pay in the U.S.
    5. You can find affordable parts of Playa del Carmen – their rent of $US480 per month include utilities and internet for a one bedroom apartment near the ocean…and at $US13 per day to have two meals per day out life isn’t so bad!
    6. I loved Stephenie’s saying about learning to value her happiness. Sometimes you can be made to feel guilty for doing what you love. It’s a timely reminder that we are all here to enjoy life while we have it.
      7. 50 min
    7. The World is Our Classroom; Teaching My Son Without School

      The economic crisis of 2008 was a catalyst for so many of our interviewees to up sticks and hit to road. Lainie Liberti’s marketing business worked with green entities and non-profit organizations who were among the first to feel the pinch. With her business struggling and her 9 year old son Miro not enjoying his school environment Lainie decided they would hit the road for a 12 month adventure through South America.

      8 months into the trip they both realized they were loving it enough to continue but savings were starting to dwindle and Lainie knew she needed a more permanent means of educating Miro. She discovered unschooling and became an instrumental advocate for children being world schooled from the environment in which they travel.

      8 years on she and her teenage son are still loving their South American adventure. We caught with Lainie in Mexico where she shares the experiences of what made her hit the road and how their unique partnership and approach to education has provided Miro with an environment in which to thrive.

      You can find out more about their adventures at their travel blog http://www.raisingmiro.com and learn more about the world of unschooling at http://projectworldschool.com

       

      What I learned from this interview:

      1. Whether you believe in life outside the education system or not this interview is worth listening to. Lainie has not only gone against the normal approach to education – what she calls radical unschooling – but has thrown the normal mother/child relationship on its head with the partnership arrangement the two have to travel. Everyone has their own opinion on what is right for them but there is little doubt, in Lainie’s case, that she considers it has been a success in raising Miro. Other interviewees such as Talon Windwalker and Alyson Long can vouch for the benefit that unschooling and world schooling has offered.
      2. A blonde woman and a child in South America sounds like a recipe for danger and many people warned Lainie before leaving that she was taking a large risk. In most cases these people were well meaning but were not speaking from personal experience. In 8 years of travel the pair have had one break in – something that may have happened just as easily in Los Angeles.
      3. Unschooling is becoming more accepted by colleges and universities and doesn’t mean children have to turn their back on higher education if they go down this path. Even ivy league schools are starting to look at unschooled enrolees who often approach their higher education with more enthusiasm and better background knowledge than their mainstream counterparts.
        4. 53 min
      4. Raising My Kids in Rural Romania

        Heading: Raising My Kids in Rural Romania

        If you want a simple life there can be few places better to move to than a village in Romania. For Alyson Long and her family of two young boys frustration with the education system led her to take her eldest out of school and, with the families new found freedom, they set about a world travel adventure using their savings of $20,000.

        After the first year which saw them sidetracked to the United Kingdom for family reasons they eventually visited Romania, which they promptly fell in love with. They are using it as their new found base and are in the process of purchasing a property while Alyson’s husband tops up the coffers periodically with temporary chef work in London.

        We caught up with Alyson where we discussed the benefits of living in a Romanian village and how she brings up her children in an unschooled environment

        You can check out Alyson’s blog at http://worldtravelfamily.com

        What I learned from this interview:

        1. There is an increasing move by many parents towards using the unschooling approach to raising their children (see our interview with Talon Windwalker). Those that follow this path speak highly of the benefits of doing so and how their children are more responsive to their learning environment as a result.
        2. Romania still offers an old style of living. Cities like Bucharest are modern large metropolis’s but you can still find shades of 19th century life in villages like the Long’s where horse and cart is not uncommon and basic utilities can’t be taken for granted

          3. We’ve discovered yet another way to make money on the road – temping. Alyson’s husbands skills as a chef sees him as a man in demand and he can pick up some short term work pretty much as he likes. The Long family use this as a good reason to visit London and replenish the coffers before heading off on a trip. Living in rural Romania keeps the costs down and means he doesn’t need a fulltime job to sustain their lifestyle

          38 min
        3. My Expat Life in Granada, Spain

          There are two types of expats – those who move to another country but retain their current lifestyle and live very much within an expat community as they had back home. Then there are those for whom moving is a chance to embrace a whole new way of life and effectively become a local. Molly Piccavey is definitely the later.

          She has spent the last 18 years living in Spain, firstly in Barcelona and now Granada where she is largely welcomed as a local. In this interview Molly shares her experiences of living in Granada, why so many expats move home again and what she feels expats need to consider before moving abroad

          You can follow her journey and life in Granada at her blog http://piccavey.com

           

          What I learned from this interview:

          1. Be conscious that moving overseas is not a magic bullet. If you are looking to escape from something then be careful you aren’t taking the problem with you! Molly recommends spending the first period of time in a new culture observing how things are done and adapting to the new lifestyle. You are in someone else’s territory and need to embrace the fact.
          2. Be conscious of exchange rates if relying on income from back home. If you can spread your risk by earning some local income this will definitely help
          3. Be careful buying property.  There is a lot of paperwork to deal with and Molly recommends getting a local helper to ease you through the experience and red tape
          4. Spain is a great environment for families as the Wagoners showed. Family culture is important to the Spanish and they embrace it in everything they do.
            5. 39 min
          5. How The Crowd Can Help Fund Your Travels

            So often we see examples of people who don’t travel simply because they wont permit themselves to. In this day and age many people have jobs that will let them hit the road – two such examples are Evo Terra and Sheila Dee. Evo’s work as a digital strategist (and Sheila’s as an instructional designer) gives them complete freedom to work from anywhere, and with their child now of adult age they saw no reason to stay at home.

            In January 2015 they headed off covering much of Western Europe before heading down under via Thailand, China and Vietnam. We caught up with them in Australia where they shared their definition of what opportunistic travel is all about. As part of their strategy the two don’t rely on any one source of income, running their own podcast and receiving funds through their crowdfunding site on Patreon where they offer supporters postcards in return for patronage.

            You can follow their journey, listen to their podcast and support their postcards at www.shevo.wtf 

            What I learned from talking with Evo and Sheila:

            1. They have been inventive with their income sources using crowdfunding site Patreon to offer postcards from their journey in return for a monthly contribution. Although having only started this year they are already achieving over $300 per month from the site – enough to feed them for a month in many countries.
            2. Skyscanner is a big favorite for Sheila’s flight planning and the couple like to specialize in hunting out the flights that others won’t take.
            3. Work like your internet won’t last. Being digitally dependent can cause difficulties if you have tight deadlines and a poor signal. Don’t put yourself in the position of relying on the internet at the last minute.
            4. You really don’t need stuff – as Sheila says why would 2 people need 3 televisions! Cutting things out of your life won’t deprive you of what really matters – the experiences that define your life.
            5. Despite events that have happened overseas – in some cases around the same time that they were visiting the countries, both Evo and Sheila are very conscious of how the media can make events seem bigger and more dangerous than they are. Tragedies do happen, and you need to be wary, but they have not felt unsafe at any stage of their adventures on the road.
              6. 40 min
            6. Everything You Need To Know About Panama

              For Al and Shelly McCullough boredom with their current situation was the catalyst for a move to Panama. Shelly’s job wasn’t proving challenging enough and Al was looking for more satisfaction in life. They had explored Panama in 2012 and decided it would be the perfect starting point for their adventures.

              They sold up everything, downsized and hit the road in 2014. 15 months on they have explored Panama, and Nicaragua and have discovered the benefits of housesitting when we caught with them in Panama City. Al in particular has gained a lot of satisfaction from his new found career as a writer and blogger.

              You can follow their adventures, see the fun side of living in Panama and get their advice on downsizing and moving away (along with their e-books) at their blog http://panamadude.com

              What I learned from speaking with Al and Shelly:

              1. The length of your visa can depend on whether you choose to drive in Panama or not. Having a vehicle does seem to restrict you in terms of length of time you can stay there, or certainly drive, and this may be worth checking out further if you’re planning to go.
              2. Be careful if looking to “fix” speeding tickets of traffic infringements with the officer who stops you. It’s not uncommon to pay “instant fines” there and many seem to prefer it as a means of avoiding a long drawn out process but you don’t want to be the one making the first offer.
              3. Again we’re reminded of the affordability of Panama and Central America generally. The McCulloughs live pretty comfortably on less than $1000 per month while housesitting and around $1400-$1500 when renting. This is not having to rough it.
              4. Explore all your income options. The McCulloughs found a nice little side earner in pet sitting for expats who head away. Although not going to provide you with fulltime income as part of a plan to pick up money from different means it makes for a good little top up.
              5. Check out some other perspectives on Panama with Michael Long and Susanna Perkins
                6. 38 min
              6. My Family's Year in Italy

                Most people would love to take a year off and experience another culture. The reality is however few give themselves permission to do it – especially where there are three young kids involved.

                For Michelle and Keith Damiani a one year experience for their family in Spello, Italy was something they had planned for prior to having children and saw no reason to change their plans once the kids arrived!

                In 2012 they embarked on a one year journey that became more than just covering distance – it was a trip that affected every member of the family deeply – providing both Keith and Michelle with a new perspective on life and their children with increased confidence from taking on a new challenge and coming out the other end as winners.

                We caught up with Keith and Michelle to discuss their experiences, why they chose to put their children into Italian speaking public schools, how Keith handled the hospital system after a short bout of pneumonia and the secrets to coping with returning home at the end of the journey.

                You can catch their journey at Michelle’s blog http://michelledamiani.com where she has written a book “Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center”

                What I learned from talking to Michelle and Keith:

                1. Sometimes we can be too protective of our children. Much like the Wagoners Michelle and Keith chose to enroll their children in a local school rather than an international school which provided them with a deeper experience and a chance to learn the local language. Although a sink or swim moment all three children came to love it and gained invaluable confidence as a result.
                2. Citizenship is an option if you have long term Italian decent. Although there are boxes to tick and the process can be time consuming it is worth considering if you want to spend a long period of time in any part of the Schengen zone. If you really want to speed it up follow Keith’s lead and move on over!
                3. As other interviewees like Daniele Le has discussed there is a huge difference in culture between the more competitive work environment of the US and countries such as Spain, France and Italy where culture is heavily focused around enjoying life and creating a community.
                4. Returning from an overseas experience can be a pretty tough landing. It took the Damiani’s a while to settle. Michelle's advice is to accept how you’re feeling and look for opportunities to view your home environment through new eyes.
                  5. 43 min
                5. The Key Technology You Need to Travel

                  If you’ve ever traveled for any period of time you know that you will need some form of technology with you. Whether it’s a means of communicating with home, a device for checking the internet, a power adapter that can charge your phone or a means of completing your work.

                  Technology has advanced hugely in the last few years and thing you would never have carried 20 years ago are now a stable part of your luggage. That presents problems as well, as sometimes it’s a question of what should you take.

                  Today we talk with Dave Dean of www.toomanyadapters.com  about what you need when hitting the road, whether your mobile phone is good enough for photographs, what size laptops give you the most power to weight ratio and what he carts in his luggage to get his work as a travel blogger done.

                  For more information check out the website or Dave’s book Hammocks and Hard Drives

                   

                  What I learned from speaking with Dave:

                  1. I always have an issue with the weight of my laptop and often wonder about buying a smaller one. There is a sacrifice sometimes with having enough grunt on a smaller computer and it depends on whether you need it for work or travel. You need to also consider the weight of the power adapter as many lightweight models let themselves down with a great big plug that can weigh you down again. Dave looks for a computer that is under 1.5kgs in weight and has a 13 inch screen which is big enough for his needs.
                  2. If working on the road you need to be aware of backups. As he goes long periods without internet access Dave has a portable back up device even though he has cloud storage just in case he loses data before he can reconnect again.
                  3. He finds USB’s with up to 4 connections the best way of charging and avoids the need for multiple adapters
                  4. Travel sized products like his mouse and power strips (multi boxes) can help keep weight and bag contents to a minimum
                  5. Here Maps https://www.here.com is a great tool for downloading maps when you are online then guiding you when you are offline so you don’t need to use up your mobile data. When Dave buys a SIM card its predominantly for internet access, using skype and Google Hangouts/ Google Voice for any calls he needs to make (Voice is free to any US and Canadian numbers)
                    6. 34 min
                  6. Raising Third Culture Kids - An Expat Teachers Perspective

                    In this global world more and more children are being raised in cultures that are different to their passport – figures show that there are over 4 million children being schooled in international schools and the number is growing.

                    Although both from Australia Craig and Lorraine Eldred met while teaching in China several years ago and have spent the time since as international teachers, also working in Vietnam and Dubai along the way. As expat teachers with over 13 years’ experience overseas Craig and Lorraine are in the unique position of giving their perspective both as parents and as teachers at an international school in the UAE.

                    We caught up with them in Abu Dhabi, where they shared their thoughts including Lorraines perspective as a woman living in an Arabic man’s world.

                    You can follow Craig’s blog at https://eldredofarabia.wordpress.com

                     

                    What I learned from speaking with Craig and Lorraine:

                    1. We live in a changing environment for children. With a global environment and ever changing career paths the children of today will need to learn transferrable skills and how to learn rather than specific knowledge that might become outdated before they even complete their education.
                    2. Teaching internationally offers new opportunities for teachers to travel with an ever increasing demand and new positions being offered every day. A preferences towards families which offer more stability has been the preferred option for schools in the past but cheaper single teachers are now becoming more sought after.
                    3. It can be difficult dealing with a foreign environment as a woman. Lorraine has trained herself to not make eye contact in both Asia and the Middle East and has to deal with situations such as needing Craig’s permission to get her license and to withdraw money at the bank. Unfortunately the downside of living internationally can be some elements of chauvinism but it’s not something you can change. The only hope is that these factors will eventually change over time.
                    4. Like the Curtis Family the Eldred’s have raised third culture children who have adapted well to never living in their parent’s home environment.
                      5. 40 min
                    5. How Self-Publishing Can Fund Your Travels

                      There’s a book inside almost everyone and in Virginie Carmichael there was several! The Quebec native and her boyfriend Chris Lippi are building their own publishing empire once step at a time as they look to travel the world.

                      Virginie has released 6 novels on Amazon so far while finding time to travel through South America and Eastern Europe. Chris’s skills lie in web development which has helped fund their lifestyle to date and he is soon to launch an app to help new authors get their books to a wider audience.

                      We caught up with them both between journeys back home in Canada. To follow their journey go to http://farmboyandcitygirl.com or check out Chris’ new app at http://booksproutapp.com

                       

                      What I learned from speaking with Virginie and Chris:

                       

                      1. Virginie has found a little niche for herself writing novels and thanks to the internet there are now opportunities to sell these on Amazon in a way that was never possible before. It opens up a whole new opportunity for those looking to change their lifestyle to travel and the opportunities in this space will only get better. You don’t have to be JK Rowling to be successful.
                      2. Eastern Europe offers some beautiful travel options at a very affordable price. Croatia is already well known to travelers but other options like Bulgaria are fast playing catch up on the list of places worth seeing. Some of these countries are outside the Schengen agreement which relaxes the restrictions on how long you stay.
                      3. Don’t let your education stop you from travel. Like Brendan Lee, Claudia Tavani and Jodi Ettenberg it would have been easy for Chris and Virginie to feel that they owed a return to the investment in their education. If you’re not happy doing what you do however what price will you pay if you don’t do what you love?
                        4. 37 min

                      About The Expat Chat

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                      The Expat Chat is a weekday podcast where we interview inspiring expats who have thrown off the constraints of western congestion to enjoy their dream lifestyle in other parts of the world. If you…

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