The Aspiring Expat: A Declaration of Principles

But do not ask me where I am going, As I travel in this limitless world, Where every step I take is my home. --Dogen

I’m not an expat. Not yet.

That’s the point of this project. Most writing about expat life comes from people who have already uprooted themselves, found a condo, opened a local bank account, and started narrating daily life abroad. I respect that perspective, but it skips over the messy part: the desire, hesitation, and analysis that comes before pulling the trigger.

The Aspiring Expat lives in that space.

It’s about standing with one foot in the old country and one in the imagined new one. It asks questions like: What counts as “real” in any given location when the whole world is tech-addled and over-stimulated? What do we risk and what do we gain when currency arbitrage is as important a motivator as culture? At root: how much of the expat dream is about freedom and how much is escape?

This is not a guidebook. It’s not a lifestyle blog. It’s not a set of useful relocation tips. It’s an inquiry into the psychology of wanting to leave your country of birth, and the economic and cultural realities of doing so.

I’m not here to sell you anything. Not a visa service, not a condo, not an expat community. Spend enough time online and you’ll see how quickly “expat content” morphs into relocation packages and real estate tours. That’s fine for them, but it creates a conflict of interest. If your income depends on selling the expat dream, how honest can you be about its downsides?

This space is different. I write with no stake in your decision. I may never move abroad myself. That gives me the freedom to be blunt and honest without trying to sell you a condo, a visa, or a community.

So if you’re here, know this: I’m not selling paradise. I’m interrogating it. And if you’ve ever dreamed, doubted, or planned, you’re in the right place.