By Jess McHugh November 9, 2016
This article originally appeared on Travel + Leisure.
Get the low-down on expat life.
As U.S. residents wake up across the countrycontemplating the results of this historic election, some are looking for an exit door. Moving abroad is no small step, however.
If you’re thinking about moving abroad in 2017, here area few things to consider.
Getting a Work Permit
Access to work permits and residency vary country to country, with some vastly more expedient than others. To check out some of the best places to move abroad with a work permit, read more here.
There’s No Perfect Country
Moving abroad offers its own list of challenges: Culture shock, adjusting expectations to reality, and learning about an entirely different government and its problems.
Learning a Language
While learning a language is notoriously more difficult later in life, it is still very much a possibility. Studies show that sheer determination plays a major role in language acquisition, and knowing that you will need a new language for a job or social life is a major motivator.
Thanks to the invention of a variety of new apps and websites, there are many ways to learn a new language online and possibly for free. Check out a few here.
Expats Make More Money on Average
People who live abroad make more money on average than their domestic counterparts, according to a survey released by HSBCearlier this year.
Singapore Is the Best Place for Expats
The island nation is the best place to live as an expat in terms of financial and personal fulfillment, according to the same HSBC data.
Some European Countries Offer Paths to Citizenship
Most European countries operate on so-called blood laws for citizenship, meaning that if you can trace your bloodline to a specific country with proper documentation, you are likely eligible for a passport from that country.
Other programs include reparations-style passports, where children of Jewish refugees can be eligible for German passports, and some descendants of Lebanon can get French passports.
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