ExPat Nation – Most Popular Destinations for Americans

Top 3 Expat Havens

Expatriate or “expat” is a term used to indicate a person either temporarily or permanently living in a country other than the one where he or she is a citizen.

There are a number of reasons why people become expatriates such as professionals sent abroad by their companies or governments for work purposes, those seeking a different lifestyle and culture from which they’ve become accustomed to, or others who have fallen in love with a person or place outside of their own country.

According to recent data, the number of expatriates has reached over 230 million worldwide. Some celebrity expats of note are Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Phil Collins, Gerard Depardieu, Sean Connery, Mick Jagger, and Johnny Depp.

If you have a sense of adventure and are looking for a variety of cultural offerings, climates and lifestyles, check out some of these expat-friendly destinations.

Ecuador

Ecuador has been voted the best place in the world for expats to retire. Estimates show that about 5,000 to 10,000 American expatriates now live in Ecaudor.

Property is relatively cheap to buy or rent either on beachfront villas or rural locations. Buying a house or condo near the water could cost you less than a quarter of popular U.S. destinations of similar climate.

High quality hospital care as well as affordable health care are among the major attractions when locating to Ecuador. You may want to brush up on your Spanish as it is the official language of Ecuador, though English is widely spoken.

Panama

Panama is considered to be a great option for first time expats with it’s major draw, besides it’s lush tropical landscape, being a US style infrastructure which offers an easy transition to US retirees.

Panama is one of the few countries that offer great amenities, excellent infrastructure and sizable expat populations. Panama also boasts a rich nightlife and cultural activities.

This tolerant and multicultural country offers travelers with special interests such as world record deep sea fishing, birding, river rafting and rain forest experiences. All these exciting opportunities together with gorgeous beaches and great surfing, kayaking and diving, ensure Panama has something for everyone.

Malaysia

Malaysia is a regional and a global hub, for trade, for business, and for culture offering expats affordable living in what is considered luxury housing in the U.S.

Malaysia has some of the regions best street food, restaurants, shopping malls, bars and movie theaters. Its tropical weather is around 82 all year year round and its beaches, islands, and jungles are pristine.

Plan on making an international move? As an expat one gets to peer out at a more interesting, colorful, exotic world, something unfamiliar and exciting. What have you got out of your expat experience?

Written by Jenn Cosgrove

Pack Up Your Troubles and Groove on Down the Road

No matter where you’re moving, across town or across the country, moving can be a lot to deal with (side note: we make it easier!).

Turn up the tunes to make your move better.

Music can inspire a sense of motivation and reflection. It can help you focus when the task at hand seems almost too big to tackle.

When you’re listening to a great song, singing along, and getting into the groove, you’re less likely to think about the stresses and more focused on the positive things that are coming your way.

Plus, Your more likely to pack faster without feeling like you’re putting too much effort into it.The sheer volume of things to do can get wearisome but music always makes the ride a little less rough.

Here are some of our favorite songs that inspire the sense of possibility in a new beginning, or the wistful feeling of leaving a place behind.

1. Jeffersons Theme Song – Movin’ on Up
2. Pack All Your Troubles (in your old kit bag) – Edward Hamilton
3. Ticket to Ride – The Beatles
4. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
5. Better Things – The Kinks
6. I Can See For Miles – The Who
7. Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) – Billy Joel
8. We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals
9. 50 Ways to Leave your Lover – Paul Simon
10. Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
11. Goodbye Yellow brick road – Elton john
12. No Time – The Guess Who
13. Crossroads – Cream
14. Every Day is a Winding Road  – Sheryl Crow
15. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
16. I feel the Earth Move – Carole King
17. Rockin’ on Down the Highway – Doobie Brothers
18. Beautiful Day – U2
19. Pack it Up – The Pretenders
20. Drivin’ My Life Away – Eddie Rabbit
21. Heard it in a Love Song – Marshall Tucker Band
22. The Big Country  – Talking Heads
23. Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
24. Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight
25. Dreams – The Cranberries
26. Ride Across the River – Dire Straits
27. Our House – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
28. Already Gone – The Eagles

What songs are on your moving playlist?

Written by Jenn Cosgrove

Superyachts of the Super Rich

It is the ultimate status symbol for the world’s super rich, the superyacht.  Sales are soaring across the world. At Schumacher, we’ve come across some beautiful yachts as we help people move overseas (to France, the United Kingdom, Asia and beyond).

Here are just a handful of some of the largest, most lavish sea toys on the planet.

• Lady Moura

  First launched in 1990, the Lady Moura is a 344 foot long, $200 million dollar luxury yacht owned by the Saudi billionaire Nasser Al-Rashid. The Lady Moura carries a crew of 60 and serves as permanent residence for the owner and his family.

  The Lady Moura is decked out with a large indoor pool that has a retractable roof, a Sikorsky S76B helicopter permanently on board and she even has her own private beach resort that stretches from port to starboard built on large hydraulic platforms. The platforms slide out from the side of the yacht right over the water and are fully equipped with with sand, palm trees, deck chairs and deployable shark nets to provide safe swimming spots.

• Octopus

  At 414 feet, the superyacht Octopus owned by Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen, is one of the world’s largest private yachts.First launched in 2003, Octopus was thought to be the largest yacht at the time and now ranks as the world’s 13th largest yacht.

• Octopus offers acomodation for up to 26 guests in 41 suites with additional rooms capable of carrying up to 57 crew members. Octopus features seven boats, two helicopters, two submarines (one with the capacity to sleep eight for up to two weeks underwater and the other remote controlled for exploring the ocean floor), and side hatches at the water line form a dock for jet skis.

• Rising Sun

  Owned by media mogul David Geffen, the 454 foot Rising Sun was first launched in 2005 when it was previously owned by Larry Ellison, founder and CEO of Oracle. Rising Sun reportedly cost over $200 million to build.

  Rising Sun sports 82 rooms on five stories, an indoor pool, gymnasium, spa and sauna, an extensive wine cellar and a basketball court that doubles as a helicopter pad.

• Vava II

  The Vava II, commissioned for former Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli by her billionaire husband Ernesto, was the largest yacht ever constructed in Britain when she first launched in 2009.

  Special features include a helicopter landing pad, a large fold-down beach club and a variable depth swimming pool to cater for guest preferences. Vava II is also equipped with state-of-the-art dry waste, food and galley waste handling systems.

• Dubai

  This 531 foot vessel owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, is the third largest superyacht in the world. First launched in 2006, it cost $300 million (!) to build.

  In addition to three elevators serving all decks, the Dubai is  tricked out with an immense open glass circular staircase with steps that change color as you make your way between guest and VIP suites. The yacht also features seven decks, mosaic swimming pool, several Jacuzzis, a submarine and a helicopter pad.

Written by Jenn Cosgrove

10 Tips for Effective Packing

So you’re moving…again. Whether you’re a first-time mover or seasoned pro, packing up an entire house can seem like an overwhelming task.

Here are some tried-and-true suggestions by experienced movers to help make your moving day less stressful than it has to be.

1. Pack an overnight bag for each member of the family as if you’re going on a weekend vacation. Odds are you’ll be too tired to unpack your belongings the first night and you’ll want your essentials easily accessible. Include in it things like changes of clothes, medications, eyeglasses, as well as your toiletries.
2. Pack your “open me first” boxes in clear plastic bins. This will save much time rooting through boxes for the things you’ll need firsthand such as trash bags, selected eating utensils, power strips, phone chargers, remote controls, batteries, flashlights, toilet paper, tools, etc.
3. Designate a color code for each room, such as blue for the bathroom, green for the kitchen, orange for the dinning room, etc. Apply colored stickers or duct tape to your boxes and also on the door to the corresponding room, this way the movers will know exactly where the boxes go.
4. Use a numbering system for every box and write the numbers next to your colored tags, 1 of 20 and so on. Copy your numbering system in a notebook and mark them off as you unpack each box.
5. Schedule a pickup date for a charity organization to pick up unwanted items two weeks prior to moving, it’ll save time and trouble of having to take it there yourself.
6. Use an upside down trash bag to pack clothes on the hangers for quick and easy unpacking.
7. Use sandwich bags for holding small parts of things you have to take apart such as screws for mounted flat tv screens and affix them to the back or underside of the item.
8. Take a photo of how your electronics are connected so you know where the wires go.
9. Use a drinking straw to keep jewelry from getting tangled. Simply slip one side of the chain through the straw.
10. Plates will be less likely to break if you pack them vertically like records.

Now, happy packing! If you have helpful packing tips to add to this list, post them in the comments!

As experienced overseas furniture movers and household goods shippers, over the years we have packed and moved many furniture items, some of which we found quite interesting and unusual.

Below is a list of unique furniture items which caught our attention.

http://www.toxel.com/tech/2010/07/22/14-cool-and-unusual-pianos/

20 Unusual Modern Table Designs

http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/top-31-unique-beds-super-gallery

35 of the Most Unique & Creative Sofa Designs

http://www.demilked.com/creative-and-modern-chairs-2/

What is the most unusual furniture item you possess? Send us your thoughts