Live Like a Local

Human Potential

When Economic Crises Hit, Expats and Entrepreneurs Thrive

Posted by | Live Like a Local, Passive Income, Quality of Life, Social Media, Traveling Tips | 2 Comments

When Tony Wagner, the Harvard education specialist, describes his job today, he says he’s “a translator between two hostile tribes” — the education world and the business world, the people who teach our kids and the people who give them jobs. Wagner’s argument in his book “Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World” is that our K-12 and college tracks are not consistently “adding the value and teaching the skills that matter most in the marketplace.

This is dangerous at a time when there is increasingly no such thing as a high-wage, middle-skilled job — the thing that sustained the middle class in the last generation. Now there is only a high-wage, high-skilled job. Every middle-class job today is being pulled up, out or down faster than ever. That is, it either requires more skill or can be done by more people around the world or is being buried — made obsolete — faster than ever. Which is why the goal of education today, argues Wagner, should not be to make every child “college ready” but “innovation ready” — ready to add value to whatever they do.

EducationToday,” Wagner said via e-mail, “because knowledge is available on every Internet-connected device, what you know matters far less than what you can do with what you know. The capacity to innovate — the ability to solve problems creatively or bring new possibilities to life — and skills like critical thinking, communication and collaboration are far more important than academic knowledge.”

Read the full article over at The New York Times, courtesy of Thomas L. Friedman. 

One of my personal favorite moments from the article was when the author, Friedman, discussed the current state of affairs. “My generation had it easy. We got to “find” a job. But, more than ever, our kids will have to ‘invent’ a job. (Fortunately, in today’s world, that’s easier and cheaper than ever before.) Sure, the lucky ones will find their first job, but, given the pace of change today, they will have to reinvent, re-engineer and reimagine that job much more often than their parents if they want to advance in it.”

In the age of free information, ignorance is a choice. The ability to innovate, to adapt, to evolve with the times, is crucial to your continued success on a global scale. While there are still a handful of brick-and-mortar examples that continue to hold steady (albeit in very specific, tight niches), the vast majority of jobs have moved into the digital era, which means they are available to anyone on a global basis. The above photo is accurate beyond a shadow of a doubt: information that you previously had to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to have access to is now available freely on the Internet, which means higher education is largely irrelevant in the modern era.

That’s not to say that there aren’t jobs which still require specialized knowledge. Dentistry, for example. Quantum physics. Neuroscience. But these are nothing more than a handful of degrees that require the use of a dedicated education system. The vast majority of other degrees (such as the world’s most over-marketed and least useful, the Masters of Business Administration) are available completely for free online.

Not only that, but there are jobs today which did not exist even as few as five years ago. Social media managers, for example. To this day, the vast majority of universities do not have a degree program for social media, nor do they have a university program for self-publishing books or blogging for a living or creating a YouTube channel and building up a brand. These are jobs which have been created out of the ether that is Virtual Reality, the digital era that we are now living in.

Automobiles. Airplanes. Telephone. Computers. Internet. WiFi. Crowd funding. Faster and faster. Onward and upward. Human ingenuity knows no bounds, for we are the children of the universe: infinite in our potential for expansion and growth.

Our understanding and growth have exponentially increased at every turn. Leaps and bounds are happening within a matter of months now, rather than decades apart. Just as the Mayans predicted with their endless cycles of compounded and sped-up cycles as things progressively begin to vibrate faster and faster and faster until we reached the end of the last era and entered into the endless possibility stage and moved into the great beyond, the infinite universe.

With the power of free information on a global scale, with global communication, comes the ability to advance the entire race forward at the same time. No more “my country versus your country”. No more nationalist beliefs holding people back from working side by side over a misguided notion that because someone was born somewhere else they are inferior. No more 99% versus 1%. No more reliance on a system of control telling you how to think, how to work, how to live. There is only the Human Experience as the entire planet works together to achieve the same goals.

We have the ability to create infinite realities merely through thought and will. To create something in a digital space and have that extend outwards into the physical realm. Blogs. Websites. YouTube videos. Digital eBooks and other products. We understand, finally, the symbiotic nature of it all, and the planet is moving away from capitalist and selfish systems of personal gratification and into a global community of sharing, networking and outward expansion and understanding.

IlliterateIn the words of Alvin Toffler, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

In short, those who cannot adapt to the times, those who refuse to evolve with the digital era, those who cannot comprehend the vastness of the universe and their own infinite potential, will be left behind.

Evolution does not wait for the weak, the slow, the ignorant. It is survival of the fittest, and only those who have the desire to educate themselves, to unplug from The Matrix, who will mature into the next stage of The Human Experience.

The only people suffering from the so-called “global crisis” are those who have put their faith in credit systems, in governments, in the so-called “higher education” system and their so-called “required” degrees. The only ones currently sitting around without any work and living third-world lives, even in first-world countries, are those who choose to be ignorant, such as this poor sap who went from a $75,000 a year job as an architect to making less than poverty-level income (according to U.S. standards) with the snap of a finger.

He has submitted more than 3,000 resumes in a period of three years, which have only generated a half-dozen interviews…and a mere $10,000 per year for his efforts, and yet despite all of this, despite thousands of hours of wasted time and energy, despite three years of watching his life savings drain away, despite the the fact that the jobs he once thrived on no longer exist, he still prefers to stay plugged into The Matrix and live within the illusion.

He cannot comprehend the changes the world is going through because he refuses to unplug, to wake up, to enlighten himself. He is, as Alvin Toffler described, one of the illiterate of the 21st century. A man living in the dark, choosing to remain ignorant when there is a world of free information at his fingertips, freely available and freely accessible to anyone, anywhere, regardless of language, birthplace, religion or color of skin.

We are living in a time of infinite possibilities. That is what the new era represents. A time of change. A time of growth. With our understanding of the universal truths, we realize that we don’t have to do things the way they have been done before. The credit system or the banking system or the so-called global crisis are nothing more than peripheral. Our focus is on the future, on the new way of doing things, on the global consciousness of the entire planet working towards common goals and expanding our knowledge of science and technology to unlock the rest of the mysteries of the universe.

The journey is far from over, my friends. The best is certainly yet to come.

Don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter for several-times-a-week, your-eyes-only travel and entrepreneur tips, plus receive a complimentary copy of our 85-page starter book on location independence and living abroad, 30 Ways in 30 Days.

With over 1,500 copies sold, our flagship 568-page eBook is what started it all. Learn how to travel the world like I do: without a budget, with no plans, funded completely by your website and online ventures.

The Expat GuidebookGet Your Copy Today!

Unplug from The System, cure yourself of The Greedy Bastard Syndrome, tap into your universal potential and create your own reality. Build a brand, travel the world and realize your cosmic consciousness.

Beyond Borders - The Social RevolutionGet Your Copy Today!

Marginal Boundaries Destination Freedom

A Riviera Maya Adventure

Posted by | 30 Ways in 30 Days, Live Like a Local, Mexico, Passive Income, Quality of Life, Social Media, Traveling Tips | No Comments

We are hip-deep in the Spring Destination Freedom retreat. If you haven’t been paying attention to the Facebook and Google+ pages or the YouTube channel, there have been plenty of photos + videos going up of the classes.  And things aren’t slowing down here!

Not only have we been busy getting everyone’s brands built up (the next two weeks are specifically dedicated to content creation at their websites + interviews coming to the YouTube channel), but Wandering Earl guest-spoke for a couple of nights, and we have a group dinner out with him and his tour in Playa del Carmen this evening, along with foXnoMad, since he’s helping Earl with his Mexico tour.

While the presentation for the Summer Destination Freedom event is coming down the pipeline later this week (early access for our loyal newsletter subscribers before we go public at the end of March), we also have a special tour I’d like to announce to the Marginal Boundaries community.

In June, in between the Spring and Summer Destination Freedom retreats, we are putting together an 8 day/8 night Riviera Maya adventure tour for those of you who want to come down to Mexico and hang out with Cris and myself while we take people around some of the local hangouts where we live.

For more information, check out the photos below, and if you think you might be interested in coming, send us an email at frontdesk@marginalboundaries.com.

 

Riviera Maya Adventure One

Riviera Maya Adventure Two

Riviera Maya Adventure Three

Riviera Maya Adventure Four

Riviera Maya Adventure Five

Don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter for several-times-a-week, your-eyes-only travel and entrepreneur tips, plus receive a complimentary copy of our 85-page starter book on location independence and living abroad, 30 Ways in 30 Days.

With over 1,500 copies sold, our flagship 568-page eBook is what started it all. Learn how to travel the world like I do: without a budget, with no plans, funded completely by your website and online ventures.

The Expat GuidebookGet Your Copy Today!

Unplug from The System, cure yourself of The Greedy Bastard Syndrome, tap into your universal potential and create your own reality. Build a brand, travel the world and realize your cosmic consciousness.

Beyond Borders - The Social RevolutionGet Your Copy Today!

Global Expansion

Language, Economic Growth and Getting Left Behind

Posted by | 30 Ways in 30 Days, Live Like a Local, Passive Income, Quality of Life, Social Media, Traveling Tips | 2 Comments

Every day the news in the United States, the United Kingdom and much of Western Europe is filled with economic woe. Hundreds of millions of unemployed. People living in tent cities, hostels, on the streets, in their cars. Families whose parents have lost their jobs, spent their entire life savings over the course of two to five years while attempting to support their families as they send out dozens…hundreds…thousands…of job applications, all to no avail. Third world living conditions in what were previously first-world countries.

But while the vast majority of sheeple are still soundly asleep, plugged into the warm hum of The Matrix that keeps them lulled in their state of perpetual slumber, there are those around the world who are wide awake, unplugged and aware of the current changes that are spreading around the planet like a giant wave crashing over shore after shore.

They are The Enlightened. The Modern Elite. The Socially Aware. Individuals who have seen the light and understand that we no longer live in a world of closed borders and solitary languages, but instead an entire planet where news and information is shared freely and instantly across the entire globe in an instant. People who speak more than one language, who call more than one country home, and who understand that in order to thrive in the current era they must adapt and maintain a global viewpoint as opposed to the prehistoric concept of “local”.

A perfect example of this can be found in Europe, where the latest wave of European migrants are riding the digital wave and completely avoiding the so-called global crisis. The “how” is easy; they speak multiple languages and rather than sit around and pray and hope for a change that will never come, they are instead choosing to take matters into their own hands and migrate to countries where economies are booming, where opportunities are limitless, and where they can go from barely surviving to financially and creatively thriving.

Spain is a singular example. With one of the worst unemployment rates in the world (an estimated 60% of the population are without jobs), its people are proving to be incredibly resilient despite it all. Rather than rely on the broken system and hope for change from their government, the people are taking actions into their own hands and using their unlimited human potential to create their own realities as entrepreneurs.

They have unlocked their true human potential and are exploring the wonder and amazement that is The Human Experience, unplugged and completely aware of their surroundings and the universal truths that each and every one of us holds within our DNA and our very souls: unlimited possibilities and infinite realities.

Instead of waiting around for federal handouts and sending in thousands of job applications to no avail, modern entrepreneurs are choosing to ride the digital wave of social evolution. They are learning other languages. Moving to other countries. Getting out of the brick-and-mortar industries and into the virtual world of websites and social media platforms and cloud funding and beyond.

On the flip side of the coin, you can take a close look at those who are still plugged into The Matrix, like this poor sap who went from a $75,000 a year job as an architect to making less than poverty-level income (according to U.S. standards). Not only has he been barely scrapping after seeing his salary reduced to a mere pittance in comparison to before, he has also submitted more than 3,000 resumes in a period of three years, which have only generated a half-dozen interviews…and a mere $10,000 per year for his efforts.

Despite all of this, despite thousands of hours of wasted effort, despite three years of watching his life savings drain away, despite year after year of the door being slammed in his face due to the fact that the jobs he once thrived on no longer exist, he still prefers to stay plugged into The Matrix and live within the illusion. According to the article, he still feels like a job could be just around the corner. “I don’t want to lose who I am and what I spent all these years and all this money to become and just fade into oblivion.” 

He cannot comprehend the changes the world is going through because he refuses to unplug, to wake up, to enlighten himself.

In other words, he would rather continue with the illusion rather than face the reality that the world as he knew it has changed. Jobs which existed even as short of a time period as five years ago are no longer available…nor are they coming back. Degrees that you would pay $150,000 and six years of your life ten years ago to obtain not only no longer matter…they can be taught and earned completely for free online. They have been eradicated by the rapidly evolving social changes on Planet Earth, of The Human Experience.

Meanwhile, the social evolution continues. The world still turns, and more and more people are waking up to the reality of modern living. They are learning new languages.  Moving to other countries. Migrating and going where the jobs are so that they can put food on the table and not only “just get by”, but actually live successful lives with high-paying jobs, either in countries as expats where the opportunities exist, or on their own as digital entrepreneurs utilizing social media and passive income to create their own realities.

American InequalityRather than fall prey to the propaganda of government-controlled media outlets which attempt to paint developing countries as “poverty stricken cesspools”, the modern generation of globally-aware and enlightened human beings are using the power of The Internet and free information to educate themselves to the fact that third world living conditions now only exist in the previously first world countries, and the previously scoffed-at developing countries now have the greatest levels of equality and opportunity on a global scale.

Countries like Uruguay, Venezuela, El Salvador, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina and Costa Rica are far ahead of The West in terms of equality and modern living conditions. High speed Internet exists in all corners of the globe. First class medical care exists in every country, and rather than charge you an arm and a leg, it is incredibly affordable, such as in Mexico where a mid-30s adult can get universal healthcare for around $300 USD a year…with unlimited prescription medication to boot.

Or countries like Bulgaria, where pregnant mothers receive a staggering 410 days of maternity leave paid out at 90% salary, and can claim an additional year at a reduced salary. That’s in comparison to the U.S. where you are lucky if you can get 12 weeks off work to care for your newborn child, and good luck trying to get that time paid for by your company.

You have a choice. You can choose to live in poverty. You can choose to send in thousands of job applications over a period of time that lasts for years. You can choose to spend your life savings waiting and “hoping” that your government will swoop in and save you and provide you with jobs and wealth and opportunity. And you will continue to go deeper and deeper into debt, sink deeper and deeper into depression and eventually end up like my brother, who committed suicide in December of 2012 at the age of 30 after a similar period of three years of unemployment and thousands of job applications sent in to no avail.

Or you can choose to be one of the modern elite. The expats of the world who are choosing to learn additional languages, move to other countries and seek out opportunities where they exist. Rather than rely on false hope for a return to the “good old days”, you can unplug from The Matrix and realize that Earth has changed. We are no longer living in a world where college degrees and credit system and resumes matter. Instead, we are living in a world where opportunities abound for those who are willing to stretch out their hand and take them. People who decide to swim rather than sink. People who decide they want to live life on their own terms as opposed to waiting for something that is never going to happen.

Create your own reality. The entire planet is your home, your playground, your sandbox. Explore. Discover. Live.

Don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter for several-times-a-week, your-eyes-only travel and entrepreneur tips, plus receive a complimentary copy of our 85-page starter book on location independence and living abroad, 30 Ways in 30 Days.

With over 1,500 copies sold, our flagship 568-page eBook is what started it all. Learn how to travel the world like I do: without a budget, with no plans, funded completely by your website and online ventures.

The Expat GuidebookGet Your Copy Today!

Unplug from The System, cure yourself of The Greedy Bastard Syndrome, tap into your universal potential and create your own reality. Build a brand, travel the world and realize your cosmic consciousness.

Beyond Borders - The Social RevolutionGet Your Copy Today!

Hostel Dormitory

Travel Defense Mechanisms

Posted by | 30 Ways in 30 Days, Live Like a Local, Quality of Life, Traveling Tips | No Comments

We have not evolved so much as one might think, and there are numerous primal urges and characteristics that still remain in our genetics. One of the most primitive instincts that man has carried over even into the modern age is the inability to sleep soundly or well when becoming accustomed to a new environment. It might be a hotel room or a hostel, a relative’s or friend’s house, a new apartment or a house, but the fact remains: no one sleeps well in an area they are unfamiliar with.

This inability to sleep well in new environments is purely a defense mechanism. The body isn’t accustomed to the new sounds and it doesn’t let itself take a break until it feels safe enough to do so. Instead, it is analyzing, studying, learning, determining. What was that bump? That creak? That draft of air? That squeak? And that one over there?

Personally, I almost never sleep more than a few winks in hostels. But it’s not just me; most people cannot sleep well in new environments precisely for the reasons listed above. The brain is in defense mode, protecting itself on a primal, primitive level that we cannot control. And this primal defense mechanism is absolutely something you should pay attention to while traveling.

If you remember the series I did in 2012 on Safety While Traveling (Part One | Part Two | Part Three), situational awareness plays a major factor in your continued survival. It’s not something that is related purely to travel, however; general awareness and defense mechanisms are a good thing to keep honed and at the ready no matter where you live in the world.

There are certain things on the instinctual level that we can tune into, if we just learn how to understand how our bodies and minds work, and how we interact with energy and vibrations and the world around us. The hairs on the back of your neck standing up when you are in the presence of something unique and unknown. The tingling under your skin and in all the hairs of your body when you walk the sunward circles at the Time Between Times of sunrise and sunset. The way you can feel when someone is looking at you, watching you. Gut instinct.

We all have instincts. Some are more well-honed than others. Some people have spent more time developing theirs than others. And as someone once told me regarding traveling in certain parts of the world, it’s kind of like at a boxing match just before the fight. The referee turns to the fighters and says, “Protect yourself at all times.”

Be aware when you are out and about. Even when you are home, there’s nothing wrong with keeping your guard up to keep yourself, your loved ones and your possessions safe. Being prepared for any situation ensures optimal outcomes. Survival. Because deep down inside there is one thing that every single one of us has in common with every other animals on Planet Earth: we want to keep on living. 

I say, embrace your animal instincts. I say, get in touch with your primal nature. I say, to hell with conventional wisdom that tells you to put locks on your doors and alarms on your cars and your home and trust in police and “the law” and “the system”. I say, hone your defense skills, build up your situational awareness, learn a self defense martial art, prepare yourself for any outcome. 

When you are traveling abroad, you certainly have less security than you would have in your home environment. For example, you might have an alarm system installed on your house, locks on the doors and windows, and maybe even a safe/panic room. But when you are on the road there are certain situations you’ll come up against that are unavoidable. Traveling on a bus through the middle of the jungle where there aren’t any police or military to protect you. Staying in a hostel where the doors are flimsy and thin and the only lock is a little chain and latch that would break if someone leaned on it too heavily.

What do you do in these situations? How can you ensure optimal levels of safety? Situational awareness is only the first step. You have to take into account that at our most primitive level, we are no different than the lions and tigers and bears and other animals that roam the forests and mountains and jungles of the world: we will maim, kill and otherwise ignore the rules of civilized society when it comes to survival of the fittest.

One of my most highly recommended strategies for ensuring your safety in any given situation is picking up a self defense course, as mentioned in part three of The Expat Guidebook (see the link earlier in this post). But beyond that there are other tricks you can rely on, such as always sitting with your back to a wall when in an open setting, with your eyes facing the door and windows so you can watch the comings and goings.Always know where the exits are. Never walk alone at night down a darkened street. Leverage a chair under the door handle in hostels and hotel rooms to add an extra level of security. Carry a knife, pepper spray, a baton or some other form of weapon or defense tool you can use in extreme circumstances. Never sleep with ear plugs and eye masks. Don’t use plushy pillows when on the road, as they will muffle your hearing. Don’t go to sleep with the television or radio on, as it will mask the sounds of an intruder.

These are just a handful of things you can do to ensure you are prepared for any outcome. After all, when you are on the road and away from home, it’s just you against the world…and while there’s nothing wrong with having faith in humanity and trusting your fellow human beings, only the naive are the ones getting pickpocketed, mugged, robbed or otherwise ripped-offed and harmed while traveling abroad or living in other countries as an expat.

At the end of the day it’s survival of the fittest, and only those who are prepared for any outcome have the best chances for dealing with any given situation that might otherwise affect their safety while exploring this great big planet we call Home.

Don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter for several-times-a-week, your-eyes-only travel and entrepreneur tips, plus receive a complimentary copy of our 85-page starter book on location independence and living abroad, 30 Ways in 30 Days.

With over 1,500 copies sold, our flagship 568-page eBook is what started it all. Learn how to travel the world like I do: without a budget, with no plans, funded completely by your website and online ventures.

The Expat GuidebookGet Your Copy Today!

Unplug from The System, cure yourself of The Greedy Bastard Syndrome, tap into your universal potential and create your own reality. Build a brand, travel the world and realize your cosmic consciousness.

Beyond Borders - The Social RevolutionGet Your Copy Today!

 

The Human Experience

Cultural Immersion and Human Exploration

Posted by | 30 Ways in 30 Days, Live Like a Local, Quality of Life, Traveling Tips | 10 Comments

People often ask me what it is about travel that initially drew me to a life of continual exploration as an international expat and global citizen. I can easily point to Indiana Jones as my primary influence as a child growing up in the 80s; a life of adventure around the world, exploring other countries, speaking other languages, discovering sights unseen and paths untrod by the average, ordinary traveler. But more than anything else it is the people, the cultures and The Human Experience that makes travel such an important part of my life.

Communication is vital to the social evolution of our species. It is only through communication that we will fully overcome the violent tendencies of certain people and governments whose sole desire is to pillage, rape, kill and destroy other cultures. But beyond simple communication are the social values, the cultural differences, that should be embraced as part of the overall Human Experience as opposed to being feared and hated simply because they are “different”.

We are living in amazing times where globalization has allowed for instant communication and a dissolving of cultural boundaries and barriers. The entire species is advancing towards a common goal now with the advent of free information via global Internet, and almost everyone understands now the importance of sustainability and working together with our planet since we are all one great big symbiotic family.

Social media, crowd funding, YouTube, Google and beyond have opened the world to the entire population as opposed to just a select few. The concept of a “third world” country has almost completely disappeared from the map as every country has begun rapidly developing in the modern era. Anyone, anywhere, can create an idea and a way of life for themselves just through creativity and tools such as social media; it’s not merely those who come from certain countries or who speak certain languages.

One of the ways to explore the human potential at its most basic level is to actually go to other places, explore those countries, live there among the people, learn their cultures, study under their spiritual leaders, understand their history and where they come from and how they are just exactly the same as you or I or anyone else on our home, Planet Earth.

There is more to traveling than just going to a place and being there. It’s all well and good to snap a few photos of you and your significant other or family on the beach, living it up while on vacation or while backpacking through a country and seeing the landscapes and the flora and fauna of a place. But it is the people, the cultures, the history…these are what make a place unique, not the zip-lines, the cave-tours, the hot-air balloon rides, the 4-wheel treks, the scuba diving, the snorkeling or the various vacation activities that so many people wrongfully associate with “traveling abroad”.

One of the biggest issues plaguing the travel blogging and travel industry as a whole is the objectification of the people and places that bloggers and weekend warrior backpackers are visiting. That is, their blogs and articles depict travel as a form of consumption and objectify the people of other countries as opposed to actually immersing themselves in the culture and learning about the people and exploring who they are and where they came from.

Sure, it’s cool to check out a flashy blog or magazine article full of photos of an adventure traveler or couple as they zip-line their way down a canyon in Argentina, or take a hot-air balloon across the expanses of Turkey or go cenote-diving in The Yucatan of Mexico, and there’s plenty of adventurous text to go along with these types of articles. But where is the cultural immersion? Where is the human exploration? Where is the communication, the connection, the exploration and respect of culture?

The best way to learn about a country and its culture is to live there for an extended period of time. One of the things I really enjoyed about the Young Adventures of Indiana Jones was the continual emphasis on learning the language of the countries that young Indy was traveling to with his family. And as the show progressed into an older, young adult phase, the languages he had picked up as a child while traveling with his family allowed him to experience things far beyond the tourist phase.

The establishment of relationships. An understanding of the culture and religion of a place. A connection with its people. Real, actual conversations and connections as opposed to “another beer, please”, or “I’ll have an espresso”, or pointing at pictures on a menu while you fumble your way through ordering something.

Living, working and studying abroad on a long-term basis is the only way to fully appreciate cultural immersion and globalization. There is also nothing quite like exchanging your home for a comparable one abroad or renting or buying property in a foreign destination.

Vacationing or backpacking through a destination is only traveling. You are skim-reading the book. You are a glorified tourist, someone who might be spending more than just a couple of days or a couple of weeks in a place, but a tourist nevertheless. Living in another country, going native, speaking the language, immersing yourself in the culture and its people, on the other hand… this is the only way to truly experience a destination. When you live in another country as an expat going native, you are reading the whole novel as opposed to skim-reading.

Making the move to live abroad is the ultimate travel experience, and for many it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. For others, it is the result of chance and circumstance (my own was a combination of the two; a lifelong desire to travel and the crash of the construction industry in the U.S. at the end of 2006 and into 2007).

Going to a place, visiting the major (and minor) sites, snapping a few photos of the food, getting some pictures of the locals, doing the scuba diving tours and the hot-air balloon rides and renting a scooter to zip around Rome while sipping espresso in one of the many endless corner cafes…all of these things are absolutely adventurous and fun and exciting and are certainly worth doing while on vacation and on a generalized globe-trotting adventure…but there is a big difference between traveling and living in another country as an expat.

Acceptance of all cultures on an equal level is the first step. The second is learning the language. Beyond that, it’s all about connecting with people on a local level. Exploring The Human Experience. Rather than objectifying the people or their home by simply coming in with your $5,000 worth of camera gear and snapping photos of the “poor little natives” while you scuba-dive and snorkel and laze about on the beach, you actually live there. You support the local economy. You develop friendships with your neighbors. You build relationships, business partnerships and global connections.

Expand your mind. Learn another language. Immerse yourself in the culture. Become one of the people. Celebrate their holidays. Respect and appreciate their cultural values. Explore. Discover. Live.

There’s nothing wrong with being a tourist and a complete newbie. I’ve been one plenty of times, and I’ll continue to be one when I take vacations and initially visit a place before I’ve learned the language and worked my way into the culture. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adventure travel and enjoying “the good life” while visiting a destination Simply keep an open mind and remember that cultural experiences, immersion and human connections can only be developed through time and communication…not merely through consumption and objectification.

Don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter for several-times-a-week, your-eyes-only travel and entrepreneur tips, plus receive a complimentary copy of our 85-page starter book on location independence and living abroad, 30 Ways in 30 Days.

With over 1,500 copies sold, our flagship 568-page eBook is what started it all. Learn how to travel the world like I do: without a budget, with no plans, funded completely by your website and online ventures.

The Expat GuidebookGet Your Copy Today!

Unplug from The System, cure yourself of The Greedy Bastard Syndrome, tap into your universal potential and create your own reality. Build a brand, travel the world and realize your cosmic consciousness.

Beyond Borders - The Social RevolutionGet Your Copy Today!