Review of Living Abroad: Challenging the Myths of Expat Life

[Precious Naiti]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Living Abroad: Challenging the Myths of Expat Life" by Jim Santos.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Living Abroad: Challenging the Myths of Expat Life by Jim Santos is a guide for anyone looking for reliable information on what it is like to live abroad, especially coming from the United States of America.

North Americans stand to benefit more from this book as compared to South Americans. In the author’s writing throughout the book, he specifically talks about North American expats who had some misguided views and behaviors. The author was focusing on his expat life experience, particularly in Ecuador. He mentions that moving is accompanied by culture shock. The culture shock generally follows four stages: honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, and acceptance. The author gave a number of tips on how to make expat life enjoyable. He advises that, if you are thinking of moving, it is best to study the culture and country you are moving to. He explains that living abroad is different from taking a vacation. It can take a toll on marriages if both parties are not fully invested in the idea.

Jim Santos talks about how he and his wife Rita had to learn a bit of Spanish in order to fit in more and navigate Ecuador easily. Learning the language will make exploring all the better. He mentions how easier it was to communicate with the people who worked for him and those in the taxis he sometimes took. Learning the language will help avoid being “gringoed”. Trying to fit in as much as possible and avoiding looking like a tourist helps with removing a target on your back. According to the author, expat life is not for everyone. Those who choose to be expats need to be willing to treat foreigners with respect if they are to be respected too. The author also mentions how healthcare is better and less expensive in Ecuador as compared to the States. The greatest benefit moving abroad gave him was a healthier lifestyle leading to his overcoming of diabetes.

It is an understatement to say that I loved everything about this book. From the author’s humorous tone to all the experiences the author has had throughout the world. How he met his second wife was something I found to be particularly romantic. Their story is unique and gives hope to a lot of widows and widowers who think their life has ended after their spouse died. The way Jim Santos and Rita went about their retirement inspired me to look at retirement in a different way than I previously did. Traveling the world and settling somewhere for a while was never on my vision board until I read this book. The most captivating element about this book is the author’s honesty in everything he says. He does not try to sugarcoat anything and I especially loved it when he was discussing how life is one hundred percent fatal. Whether you are living abroad or in your home country, risks are everywhere. Saying a place is dangerous is not enough reason to refrain from moving there as some of the statistics offered are just used to induce unnecessary fear.

Jim Santos inserted some pictures throughout the book that were in line with what he was saying. These made it easier to paint a mental picture of Ecuador. There is a picture I found particularly funny of a showerhead that had the wires showing. The author was explaining how warm water was a luxury. The people of Ecuador hardly had any heating appliances. The lessons offered by the author throughout the book are universally applicable when treating others in the community. It was refreshing to find an American who gave unbiased views of their country. The book had a lot of website references which would be very helpful to someone considering expat life. All the advice given in this book is useful and probably the best advice anyone can get. I was amazed at how the author thought living for less than $2000 a month was cheap. In my country, we live for way less in a month. If you are to live a luxurious lifestyle with all the commodities in order, $1000 a month is too much. Lastly, I loved all the engaging stories the author told as he was trying to make a point.

Due to near-perfect editing and the fact that I have no dislikes about this book, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know what life abroad is like and how to prepare for it and get the most out of it.

******
Living Abroad: Challenging the Myths of Expat Life
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Joe Hadithi]

Just finished reading this and I found it just as interesting as you did. I especially liked how chilled and relaxed it all felt, kinda like a friend telling you about their experiences. Good work on your review!

[markodim721]

A really interesting book on a current topic. It is a pity that it was not written from several perspectives. Thanks for the good review.

[Precious Naiti]

Just finished reading this and I found it just as interesting as you did. I especially liked how chilled and relaxed it all felt, kinda like a friend telling you about their experiences. Good work on your review!

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Jim Santos is a really great author!

[Precious Naiti]

A really interesting book on a current topic. It is a pity that it was not written from several perspectives. Thanks for the good review.

Thank you for the feedback. And you are right, some of these things are about perception. A person looking to live abroad can benefit from reading a lot of other books.

[jomana_3]

I finished reading this book, and I found it very helpful and amusing. Moreover, I learned a lot from it and liked the author's writing style. Nice review, I completely agree with you.