Job Discussion Forums

[johntpartee]

Check PM.

[mimi_intheworld]

re: HSBC, no I never had to deal with any of that stuff you did in Peru. But, I mean, I was in the UK. (I have since closed my acct with them, too many fees, not enough usability.)

As to the rest of it, this is a fascinating discussion. I'm glad you brought it up, naturegirl. I have minimal financial ties in the US even though that's where I am right now. So when this becomes an actual issue for me, it'll likely be easier than yours is.

Anyone else with experience giving up their home country? Why'd you do it and how? Regrets? John, thanks for your input as well!

[cmp45]

[Shonai Ben]

[denise]

If you're not sure where you want to go, then it seems like it would make sense NOT to cut off all ties to the US... just in case. If there's even the slightest chance that you'll return some day, it would help to keep some connections open and current. And even moving from one country to another is easier with some sort of financial/administrative home base. I've lived abroad for 10 of the last 12 years and still have all sorts of ties here--and I'm glad I do.

If I had let my US license expire, it would have been a lot more difficult to get a license in Oman. With a US (California) license, I simply produced it at the police station, took an eye test, and got my license. People from other countries/states, and people who do not have licenses, have quite a hard time.

If I had closed my US bank account, then I'd be stuck sending money from one foreign country to another. Banks like HSBC may seem to be international, but at least in Oman HSBC operates as HSBC Oman--not tied to other countries. So not necessarily any easier to send funds from one country to another. And in each new country, it can take a while to open up a local account--what to do with your money in the meantime?

Credit cards--sure, if you don't need them and they're just not part of your lifestyle, might as well cut them up and close the accounts. As long as you have a debit card that can be used as a credit card... Not all countries/banks do that.

d

[fladude]

[fladude]

[sojourner]

It's probably not a good idea to sever all ties with one's home country.Denise referred to the problems of getting a DL in another country after letting one's licence "back home" lapse. But we also need to consider the implications regarding the goodies that our home countries often provide, such as health care, assistance with tertiary education and social security (esp. eligibility for the aged pension).

Being absent from "home" for a particular period of time could well render a person ineligible for,say, health care and the dole should he/she "have" to return home. Thus, ELFers need to peruse their respective country's social welfare legislation very carefully to ascertain when eligbilty for benefits ends as a result of time spent overseas. Maybe, it might be a good idea to return "home" once a year - even if just for a few weeks - it would help to convince the bureaucrats that one is not entirely "disconnected" from his/her home country.Also, make sure that your name still remains on the electoral roll - and to submit an "absentee vote" during election time might be a good idea. Someone else also touched on retaining one's bank a/cs.

On a different issue, Mimi and Denise have referred to HSBC. Has anyone ever managed to open an a/c with this bank - with a minimum of hassle ? I have tried to open an a/c on two different occasions - once in Bangkok, as well as in Melbourne. On both occasions I was required to submit a reference from my old bank ! Also HSBC's fees seem to be pretty high ! Are they looking for customers - I sometimes wonder ! Maybe, they just want corporate, ex-pat types, rather than people like us !

Peter

[mimi_intheworld]

re: HSBC: hassle is the direct opposite of minimal, plus fees. They're totally better if you have PLENTY of pennies, which I will probably never have. I was just thinking of internationalism. But if each HSBC (or insert other multi-national bank of your choice) operates independent of the central office...eff it. Maybe there's something better out there.

[naturegirl321]

[naturegirl321]

Ok, I guess I'll keep the driver's license and savings account and close the rest.

[Big Poppa Pump]

I really regret not having a bank account in the US. Not so much to keep money in, but to use it to buy stuff off of Amazon.com.

All these years.. barely anything to read...

Definitely when I get back into the ESL game after my upcoming hiatus back home, going to do so with a proper bank account.

And a kindle.

[naturegirl321]

I've never had issues with things to read. I buy stuff off other people. Or buy stuff when I travel. Here, ther'es a HUGE English bookstore that has free delivery.

[Big Poppa Pump]

my cities over the last 2 years have been pretty remote. haven't done much traveling either.

in korea though, always had stuff to read.

[Steinmann]