You can't imagine how much your magazine have helped me through trying to make my mind on leaving the U.S. to live abroad.  Through it I have found quantities of interesting articles about what to do, costs of living, how to find a place to live, etc., etc,. 

To tell you the truth, I think I would have not made up my mind if it wouldn't have been for you and your magazine.  I hope it keeps inspiring people all over the world as it did inspired me.

I am leaving for Barcelona next month to take the TEFL course and find a home.  I will be back for my daughter who will be finishing her school year in June to be gone and hopefully be back here just for a short visit.  I really want to enjoy life, have the time to enjoy nature, my daughter, a good plate of home-made natural food and to be able to see people walking, chatting, sitting in a cafe for hours, children making noises.....and the most important to be able to live a life surrounded by people that love and take pleasure on taking care of their homes, their gardens and  their food by themselves!

Thanks again Charlie.  God bless you,

C.P., USA

Dear Sir,

The Escapeartist website provides an excellentresource for expats.  I wanted to let you know that a 
new non-profit organization was recently formed which is working to advance the rights of Australians overseas.  The Australian diaspora consists of approximately 820,000 individuals - around 5 percent 
of all Australians now live abroad. There has been a huge brain drain out of Australia in the last few 
years in particular.

While the US government is now tolerant of dual nationality status, for Australians, the situation is 
not as flexible.  Our citizenship law effectively divides Australians into two classes - those who may 
legally hold dual citizenship and those who may not.  For example, if you migrate to Australia and are naturalized, you do not have to give up your first nationality, and will thereafter be a dual national.  If you are born in Australia, with say one foreign parent, you will be Australian by birth, and have the nationality of your foreign parent by descent.  About 5 million out of 19.3 million Australians legally hold dual citizenship in these ways.

The big issue is dual nationality for those starting from a basis of having only Australian nationality. 
If we live overseas for long enough to apply for citizenship somewhere else, then we forfeit 
Australian citizenship when we acquire another.

The Southern Cross Group has been working hard for over 12 months to get the Australian government to repeal the offending provision, s. 17 of the Australian Citizenship Act.  A response from the Government is now expected around the end of April.  We hope that the response will embrace full repeal.

Our Group is interested in hearing from any expat Aussies who are concerned about this issue or any other.  Membership is free.  To join our mailing list simply send an e-mail to info@southern-cross-group.org. Our website at http://southern-cross-group.org aims to provide a resource for Aussies abroad.

Regards,

Anne MacGregor, CANADA
anne@southern-cross-group.org

Dear Editor:

This is in response to Maura Madigan's article about living abroad with children. Although living all over the world CAN be fun, exciting and educational for children, Maura ignores the possible downsides. Perhaps it's because her child is only 2 years old and she has yet to experience the problems that may not only arise when the child is of school age, but the possible lingering effects on the child well after they grow up. I have heard countless tales from friends of mine who grew up with parents who were foreign service officers, English teachers, NATO employees, etc. about how they wish things could have been different. They loved the places they lived in and the exotic experiences they had, but they longed for friendships that lasted more than 2 years; they hated always being the new kid in class; they got tired of the constant changes in curriculum and having to play catch up or slow down all the time; they wished they knew their grandparents and aunts and uncles better; they never really felt like they were American, but never really felt British/Norweigan/Australian either; they don't fit in with other Americans because they didn't have a lot of the same cultural reference points; and as adults a lot of them feel permanently "rootless", meaning that they don't feel like any country will ever be their "home." The only "group" they feel they fit in with is other expat Americans living abroad. Remember that you, as an adult, have the choice to live abroad, but your child has none. And also, you as an adult have a "home" country but you CHOOSE to be an expat vagabond, whereas your child will grow up as a permanent expat without that having that "home" country. 

Now, I know that some people think that the idea of kids needing a "group" to fit into is outdated and clique-ish, but I think Ms. Madigan and others either currently living abroad or considering it should contemplate this, because their childrens' social developement and sense of identity is at stake. In sum, All I am saying is, think about your kids. Don't only think about your wants as an adult. You may want to live abroad because American culture is boring and stifling and foreign countries are exotic and interesting, but your children may really appreciate having a place they can call "home."

Karen Elowitt, USA
dinkydoggie@hotmail.com

Dear Editor,

Talk about taking a trip down memeory lane.  I was stationed at Ft. Kobbe in Panama back in 1988-89 and the time I spent there was wonderful.  I envy you very much, not only becuase you succeeded in moving to Panama, but because I miss Taboga.  I spent a lot of time on the island you know call home and I find myself wishing that this e-zine would have been available when I was in the process of getting discharged.  it would have been a big help and I probably would have stayed or moved back sooner.  Your photos of Panama bring back a lot of great memories of the incredible time I spent there.

Keep up the good work and if I ever do make it back, you can bet I am going to make a trip to Taboga.  Who knows.  Enjoy the weather, the people, the beach and the ocean you lucky lucky devil.

Sincerely,

Daniel C. Nielsen, USA
dnielsen@conpoint.com

Dear Editor,

My family was moved to the UK with my husband's employer in the summer of 1999.  We lived in Surrey, outside of London.  The employer had sent individuals to work in the UK, but not a family; and the HR department had no set policy for establishing a move package. Our package was negotiated for a term of 3 years, and was based on what we could learn about our requirements in a 10 day visit to England.  We moved our furnishings, 2 teenage children and made the transition to expatriate living with great expectations.  Business growth did not occur in Europe as the employer had planned, and in fact by the time my husband arrived the offices were operating under severe loss conditions.  We were abruptly told during the spring of 2000 that we could not continue our term in the UK.  We were packed and removed from our new home in June of that year.  The experience - while it lasted - was wonderful and challenging.  We felt that our family did an exceptional job of adjusting to a new home and we would have been very satisfied to stay on for the full three years.  Moving back after just one year, not only cost the employer a small fortune, but cost us money as well, since we had sold off our home in the US and many of our furnishings.  We had also given away our family pets to avoid their quarantine in the UK.  It was an extreme amount of upheaval to go through and difficult to experience the stress of re-entry, buying a house, re-enrolling in schools and all the rest.  To make matters more complicated, the employer has downsized in the US and my husband is out of a job.  His position was eliminated during our stay abroad, and he worked a short while in another division that ultimately couldn't support his salary. He is seeking new employment and we would consider another overseas assignment if it was an option.  This time we would truly know what to negotiate or accept!

As a result of our experience overseas, I have developed a relocation handbook for American families planning a first move to the UK.  Our family really had no relocation support in the form of advice - we managed the entire move process on our own - and made some mistakes along the way.  The handbook provides pre-move planning information and lots of practical advice for settling into life in the UK after the move.  In researching labor statistics for the UK, I found out that over 100,000 work permits were issued to Americans in the year 2000.  I feel sure that a substantial number of those families do not get the information they need to really prepare for such a move.  I asked two associates to contribute articles for the handbook, so it contains various perspectives and insights.

Our book, Moving from the US to the UK, can be purchased on the Web at: www.ukexpatconnection.com

the email there is BKB@ukexpatconnection.com

I would love to hear from your staff - your magazine is fascinating, and different from any other I've seen on the Web.

Sincerely,

Barbara Kessling, USA
bekwoking@yahoo.com

Dear Editor,

Thanks for your reply. I'm excited to get the hell out of New York City.  I need to get back to 
nature and out of the city, and I think this is the craziest way I can think of to do it.  Keep the roam-fire burning for all of us,

Marc, USA

Dear Editor,

Thank you for cyber-publishing my article.I think my friends will be checking out your web site.
I will try to persuade them to subscribe to your excellent service!

Thanks again.

I hope everything for you is going well.

Mike Sluchinski, SOUTH KOREA

Dear Dr. McElroy,

Thank you again for including my scribbles in your magazine. I enjoyed reading what I had written as if it was an article written by someone else and couldn't believe that it was actually me who came up with such a "good thing". It looks like one day I may become a featured commentator on life in this country. Who knows?

Thank you and I hope that you would be interested in something else from me. Please let me know.

For now I am going to share with you a comment on my story sent to me from a Polish reader of your magazine. I don't know whether you collect comments (I do) but this should be interesting because it is written in different language and what's more it proves that you are read all over the world.

Thank you again and best regards.

Almost a writer, 

Ryszard, USA
rdzidziu@optonline.net

>Ryszard,
> 
> Swietny artykul !
> 
> Mam dokladnie takie samo doswiadczenie z amerykanska sluzba zdrowia. Dodatkowo mysle, ze  wiekszosc tutejszych lekarzy reprezentuje bardzo mierny poziom.
> 
> Adrian

Dear EFAM Staff

Hello again good folks; Thanks for just sending the ezine.  I most certainly enjoy your site - what a breath of fresh air (for a change)....  Sooo much fine material to explore & look into..just top-notch in every respect.. "You deserve some medals" with Atta Boys pat on back....

Best wishes/regards.ron
Ron, OSA
rutley@iopener.net

Dear Editor,

I began reading this magazine when you became editor and thoroughly enjoyed your life story.  I was inspired and uplifted to read your thoughts and views, I share them all and seem to feel very isolated in my desire to travel, live abroad and escape the American consumerist mentality.  Again this month I was really touched by Maureen's story of living abroad with children.  I had been living in London for almost 2 years when I also returned to the USA to have my daughter in March 2000.  I am really missing my life abroad and am contemplating a B&B in Chile (where my husband is from)- any advice on buying property in Chile or advice in general?

Thank you

Ann Marie, USA
gnaaguilar@aol.com

Dr. McElroy,

The response to the article has been great.  I have had ten replies this evening.  It must have just went on line.  One couple has already made reservations for the 25 & 26th of March. The response has been mostly from the US and Europe.  One guy lives in Cyprus and is looking for a summer villa.

I'll keep you informed on the response.  Thanks again, and let me know when you want another article like the benefits of operating a B&B in Czech.

Ron Winkles, CZECH REPUBLIC
czwinkles@webtv.net
http://community.webtv.net/Czech/B&B/Castles & Palaces Tour

Dr. McElroy,

I wanted to thank you so much for the article entitled "Living Abroad with Children: It’s Easier Than You Think" by Maura Madigan (Volume Three, Number Four).  My husband and I live in Doha, Qatar with our three year old son not far at all from the UAE where Mrs. Madigan lives and we, too, faced all of the ignorance and fears and guilt from our friends and families when we decided several months ago to leave America behind and come here to work.  My husband was offered a fantastic job, tax free, house, car, utilities, and vacations all paid for and we haven't looked back!  We are so happy here and the people have all been very friendly.

We miss our things in storage, everyone we love, and our son has had a lot of questions, but we have all adjusted well.  The culture, the city, the food, the experience is all so great and we plan on having another child while we're living here as well.  I think people assume there are no modern facilities or that we were coming here to live in a tent out in the desert and ride a camel to the market, so this article really summed up what life really is like living in the Middle East especially.  I sent the link to everyone we know back home in the States so they could get a more open minded view of how we live over here.

Thanks again and as always, I love reading your magazine!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Crow, QATAR
steffi@the-crows.com

Dr. McElroy,

Mike Sluchinski's article was heartening, and suggests perhaps that fear is after all the only thing we need fear in deciding to pick up sticks, and move elsewhere.  Ah, the Great American Diaspora:  let's all not forget to send postcards back to the less venturesome; it's never too late for any of them to take that first step as well, and who knows what card serves as the prod that works, eh?

On a personal note, I remember the editor and I tearing down a one-way street in Los Mochas, Mexico, in a rented subcompact--of course the laughter was nervous; we were careening up the street in the wrong direction.  And, and, an international gesture for you, if you don't like it, Mac.  Great job on the 'zine, Chas; keep up the good work, and keep the hearth warm for me.

Most reverently,

Mike Oliva, USA
msoliva2000@yahoo.com

Dear Editor,

I read with amusement, and perhaps to some extent bemusement, Doug Casey's article (Two Dollars" about the state of the New Zealand dollar and the blame that has been placed upon our present government for its weak performance.

While I did not vote for the parties that are in power, I do not agree with his sentiments that dismisses the coalition government as being 'socialist' and 'ideologically-driven'. Certainly, I question the renationalisation of Accident Insurance, but its other policies simply cancel out the extreme dogma of New Right. If Doug Casey wasn't so naive he would realise that there are few factors as to what caused a change in government.

Firstly, much of the country is now foreign-owned when originally it was NZ-owned, meaning much of the wealth that is created here ends up offshore, further weakening our dollar. This huge level of capital outflow reflects our enormous balance of payments deficit, currently in the vicinity of seven to eight percent of GDP.

Secondly, the previous employment legislation, the Employment Contracts Act (1991)gave employers the power to install bargaining agents in place of trade unions. While I believe that some unions can be greedy, taking away the worker's right to fair wages and conditions is morally unacceptable.

Thirdly, Casey should have look at where the modest revenue from the tax increase is going. Not on social welfare or even schools and hospitals, but to soften the crippling blow to students in tertiary study and provide some degree of relief to pensioners, both who have been shafted and betrayed by those who Casey would no doubt be of party to.

Just remember that the Aussie dollar has recently sunk to record lows (under US50 cents I gather)and its economy is in recession too, yet I haven't seen its government enacting the same policies that our one has.

Jaini Adams, NEW ZEALAND