#expatriate-identity

#expatriate-identity

Trofimov's move to Germany was a spontaneous decision made after the war began, as he feared for his future and sought a more stable career.

"I could understand the language somewhat, but I was terrible about speaking it. My accent was terrible. People could not understand me," Deiaco-Smith said.

After significant deliberation, taking into account both the affected public's concerns regarding the cost of the fee and the not insignificant anecdotal evidence regarding tax-related difficulties many US nationals residing abroad encounter, including in part because of FATCA, the Department made a policy decision... to propose alleviating the cost burden for those individuals who decide to request CLN services by returning to the below-cost fee of $450.

She said she stood in her new kitchen, which had radiant floor heating and a view of the fjord, and cried because the bread smelled wrong. She'd moved from São Paulo for a man she'd met at a data science conference. The apartment was beautiful. The healthcare was extraordinary. The man was kind. And the bread smelled wrong, and that wrongness cracked open something in her she hadn't known was load-bearing.

Citizens of Nowhere is a documentary short about stateless people in the United States individuals who, through circumstance or legal technicality, belong to no nation. Without passports, citizenship or legal recognition, they live in a state of uncertainty. From finding work and accessing education, to simply existing within a system that does not officially recognise them, stateless people face endless bureaucratic barriers.

A 2024 New York Times report notes that Mexico is home to over 1.6 million U.S. citizens - the largest American community abroad. But it's more than Americans: Argentinian, Spaniard, Chinese and Russian populations have all grown significantly, with Mexican authorities reporting a 64% year-on-year increase in Russian migrants in 2024 . The stereotypical CDMX immigrant - a digital nomad typing furiously from a café while nursing the same almond-milk cappuccino for hours (yes, I'm describing myself) - isn't the full story.

Archaeological evidence shows that early humans, particularly hunter-gatherers, lived in small, mobile groups. These groups roamed vast landscapes in search of food and resources. Mobility was essential for survival, allowing early humans to adapt to changing environments. According to research from Our World in Data, a respected platform led by economist Max Roser, most of human history was spent in this nomadic state. This lifestyle fostered flexible social structures. Leadership was temporary, and decisions were made collectively.

After working as an editor in New York City for several years, my then-wife got offered a job in Singapore. It was the golden opportunity we both wanted. What we thought would be a posting of just a few years turned into decades. We divorced in 2011, but both stayed in Singapore, building our careers and lives. Singapore was the jolt my career needed I'd always wanted to be a photojournalist, so in 2000 I decided to pursue it full-time.

While everyone is subject to their individual situations, for many, the process begins with an F-1 student visa, which they hold as they complete a Ph.D. over five to six years. After graduation, they may choose to transition to Optional Practical Training (OPT), which provides a year of work authorization, with a two-year extension for STEM graduates. Some may then transition to a H-1B temporary work visa, which provides for three years of work authorization and is renewable for another three years.

I think people don't always believe me when I say it, but living abroad has always felt more fun to me. I love the cultural challenges, the language barrier, the different food, and the process of figuring out the day-to-day. I'm originally from Conyers, a small town just outside Atlanta. In high school, I moved to Athens, Georgia. It was a typical small, suburban place - there weren't many people traveling internationally. Certainly, no one was moving abroad the way I eventually did.

Relations between the US and Germany are increasingly tense. As German and European leaders determine how to respond to Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland, we're asking if world events affecting the everyday lives of Americans in Germany? While we'd like to believe that everyone is capable of making the distinction between a citizen of a certain country and the actions of their government, that's not always the case.