This New Business Will Help You Live Abroad

Jen Barnett and Brett Andrews, founders of the new company Expatsi, which shows Americans how… [+] leave the United States and live abroad.

ChuyGarciaStudio

Wondering how to leave the United States? You're not alone: ​​According to a recent study, one in three Americans would leave the United States if they could.

A new company called Expatsi is helping Americans move abroad and live the lives of their dreams. Expatsi was founded by Jen Barnett and Brett Andrews, who became frustrated in 2016 and began thinking about leaving the United States and living in another country.

In 2016, we were inspired to move abroad because of the stressful political climate and the positive aspects, Barnett told me in an interview. We visited Vancouver, but it didn’t feel right and we realized we needed to learn more about immigration and put our dream on hold.

According to Barnett, this stress returned in 2020 and the couple seriously considered leaving the United States. At our annual retreat, we made lists of what was important to us in a new home: weather, culture, human rights and more, she says. Then we started researching all 194 countries to see who owned what. The end result was a list of the top 10 countries to consider, and we came up with a 10-year plan to visit them all.

Mexico, Yucatan, Merida, Hacienda Yaxopoil

getty

Two years ago, that 10-year plan was upended during the couple's first trip to Mrida, a town on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It was also a moment of amazement when they realized that they had not only discovered where to set up shop, but also a great business idea. “We knew we had found the perfect place and didn't want to wait nine more years to emigrate,” says Barnett. “We also knew we couldn't be the only Americans going through this process, so we decided to turn all of our data and research into a test that could match people to countries that might meet their needs. We decided to quit our jobs, start our business and move to Mexico.

And so Expatsi was born. The company’s mission is simple: to show Americans how to leave the United States and where to go. The company offers an online Expatsi test that will help you determine which country is best for you. It also offers relocation tours aimed at giving prospective expats a more realistic understanding of daily life abroad. The Barnetts just completed their first relocation tour, a month-long trip with 30 fellow Americans to cities and towns in Portugal and Spain.

Unlike traditional guided tours, Expatsis relocation trips combine tourist attractions with more everyday aspects of life, including grocery shopping, using public transportation, etc., as well as seminars led by financial planning experts , immigration and real estate matters. They also connect travelers with locals who know everything from how to use public health systems to screening and enrolling children in local schools.

A group of travelers on a recent expat relocation tour to Portugal.

Expatriates

Melissa Gomez accompanied Expatsi on her recent relocation trip. Jen and Brett from Expatsi were amazing travel hosts who opened the doors to living the kind of life I dreamed of, Gomez told me in an interview. Knowing that I was going on an adventure with a group of like-minded people was priceless. I learned incredibly valuable information as we traveled across the country of Portugal, and being able to touch, smell, and feel what I dreamed of solidified my dreams into reality. I wouldn't have wanted to do things any other way.

One of Expatsis' partners in Portugal is Jacqui Acevedo, an American expat who helps people transition there. What inspired me from the first moment I met Expatsi was that they weren't selling trips, they were building a community, Acevedo told me in an interview. Everyone who makes these journeys finds themselves at a crossroads, just like me when I moved to Lisbon. It’s magical to see people lean on each other and find their way.

According to Barnett, demand for the company's services is increasing. “We realized there was a need for Expatsi after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade and our web traffic started to climb,” she says. “Since then, we have seen spectacular growth: more than 75,000 people have taken the Expatsi test. Two-thirds say they are looking for adventure and personal growth, while about 45% say they are looking for different rights or freedoms. More than 40% say it's because the United States is too divided, too conservative or to save money. »

Here, I caught up with Barnett to learn more about Expatsi and some tips on how to leave the United States and where to go if you want to live abroad.

Jen Barnett and Brett Andrews in their new adopted home, Merida, Mexico.

Studio ChuyGarcia

Our background: I’ve worked in marketing and new product development for over 30 years and have also started several businesses around local food. Brett was previously a software developer. We met late in life, but it was love at first sight, says Barnett. One of our favorite things to do is our annual retreat, where we rent a remote cabin with no internet access and plan the next year of our lives. That’s a big part of how we started Expatsi.

Living in Mexico: We moved across the border two months ago and this is our first time living abroad. This first move is the hardest because we got rid of things that made us live (including our home), Barnett says. Now that we've downsized, we feel like we can move anywhere we want and hope to try a few different places.

Expatsis Relocation Tours: About a year ago we started live streaming on TikTok. We love being on TikTok because the community there is so inspiring and we quickly started building a community and making friends. We started the Expatsi Fam group so people could chat and connect, and the family wanted to travel as a group, Barnett says. We conducted a poll on places to visit, and the top choices by far were Portugal, then Spain. So we decided to start there because they are very popular and expat friendly, but we will soon be adding trips to the Yucatn Peninsula, France and Italy.

Explore the world on an Expatsi trip.

Expatriates

How relocation trips work: Several elements make the trips unique, Barnett says. We start in each country with a seminar with local experts like immigration lawyers, tax accountants and real estate experts, who answer questions about food and drink. We choose cities and neighborhoods where expats like to live and hire local guides to give tours so you can experience what life is like there. Our rule is: no churches, no museums, no monuments. Instead, we visit the market and the pharmacy. Our hop-on, hop-off approach allows people to customize their trip, rather than feeling like we all have to hold hands and take the bus together. We take public transportation and meet up for our tours. People book their own travel and Airbnbs, so we can accommodate a variety of budgets. If solo travelers want to share rooms, we connect them. Outside of tours, we encourage real-life experiences, such as participating in your hobbies, meeting other expats and cooking at home.

Success Stories: With Expatsi about two years old and most people taking about that long to move, we’re starting to see more and more little birds leaving the nest, Barnett says. A young couple from Utah used a provision that allows Americans to stay in Albania for a year to prepare for landing in the Netherlands. A large family from Maine is arriving in Germany this week, and everyone has plans for school and work. An Army veteran used his GI Bill to take Spanish classes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

What people should know about moving abroad: It takes courage, Barnett says. People think they can't afford to move abroad, and while it's not free to make such a big change in their lives, your ability to persevere is more important than your bank account. . You can use this tenacity to find new ways to make money, but money won't help you resist bureaucracy or culture shock. In the United States, we're used to being able to overcome most money problems, but in many cultures, peace of mind is more important and people can't be rushed. If you have a low tolerance for frustration, it's worth working on it before you go.

Best places to live: There are certainly countries where it is easier to settle. One of the best things about Mexico was that we could drive. This allowed us to bring our four pets (including a pit bull mix), our car, and all our luggage without worrying about airline restrictions. It's also easy to get residency, although the income requirements are very high, Barnett says. Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Panama, Thailand, Cambodia, Costa Rica, and other countries offer friendly options for remote workers and retirees. If you want to retire in an English-speaking country, Belize and Ireland are great options. The Netherlands offers the fabulous DAFT visa for self-employed people. You can stay in Georgia or Albania for a year. Of course, we recommend the Expatsi test to find the countries that suit you best.

Tips before moving: Take a reconnaissance trip before making a big decision. If you can, visit at the best time of year and at the worst, Barnett says. We think there are six stages to moving abroad – thinking, exploring, planning, paperwork, logistics and settling – but that doesn't mean you'll go through them in order or even just once. Let it become a process. You will regret not doing it years ago, but be glad you did it today.

MORE FROM FORBES: Forbes The 20 Best Cities to Live in the World, Ranked in 2024 Report By Laura Begley Bloom Forbes 13 Exciting Places You Can Live For $1,500 a Month or Less By Laura Begley Bloom

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2024/06/28/how-to-move-out-of-the-us-this-new-company-will-help-you-live-abroad/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

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