Which Are the Friendliest Nations to Expats?

Loaded question: Where can expats go and enjoy life, make new friends, be accepted as regular people, and feel safe?If you are white, European, North American, Australian, or New Zealander, the answer is: Almost anywhere where you will be surrounded by people who appear like you and the only difference is the way you dress and your type of English accent.If on the other hand you may be a native from the above named regions, but you are not one of the “lucky chosen” ones with Lilly-white skin and light colored eyes, then a large part of the world will be a difficult place for you to settle. Take for instance the U.S., a country that gained its self proclaimed “best country in the world” status by first conquering a huge region of the North American continent, then systematically going to war with the aboriginal owners of said lands, wiping out whoever they wanted, and finally bringing in slave labor to help make it the greatest nation in the world.Assuming you arrive, or your family originated from the “other America,” the one that goes from the U.S.-Mexican border all the way to Tierra del Fuego, and you live in the USA, you are still treated, in many instances, as an expat in your own country. Just go to Joe Arpaio’s Maricopa County, and you will see what I mean when you get stopped for driving while looking Hispanic. I have spent substantial amounts of time living in various non-white parts of the world, mixing with the natives, learning about their language and customs and making many friends in the process. One of the least pleasant experiences I ever had was when I was cursed openly on the street in Mexico by what turned out to be a Chilean illegal immigrant to Mexico for being a “rich gringo” – kind of amusing when I think about it now, but that really was the only incident ever of its kind. So all color coding aside, which are the best places to be an expat? Many people swear it is New Zealand. I don’t! The Kiwis are friendly, but if you want to live in a 1950’s England, New Zealand may suit you. Throw in lots of police and other surveillance and you will feel right at home in NZ.Australia is a kind of Super America. Bigger houses, bigger utes, much bigger taxes, and everything that the U.S. did wrong is amplified by a significant factor. After the White Australia policy finally became an embarrassment and they started to allow widespread immigration from Asian nations, they opened up a whole new slang dictionary to describe the new non-white arrivals, particularly those that don’t have churches, but instead choose to worship in mosques.So we are looking at Europe now. There are several Eastern European nations, mostly former members of the Stalinist Soviet Bloc, that are affordable, offer a nice living standard, great medical care, fabulous food, culture, and people that look at North Americans not as George W. Bush’s contemporaries, but as individuals who are respectfully seeking to share a different way of life. Many in those countries remember all too well that the USA stood for freedom while they were behind the Iron Curtain, and it was this freedom that they finally gained when the Soviet Union went morally and fiscally bankrupt, having to cut all of their former minions loose and letting them choose freedom and democracy over oppression.When it comes to which are the friendliest nations for Anglophile expats, I highly recommend those countries that still remember all too well what it was like under their former dictatorial leaderships. You will have total strangers befriend you on streets, parks, and restaurants, wanting to practice their English on you, thereby also giving you an opportunity to improve your foreign language skills.As always, I want to remind all of my readers that before you make the Big Move, go check it out, travel around a bit, get to know the customs of the country you wish to adopt as a new home, and please, don’t rush headlong into buying property. Rent instead. If after you feel comfortable after a couple of years and you find something you really like, make sure you do your homework. Find about all the legal aspects of property ownership and titles to your prospective purchase. Hire a trustworthy lawyer to check it all out, and watch out for the sharks. They are always waiting to “help” a newbie.Where it is very warm, while it is snowing in the Czech Republic![image: Astronomical Clock in Prague, Czech Republic, via Wikipedia]I encourage you to write to me, jamie@expatdailynews.com with any questions or suggestions you may have, and if necessary, we can establish a voice communication via Skype. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel related business. My advice is based on my own experiences, and is free of charge. (Donations accepted). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments, email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.comSee more expat articles by Jamie at

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