Moving Abroad: How Expats Shape – or Shatter – Local Communities
The Expat’s Guide to Ethical Living While Abroad. Are You Uplifting or Undermining?
Intro
I’ve had so many lively, beautiful, helpful, educational and even emotional conversations about the profound ways expats and digital nomads can either uplift or disrupt the communities they move into for the past several months that I’m dedicating an article to it.
The complex relationship between expats/digital nomads and local communities is wrought by both good and bad. As with most topics, there’s no “one size fits all” solution to this problem.
I have a few people to thank for this article. One is a person whose comments I can’t currently locate but he challenged me on living in Portugal, and I’m so grateful he did. He asked what I was doing to give back to the Portuguese community and we had a wonderful discussion. The other is
who writes . She sent out an article talking about geo arbitraging, which I had never heard of. This prompted a similar discussion. I recommend you subscribe to her adventure as well and want to say, thank you Tanessa so much for opening this discussion!!!For new readers, I’m Kimberly Anne, a U.S. expat who moved to Europe in 2022. To learn a little more about me, please click here.
Learn About the Culture First
Before you move somewhere, take the time to learn about the culture. Read up on the history, the customs, the politics, the economy. Think about the socio-economic impact you want to have. For example, if you’re going somewhere and there’s not a tipping culture there, perhaps you shouldn’t tip. If every foreigner starts tipping, the locals will be expected to do so as well, and they can’t afford it. I was told this during my first week in Lisbon.
When I first arrived, I was tipping the Uber/Bolt drivers, the servers at restaurants, everyone and everywhere until I was told to stop by an American who had lived in Europe for ten years. It took me another two years before I understood the impact and learned to respect a non-tipping culture. It doesn’t mean that I can never tip, I still do at times, but not nearly as much or as often. If you’re from the U.S., you’ll know what a nightmare expected tipping has become since Covid. And once that happens, is there any way to backpedal?
We’re not only expected to tip 15-20% on everything in America, including a $6 to-go cup of coffee, but it’s pretty much required.
Heed a Country’s Customs
If you’re traveling to a Muslim country, for example and you’re a woman, cover your head and body. Don’t try and “make a statement”, that’s disrespectful to the culture.
If you’re in Bulgaria and several other Balkan countries you need to learn (beforehand) that nodding your head means no and shaking your head side-to-side means yes.
Giving a thumbs-up in Iraq or parts of West Africa is the same as shooting someone the bird in the States. The “ok sign” can be interpreted the same way in Brazil and Turkey. A “v sign” with the palm out is also akin to giving someone the middle finger in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
In Asian countries, direct eye contact is extremely rude. Smiling at strangers, in several countries, especially in Europe, is just not done. Some people may find it suspicious while others will remark “that’s a tourist”.
Perfect your resting bitch-face and you’ll be fine plus it’s kind of fun.
Economic Impact
There’s a huge debate about the economic benefits of living in a country where your money goes further and I’m on the fence about it. I believe spending money in your community, in mom and pop stores, is much better than giving your money to foreign entities such as McDonalds or Starbucks (for example).
I choose to frequent Portuguese-owned businesses as much as possible. Therefore my doctors, dentist, hairdresser, manicurist and doggie-day-care owner are all Portuguese. I go to Portuguese owned restaurants and not American chains. I purchase my bed sheets from a small Portuguese company instead of going to IKEA or Zara Home. I bought my dishware from an amazing, local outlet ceramics store. For clothing, I mostly buy used because I’ve been doing that since I was twelve years old and it’s my preferred method. Here, there are several Portuguese owned thrift stores and also the Vinted app where you can buy used items directly from individuals.
The Role of Privilege in Moving Abroad
Don’t deny that you have privilege but please rein it in, keep it in check!
British, Canadian and American expats often bring stronger currencies, which gives us disproportionate purchasing power. Please use your power for good and not to drive up costs.
I’m not rich so I don’t flip houses or purchase rental properties and jack up the rent. But many people do, and I find that to be a huge part of the problem, not the solution. I get that we’re all trying to make a living, but please keep in mind the impact that your million dollars has on the people living in a depressed economy. If you decide to do this, please charge market value for the rent.
I understand that many expats have unintentionally driven prices/costs up, especially when it comes to housing but is ignorance really an excuse? And if the answer is yes, how long does one get that “free pass”? When we become aware of economic influence, it’s time to accept the responsibility to change it.
The Double-Edged Sword of Remote Work and Digital Nomadism
Oftentimes people who move to other countries, work remotely and retain their high paying jobs from their own countries. This is helpful to the people who are getting paid that high income, but can be detrimental to the locals for all the reasons I mentioned above.
My story is a little different. I moved to Portugal with a passive income of about $2,000 a month. Compared to the Portuguese this is double what the minimum wage here is, but for me, it was quite low. I chose (unwisely) to spend 50% on rent. And then my passive income dropped and I was struggling. I started teaching online to make up for the loss but after six months of teaching full time, I was earning $3 per hour, which was unsustainable. This was in addition to three other jobs that I do, mostly for no income and caused my work week to increase to 65 hours.
The positive part of this is that I got a taste of what it’s like to live as a Portuguese person earning minimum wage which helped me to understand the truth of things.
We all need this type of wake-up call; I definitely did.
There’s also a huge difference between long-term expats and shorter-term digital nomads who tend (not always) to have more money to spend. While tourism is a large part of most communities, if you’re staying in a country for several months you still have a responsibility to NOT drive up costs.
Some Solutions
Engage with locals. Talk to locals as much as possible but not just chit-chat or superficial conversations. Ask their opinions about expats and how they see us affecting their communities. Ask what you can do to help as opposed to hinder. Invite people out for coffee, and learn about the culture from their perspective.
Avoid living in an expat bubble! Please don’t only spend time with other expats. Please get out to meet as many locals as possible. This is not as challenging as you may think. I meet locals regularly when I walk my dog, take a class like kickboxing, dance or yoga. I’ve met locals in our vegan group and also by attending other meet ups like “Girls Gone International”. Foster these connections! Introduce your local friends to other expats.
Support local businesses. Buy from local artisans or craftspeople. Eat at local restaurants and cafés. Hire locals to fix things that break at your home, or to help build your new furniture or landscape your garden. Turn to locals for everything you “need” like haircuts, manicures, house cleaning, massages, etc.
Shop at local markets instead of international chains (I’m totally guilty of not doing this particular one).
Respect the local culture and traditions by the way you dress and act. Participate in local events and festivals.
Engage in conversation exchange about your culture vs their culture. I think this is important and interesting. People from other cultures are interested in us and where we come from. Talking about the differences and similarities fosters a deeper connection as long as we’re not trying to push our customs on others or expressing rudeness like “that’s disgusting, we would never do that in America”.
Be a good neighbor! For example: I give my neighbors any extra food I have. Before I understood the amount of potatoes or onions I was buying, I accidentally ordered 3-5 kg and ended up with a large amount of food I couldn’t possibly eat in time. Now, I regularly leave bags of food for my neighbors, and they always reciprocate by inviting me over to socialize with them and their friends. They even volunteered to build my new office chair! Now we walk our dogs together and have a neighbor WhatsApp group. I collect their deliveries for them when they’re not home, etc.
Learn the local language or at least make the effort to do so! Yes this is difficult but it’s respectful and can be so rewarding! People will appreciate your effort even when you make mistakes. And some of your mistakes can be hysterical… like how easy it is to accidentally ask for a “dick” in Portugal!
Volunteering: this is an amazing, helpful and fun way to give back! I have some expat friends here in Portugal who are retired and they volunteer at the local animal shelters. One also does a lot of volunteer work for the vegan group she started and supports local artisans.
There are many ways to volunteer.
You can look for local charities, schools, or community groups.
You can offer free trainings or workshops in areas where you have some expertise.
Participate in environmental causes like beach cleanups, planting new trees or creating gardens.
If able, help fund community development projects like access to clean water, education, healthcare or covering veterinarian costs to catch, castrate and release feral cats.
Animals: there are many ways to help animals in many countries. If you can’t afford to support these causes monetarily, you can volunteer at shelters or provide food for the local cat colonies.
Educate Yourself: talk, learn and research what’s going on politically in your country and town of choice.
Learn about the challenges the local community faces (e.g., poverty, housing crises, environmental threats).
Understand the historical, political, and social context of the region.
Be aware of how your presence as an expat impacts these issues, positively or negatively.
Respect Local Resources and the Environment
Conserve water and electricity, especially in resource-scarce areas.
Avoid contributing to overdevelopment in fragile ecosystems.
Dispose of your waste responsibly and reduce plastic use.
Opt for sustainable transportation methods, like walking, biking, or public transit.
Be Mindful about Housing
Avoid driving up rents by choosing accommodations within local price ranges.
Rent or buy property from local owners rather than foreigners.
Consider living in neighborhoods that are not overly gentrified by expats.
Donate Rather than Sell or Throw Away
I give away everything I’m not using—food, clothes, cookware, bedding, towels, books, electronics, dog stuff, etc. I have several friends who accept/want pretty much everything. I have a Portuguese friend who suggested I donate all extra items to a specific not-for-profit store and she gave me the address. I carted a full pully-bag (AKA: an old lady bag, which I can say since I’m officially an old lady now LOL) about a mile to donate the goods. When my last dog died I donated all of his things to my vet who gave them away to people adopting animals. She’s so awesome, she has eight rescue cats living in her clinic!
You can donate supplies or even funds to local schools or non-profit organizations.
Be a Positive Model for… and Educate Your Children: this entire article was spurred by a lovely conversation I was having with
about how she is exposing her children to other cultures and teaching them about cultural differences and similarities. I love this! It’s being a responsible parent. She is modeling the right way to travel, be a digital nomad and an expat ensuring that her children will grow up to be sustainable, ethical travelers as well.Be a Role Model for Other Expats
Lead by example in how you interact with locals and respect the community.
Share knowledge and advice with new expats to promote ethical and sustainable practices.
Call out harmful behavior in expat communities (e.g., exploitation, cultural insensitivity).
The Colonization Argument
I’ve received quite a lot of comments about how being an expat is no different from colonization and I have to respectfully disagree for the following reasons…
Colonization is a systemic, state-driven act.
Colonization is carried out by governments, empires, or institutions with the explicit intention of controlling, exploiting, or eradicating cultures.
It’s a large-scale, organized effort that typically involves military force, political dominance, and economic exploitation.
Being an expat is an individual decision and does not reflect or represent state-driven agendas. Expats often move for personal reasons like work, education, or lifestyle, not for conquest or control.
Colonization seeks to replace or erase local cultures.
Colonization often involves the suppression of local languages, traditions, religions, and governance, replacing them with those of the colonizing power.
Expats, in most cases, do not aim to eradicate or replace local cultures. Instead, many seek to integrate, learn, and participate respectfully in their host communities.
Colonization is exploitative by design.
Colonization historically involved exploiting local resources, labor, and wealth for the benefit of the colonizing nation, often leaving the colonized regions impoverished.
While expats may inadvertently contribute to issues like gentrification or economic inequality, their presence is not inherently exploitative when approached responsibly. Many expats actively contribute to the local economy through spending, taxes, and community involvement.
Expats do not impose authority or governance.
Colonizers typically imposed foreign governance systems, stripping locals of autonomy and self-determination.
Expats do not govern or dictate policies in their host countries. They live under the authority and laws of their host nation like any other resident.
Colonization is rooted in coercion and violence.
Colonization historically involved forced occupation, slavery, genocide, and violence to maintain control over indigenous populations.
Expats, on the other hand, move voluntarily and usually with legal permission (visas, residency permits) granted by host countries. Their presence is not tied to violence or coercion.
Expats can contribute positively to local communities.
Many expats engage in cultural exchange, education, and community building, which can enrich both their lives and the lives of locals.
Expats often bring investment, skills, and knowledge that can benefit local economies and foster mutual growth, as long as it is done ethically and respectfully.
Colonization often involved systemic racism and dehumanization.
Colonizers historically viewed indigenous peoples as inferior, using racist ideologies to justify their exploitation and domination.
While expats may need to be mindful of avoiding unintentional cultural insensitivity or privilege, their presence is not inherently tied to racist doctrines or dehumanization.
The intention behind being an expat is different.
Colonizers arrived with the explicit purpose of domination and resource extraction. Expats typically move for personal or professional reasons, such as job opportunities, education, or lifestyle changes.
Colonization is a top-down process of control, while being an expat is an individual, bottom-up experience of living abroad.
Expats don’t (and shouldn’t) claim ownership of the land.
Colonization involved the appropriation of land and resources, often declaring them as property of the colonizing nation.
Expats live in their host country as guests or residents, respecting the sovereignty and ownership of the local people and government.
Expats should still be mindful of their impact.
While being an expat is distinct from colonization, it’s important to acknowledge that expats can inadvertently contribute to challenges like gentrification, cultural displacement, or economic inequality.
Expats should strive to integrate respectfully, support local economies, and avoid creating "expat bubbles" or imposing foreign values.
Colonization involved systemic extraction of wealth.
Colonization was designed to funnel wealth and resources from colonized regions to enrich the colonizing powers, often leaving the local population impoverished.
Expats are generally not part of such exploitative extraction systems. Many contribute to their host country's economy through spending, taxes, and employment.
Host countries have agency in allowing expats.
Colonized nations were often forced into submission without consent, with their sovereignty stripped away.
In contrast, modern host countries have agency and control over immigration policies, visas, and residency permits. Expats live in these countries under mutually agreed-upon conditions.
Colonization causes generational trauma.
Colonization has left deep, intergenerational scars, including economic inequality, cultural loss, and systemic oppression that still persists today.
While expat communities may unintentionally cause issues like cultural tension or economic disparities, their presence doesn’t carry the same historical weight or systemic impact as colonization.
The term ‘expat’ itself reflects privilege.
I acknowledge that the term "expat" is often used to describe people from wealthier nations living abroad, while people from poorer nations are more commonly referred to as "immigrants." Although the definition is changing over time.
Recognizing this privilege is important, but it doesn’t make the experience of being an expat equivalent to colonization. Instead, it highlights the need for expats to be self-aware and responsible about their presence.
Colonization’s impact shouldn’t be diluted.
Comparing expats to colonizers risks diluting the severity and impact of colonization. Colonization involved systemic oppression, genocide, and cultural destruction on a massive scale.
While expats may need to address their privilege and impact, equating expat life with colonization oversimplifies and undermines the historical realities of colonization.
Lastly: Don’t Act Like an A%%hole
I know this is kind of a given but my partner (who is Spanish) brought it up and I feel it’s a good thing to address. If an expat or digital nomad enters another culture and acts superior, entitled, or disrespectful, it won’t make a good impression on the culture.
Conclusion
The relationship between expats, digital nomads, and the communities they move into is undeniably complex, filled with opportunities to either create meaningful connections or unintentionally cause harm. While there’s no universal solution to navigating this dynamic, the responsibility lies with each of us to be thoughtful, respectful, and intentional about our actions. Small choices—like learning the local culture, engaging with locals, supporting local businesses, and being mindful of our economic impact—can have a significant positive effect.
Moving abroad is a privilege, and with that privilege comes the duty to give back to the communities that welcome us. Whether through volunteering, fostering connections, or simply being a good neighbor, we have the power to uplift rather than disrupt. It’s not about perfection but about making an effort, staying curious, and always working toward being a positive presence.
Ultimately, being a responsible expat or digital nomad isn’t just about what we do—it’s about who we become in the process. Let’s strive to contribute meaningfully and respectfully to the communities that welcome us.
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This is a wonderful article! Thank you for sharing. I am a dual Italian citizen and live in Italy half the year and I agree with much of what you have to say! I hope you’ll follow me and my exploits at Wisdom She Wrote.
"Avoid driving up rents by choosing accommodations within local price ranges." Will go away little deeper on this with maybe a local example? I can't wrap my head around this, how would I research? What would be say my first three steps in doing so?
Great article, so detailed and gave me so much to think about. Thank you!!