Living in another country

Living abroad is ... exciting - bewildering - fascinating - confusing - eye-opening - infuriating - self-confidence-building - self-confidence-destroying ...

Thanks for visiting Tales from a Small Planet, www.talesmag.com, where personal essays, Real Post Reports and Real School Reports tell you "what it's really like to live there."

We're non-profit, and our mission is to share uncensored and honest information about both the delights (new cultures, fascinating people, unique opportunities, exotic foods) and the challenges (loneliness, loss of identity, struggles to accommodate special needs) of living abroad.

Click here for our Tales: honest personal stories, essays and humor about living abroad

Post Report of the Day

Doha, Qatar

What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?

There are not many jobs in the Embassy for EFMs. The only jobs available are with the State Department. However, there are many EFMs (State and other agencies) applying for the positions.

How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?

This is an issue now. We used to have APO, but they just said that it is not working anymore, and now we have to use the pouch which is very restrictive, in my opinion.