Recently I was in Panama City for a day, before flying back to the US for a family wedding. In my hotel room, I went through the ritual that's becoming familiar to all of us internet-connected travelers: I checked into my flight online and then tried to download my boarding pass. I don't know what happened, but between a very slow internet connection and who-knows-what, I was unable to get the boarding pass. My check-in was fine, but no printed proof. So I took a different tack. I picked up my …
Six VPNs for Expats
I won't rehash all the reasons you need a VPN (virtual private network) -- you can see them here. Just think of it as a must-have service if you're to access all the websites you're used to, and to continue doing business online with your bank back home. (It helps keep others from spying on you when you're using public WiFi as well.) For occasional, limited use, you can use a free VPN service like HotSpot Shield. Unfortunately, the free version serves ads and runs pretty slowly, so if …
Reading for Expats
"Quality of life" involves dozens of items. Some are huge -- where you live and work, and who you live with. Some are small -- a favorite coffee mug. I love to read. For me, it's a quality of life issue. If I couldn't read, my life would be far less enjoyable and meaningful. So when we first started talking about living in another country, I knew I had to find a way to feed my reading habit no matter where in the world I found myself. At that time we had thousands of books in our house. …
Buy One Mobile Phone for Home and Overseas
Technology for Expats Advances in technology have made it much easier for expats to stay in touch with friends and family back home, and even to work remotely from their new locations. There've been lots of changes since I last wrote about technology for expats. While they may make your expat life easier or more convenient, the choices can become overwhelming. One area that's been changing rapidly is mobile phones. If you're confused about all the information about smart phones, "dumb" …
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Netbook vs. Tablet — the Best Portable Computer for Working on the Go
Technology for Anywhereists When I went to Panama last spring, I debated long and hard about what type of computer to carry with me. Did I want my industrial-strength laptop, weighing in at over 10 pounds? Not so much. So I started investigating smaller, lighter alternatives. The two main contenders, based on portability and cost, were either a netbook computer or a tablet. I found the tablet intriguing, but in the end opted for a netbook. My reasoning? I needed to work while on the road, …
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Google Plus for Expats
For the past week, the interwebs have been buzzing about Google Plus. While it's still too early to tell whether it will really kill Facebook (I doubt it) or Twitter (ditto), it's certainly gained a lot of traction, and very quickly. But what does Google Plus (or Google+ or G+) do for expats? First, let me say if you haven't joined yet and want an invitation, let me know. I'll be happy to send you one. Just note on the form that you'd like to join Google+. There's tons of information …