Thursday, May 10, 2007

The Columbus Mission

There is probably a joy even greater than that one being an explorer yourself and that is the fact that because of your explorations and subsequent recommendations, there will, in the future, be people following your examples and living the life that you are living. Should I call it the Columbus Mission? Yes, you are discovering new lands and circumstances that other people will be able to take advantage of Even if you are not the first to live a lifestyle of a stateless expatriate in any given place or places, you will still discover new things and new locations, and through your advice to others, will be able to change their lives by recommending that they go to where you have gone and do things that you have done. In international life advice matters a lot. Just a sentence of guidance to another person can change their entire life. It is especially true if you have discovered benefits in some little-known, off-the-beaten-path destinations that are not on the main tourist drag or know some very confidential things about it that are not widely publicized. You can literally be the cause of a happy life of another person who will be able to find a country he loves, a partner or a job he loves all because of you, and that person will never forget you as long as he lives. You may even be the cause in the chain of events that may lead to a birth of many mixed children (hopefully legitimate and well taken care of). However, what is amusing when others follow in your footsteps is that often they do completely different things in the new place than what you would do- they do not go to places that you recommended they go to, they do not stay at the hotels where you stayed at, and generally, they try and make the country fit their habits and requirements; not yours. They also end up finding a partner that you may think of as unworthy of them. I guess one should not stop that from happening because they are them and you are you, only that one needs to take special care to warn them about all the dangers in the new place and what to do and not to do there. Finally, it can happen that they will not like the place at all and may end up cursing you for introducing them to a hell hole. That is why you would need to give them a no holds barred disclaimer before they go there. Otherwise, you will end up having an angry friend at your door step or just nasty emails and calls. Not a pleasant thing. That is why you need to tell them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Actually, often, emphasizing the dangers and various serious inconveniences there, you will be able to separate the men from the boys. “Raising” another expat can be a truly rewarding experience especially when you realize that they have become experts in that country ( countries) and are now advising others on how to move there and reap its benefits. Just keep undesirable people from going there, will you?

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