American living in Europe names ‘five best’ countries for expats –with glaring omission
3 min readCepee Tabibian, a US expat living in Spain, detailed what she believes Americans need to consider when selecting their ideal country to move to, including language barriers and visas
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An American living in Europe has listed what she believes are the five best nations for US expats who want to move abroad.
Cepee Tabibian, the owner of She Hit Refresh, a company designed to help women over 30 move overseas, said she knew she wanted to emigrate when she was just 17.
From her experiences of living in Europe, the US expat, who currently lives in Spain but originally hails from Texas, detailed what several factors she believes Americans need to consider when selecting their ideal country, including language barriers and visas.
It comes after a report from The Guardian shared how US celebrities were leaving the country for European destinations, with one noteworthy figure being Courtney Love, who has reportedly been vying for UK citizenship.
In addition, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, as well as Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes and their two children live in the UK. Meanwhile, Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has switched to Spain and Mexico.
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In a piece for CNBC, Cepee wrote: “I knew I wanted to live abroad as soon as I set foot in the Netherlands on a trip at 17.
“I chased that dream for years — studying Spanish in Spain at 21, teaching English there at 26, and pursuing a master’s there at 29 — but I kept ending up back in Texas.”
She explained that she later moved to Spain with “doubts and no clear plan” but soon noticed a “positive shift”. From this moment on, she launched her own her firm and ten years later, she’s still living in the European nation.
When it comes to choosing a country, Cepee advises people to think about five key things; favourable visa options, the cost of living, language barriers, if the place will be welcoming to visitors, and whether there’s a community of expats to lean on.
She then listed five countries she believes would best serve Americans if they wanted to emigrate, although a glaring omission would be the UK, where English is, of course, most people’s first language.
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1. Spain
Cepee said Spain is a particular draw for Americans due to its visas, healthcare prices, and culture. She highlighted that smaller places are welcoming to expats, although English isn’t as common across the country.
She revealed that she started her Spanish journey in Madrid and now lives in Málaga, where there’s an “established expat scene”.
2. Portugal
She stressed that Portugal is particularly friendly to expats and offers attractive visa options. Cepee added that the country is also a good option for retirees, solo women and families as it is affordable, reportedly safe and features an established community of expats.
3. France
In addition to its affordable healthcare, she claimed that France could be a good option for families as it offers family tax breaks and reasonable childcare.
However, the nation does not currently offer a digital nomad visa, meaning remote workers may encounter issues if they wish to stay for longer periods.
4. The Netherlands
Another welcoming nation, English is commonly spoken in The Netherlands, and public transport is reportedly top-notch. In addition, it offers the US-specific DAFT visa, which stands for Dutch-American Friendship Treaty.
It enables self-employed US expats to enjoy living in the country simply by registering a firm locally and making a bank deposit.
5.
US expats travelling to Albania can stay in the country for an entire year without a visa, and it’s reportedly an affordable place to live, making it a decent choice for people who wish to cut costs.
