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All I want for Christmas is...says expats
11 December 2008
With Christmas fast approaching, people's thoughts turn to home, and for expatriates it's no different. According to a major new survey by Bupa International, despite over 90 percent of expats highly rating their lifestyle, six out of ten still miss the company of their family and friends, and those originally from Britain pine for the quintessential traditional Sunday roast and fish and chips.
The health insurer surveyed more than 1,300 expats living in over 100 countries about their lives abroad. The results revealed over half of those originally from South Africa miss supporting their teams in sporting fixtures surrounded by their fellow countrymen, whilst a quarter of those from the UK long for their local pub and over half from Australia, miss the sunshine.
Work is the most common reason cited for expats moving abroad (63 percent) except for those based in Spain, where lifestyle is the key motivator (31 percent), followed by retirement for over a quarter of those surveyed. It's perhaps no surprise then that Spain has the highest percentage of expats noting an improvement in their health since moving overseas (57 percent) and a better quality of life (91 percent).
Over two-thirds of expats living in the UK don't think much of the weather and over a quarter aren't favourable about the local cuisine either! However, a quarter rate the British sense of humour and one in five like the music!
When asked what they like best about their new home away from home, over two-thirds of expats said the way of life, with 60 percent also citing the weather. For expats living in Switzerland, the spectacular scenery is also high on the list (83 percent), as is food for those in Thailand (69 percent) and the shops for expats in Hong Kong (35 percent).
Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director, Bupa International said: "For many, moving abroad is a dream come true as well as a huge life-changing challenge - but clearly the weather, food and lifestyle compensate a little for missing close family and friends, especially at important times of the year, such as Christmas.
"There are many factors to consider when choosing the right home away from home and careful planning is essential. Things can get complicated, particularly if you don't understand the healthcare system, which can be very complex and vary enormously from one country to another. So if you are living abroad, make sure you have the appropriate health cover - it will give you peace of mind no matter where you are in the world."
Top health tips:
- Remember that when moving away from the Western world, the most common diseases come from infections, rather than heart disease and cancers.
- Tuberculosis is on the increase worldwide, especially in developing countries. Often a TB check is a mandatory requirement for travel to certain countries.
- People who move abroad for extended periods tend to adopt the diets of their host country and the health benefits or risks associated. This also applies to lifestyle choices, such as smoking and the amount of exercise taken.
- Consider whether you would need emergency evacuation and repatriation. If you are moving to a less developed country this is vital so that you can get the treatment you need. According to Bupa International, Kenya is the top evacuation hotspot in the world, followed by Russia and Indonesia.
- The top reason for people to be evacuated is heart disease, then cancer and orthopaedic treatment.
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