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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="23944870" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sonya-Moore" source="keywords">Sonya Moore</keyword> decided that if Trump won in 2016, she would leave the US.</li><li>She followed through and has been living abroad for seven years.</li></ul>"If Trump wins this election, I'm <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-reelected-americans-are-planning-to-flee-in-droves-2024-3">moving out of the country</a>." I said those words in November 2016. So did a lot of other Americans: so many, in fact, that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-immigration-site-crash-election-2016-11">Canada's immigration website crashed</a> as votes were being tallied due to increased traffic. No joke. I don't know how many others <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-who-left-us-because-of-trump-talk-biden-presidency-2020-12">followed through on that declaration</a>, but I did. Trump won the election, and 9 months later, I left the US. Full disclosure: Trump becoming president was not the only reason I left — it was also about being fed up with my corporate job, coupled with a strong desire to explore the world. I was 37, single, with no children or pets, so I was free to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-mom-quit-job-expat-move-abroad-qatar-singapore-2023-12">quit my job</a>, uproot myself, and take off. I did own a house at the time, which I sold a few months after I left. Upon my departure, I didn't have much of a plan other than the intention to spend some time slowly exploring Asia and teaching English when I needed to make money. This no-plan thing was out of character for me, but I was very comfortable with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southeast-asia-travel-mistakes-packing-weather-clothing-traditions-medicine-2024-4">solo international travel</a>, thanks to previous study abroad experiences and 14 years of intensive overseas work-related travel. <div type="image" title="Sonya Moore in Siem Reap, Cambodia" height="1280" width="1600" msid="115071450" hostid="261"></div><h2>The move opened a new chapter in my life</h2>As months unfolded, I discovered that when you leave space for it, life guides you to the places, people, and opportunities that are meant for you. Seven years later, I'm still living <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-couldnt-afford-retirement-in-california-moved-abroad-travel-happy-2024-10">happily outside the US</a>. While my decision to leave opened up a horizon of experiences beyond my wildest dreams and led me to the man of my dreams, it hasn't all been a bed of roses. The first year, I lived off savings while traveling slowly through Asia. I started my travels in India, where I spent 10 days at a silent meditation retreat, attended teachings by the Dalai Lama, and took a <keyword id="20626363" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="yoga-teacher-training" source="keywords">yoga teacher training</keyword>. I promptly got hooked on teaching yoga. After four months in India, I continued <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-pack-traveling-in-southeast-asia-singapore-thailand-bali-2023-9">making my way through Asia</a> for eight more months. I swam in the crystal clear waters of the Maldives, visited healers in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-family-kids-bali-decompress-relocate-slow-life-work-remote-2024-10">Bali</a>, witnessed breathtaking sunrise views from mountaintops in Laos, went island-hopped through the Philippines, rode motorbikes around Thailand's islands, and discovered ancient pagodas in Myanmar The cost of living in much of Asia is so low that savings can stretch a long way. I have high standards for my accommodations, and while traveling, I usually spent around $20 to $25 per night on hotels. Lower-maintenance friends of mine found simpler places for $6 per night in India. Meals usually cost around $3. After six weeks in India, I considered a lunch bill of $5 to be expensive. <h2>There have been times along the way when I've felt lost </h2>From time to time, I experienced stretches of feeling <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/relocation-moved-to-milan-living-abroad-emotionally-exhausting-unspoken-truths-2023-9">unsettled and lacking a sense of purpose</a>. Over the years, I learned that those periods of doubt and uncertainty will continue to surface. But I also learned to just keep trusting, and the way forward would eventually reveal itself. People often ask me if I was ever afraid while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-women-need-to-know-traveling-solo-southeast-asia-tips-2022-12">traveling alone through Asia</a>. I never was — except a couple of times in India when riding on some precariously high Himalayan roads with no guardrails. But of people? I never had a reason to be. After a year away, I found an opportunity to teach yoga in a small mountain town in Myanmar. Life there was quiet, simple, and beautiful. I lived there for 9 months, and I was profoundly happy most of the time. But there were times <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loneliness-how-to-make-friends-remote-worker-freelancer-new-city-2024-2">I felt lonely</a>. The locals were sweet and kind, with love in their eyes and actions, but I missed friends who spoke my language fluently, with whom I could have deep conversations over a glass of wine. And the dating scene? Nonexistent. <div type="image" title="Sonya Moore kissing a man at the airport" height="2118" width="1754" msid="115071453" hostid="261"></div><h2>I found love during my travels</h2>Another yoga teaching opportunity took me to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is not a big city, but after my small-town Myanmar life, it felt like Manhattan. There were so many restaurants, bars, social events, friends, and even some attractive single men. I fell in love with the town, the quality of life, and the locals. It was easy to get a tourist or work visa to live here long term, and it was almost as inexpensive as India and Myanmar. I was living in Siem Reap when COVID-19 hit. By that time, I was in a <keyword id="20752574" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="long-distance-relationship" source="keywords">long-distance relationship</keyword> with a French man I met during my travels. After the closed borders of the pandemic kept us apart for 7 months, I moved to France to be with him. Our story was long and winding, but it felt like destiny. He <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/my-partner-couple-travel-together-full-time-one-date-2024-5">loves global travel</a> like I do. We've been together for four years and are living together in Papua New Guinea. Our plan is to go back to a nomadic slow-travel lifestyle. My career has gradually evolved to encompass creative pursuits that light me up inside: retreats, writing, photography, and yoga. I am deeply grateful to my former self for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-abroad-cheap-low-cost-living-high-quality-life-2024-1">choosing to leave the US</a>. I sometimes miss family and friends, but thanks to technology, our connection stays alive across the distance, and I go back to visit once a year. I still love America and feel lucky to have been born and raised there. But there's a big world out there waiting to be discovered. Do you have a personal essay about relocating to Asia that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:akarplus@businessinsider.com">akarplus@businessinsider.com</a>. November 11, 2024 — An earlier version of this story mentioned Trump becoming president was not the reason Moore left, it was not the only reason.

I swore I would leave the US if Trump won the 2016 election. Here's how that worked out for me.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Andres Pico, a software engineer from Ecuador, navigated the US education system to land a job at Microsoft.</li><li>Pico faced challenges adapting to US standardized tests and sought scholarships to fund his education.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Andres Pico, a 29-year-old software engineer in Seattle. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I grew up in a small beach town called Manta in Ecuador with my dad, mom, and two sisters. My dad always taught me that there was nothing I couldn't do.I became interested in computers and technology because of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/playstation-plus">PlayStation</a>. Sometimes, I couldn't finish a game because the dialogue and options were in English, so I became very motivated to learn computers and English.<h2 id="aea16f41-f4aa-4e6e-926f-62684543751d">After graduating from high school, I decided I wanted to pursue my education in the US</h2>To apply to a university in the US, you must pass either the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/do-colleges-require-standardized-testing-sat-admissions-what-it-means-2024-3">SAT or ACT</a>. I bought an ACT book and prepared for many months to ensure I could get a good score.I knew I couldn't attend college in the US without a scholarship, so I began investigating scholarships and programs. I found the University of South Florida in Tampa offered a scholarship for students from Latin American countries that would get me a student visa.I was awarded the scholarship, which allowed me to receive a stipend of $1,000 a year to cover textbooks and resident status for tuition purposes.<h2 id="1ea4606f-8ed1-484d-bf1a-b39e05b12a66">I began a bachelor's degree in computer engineering in 2012</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-and-uk-life-biggest-differences-after-moving-home-space-2024-7">Coming to the US</a> at 17 was very challenging. It was my first time leaving home, and there was a lot I didn't understand about the US. I had no close friends or family here for support or guidance.It was also very exciting, as it was an opportunity to push myself. It took some time to get used to classes in English. I studied hard from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.<h2 id="d640f046-61e6-4e77-9c39-669f1b3f751d">In my second semester, I found the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers</h2>The SHPE is a national organization that empowers Hispanics and offers mentorship programs in STEM. Classmates told me they offered free pizza. I'm really glad I was feeling hungry that day.They were welcoming and taught me the basics of the school system, how to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-this-is-an-excellent-resume-2013-11">create a résumé</a>, conduct interviews, and apply to grad school. It was a blessing to find them — suddenly, I had a community of people who wanted to help me succeed.<h2 id="e2632ea8-177e-49a0-b62a-e961cc3cb10a">A fellow student advised me to get as many internships as possible</h2>That was the best advice I received for navigating the US system. If I had just focused on the school material and not gained practical experience, I'm not sure I would've been able to find a job after graduating.I had multiple internships as a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/recruiter-how-filter-applications-software-engineering-job-post-atl-interview-2024-5">software engineer</a> with local companies in data centers and startups via student work permits. These internships allowed me to gain experience and earn some money.I was extremely fortunate to count on my dad's support to cover any difference between my earnings and expenses.<h2 id="f9d3935c-b09d-48b2-9bb8-dfcaa291a51f">I went on to pursue a master's degree in computer science at Virginia Tech</h2>I sought universities with good computer science programs and scholarships or assistantships. Virginia Tech had an amazing program and great tenured professors, and it offered me an opportunity as a TA, so the decision was obvious.My teaching assistantship paid for all my tuition and also paid me around $20,000 each semester.<h2 id="c9fdec8c-c770-4f06-a7af-8a6bb5f26c51">I started applying for jobs in 2017</h2>I must've applied for over 100 of them. When you apply, employers ask you if they'll need to sponsor you at some point in the future, as not every employer can cover the financial costs associated with the process when the time comes.I received four offers from Microsoft, Verizon, Deutsche Bank, and Disney. Microsoft had the best offer and was willing to sponsor my visa.<h2 id="a93721cf-c9e0-46f2-bd96-3071c98b4800">I started as a software engineer with Microsoft in 2018</h2>When I started my job at Microsoft in Seattle, I could work thanks to a student work permit that lasts one year after graduation and is granted to all F-1 visa students. While working on the student permit, your employer helps you apply for an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/h1b-visa-lottery-changes-benefit-startups-hiring-immigrants-2024-2">H-1B</a> visa.I applied for a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/big-tech-green-card-applications-pause-2024-5">green card</a> after working on my H-1B visa for a year. By this point, I had lived in the US for about six years and created a whole life here, but the green card process was very painful.<h2 id="a2b4001a-c572-41e4-89cb-053b4e3c883a">The process makes life pretty horrible</h2>Having a work visa and going through the green card process are privileges, but it is very hard to separate the emotional component.There's no guarantee that you'll get to stay. If something goes wrong at any given time, you have to be ready to pack your bags and leave everything behind. I know some people who tried to get it three times and ran out of chances and had to return home.The first few years working were also difficult because I wasn't around anyone who looked like me. I wanted to grow and challenge myself, but at the same time, it made me wonder if I belonged, and doubt and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/managing-imposter-syndrome-when-you-are-the-boss-2021-10">imposter syndrome</a> crept in.Luckily, Microsoft paid for the attorneys in the green card process, and no cost came out of my pocket.<h2 id="1eb526a5-91be-4063-bec1-58a529e97297">I had to constantly review what they were putting on the application forms</h2>My key takeaway is that, even if you're working with lawyers, you still have to assume complete ownership of the application process and remember the lawyers supporting you, being human, can make mistakes.I was audited because some of the information that had been submitted was incorrect. It took me six to eight months to provide supplemental information and pass the audit.In 2022, I finally received my green card after three years.<h2 id="bd375841-9305-458d-bfb3-92ac255d1675">Last year, I decided to move into product management and took a new job at Starbucks</h2>In software engineering, you work on problems created by engineers for engineers. I wanted to learn how to build products that our customers actually love, so I ended up becoming a technical product manager.I love the US, I love the city I live in, and I love its people. I try to make it a better place by providing value through my career and volunteering in my local community.I even recently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-couple-left-nyc-bought-vermont-house-slow-life-2024-9">bought a house</a> here — I don't have plans to move anywhere else.Want to share your story? Email Lauryn Haas at lhaas@businessinsider.com.

I got my green card after working at Microsoft on an H-1B visa. The process was very painful, but I love the US and don't plan to leave.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Vaishali Gauba dreamed of being a journalist in the US but wasn't able to secure an H-1B visa. </li><li>Years later, Gauba secured a work visa in Canada after moving there to study. </li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Vaishali Gauba, 29, about her experience navigating the US and Canadian immigration systems. Business Insider verified her visas. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-usa-denmark-pros-prefer-america-2024-3">moved to the US</a> when I was 17, with ambitions of being a journalist.I grew up in Gurugram, India, and moved to New Jersey in 2012 for my undergraduate degree. I studied journalism, media studies, and business management at Rutgers University.I worked with major US news outlets during and after college and wanted to keep working in America, but couldn't secure an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-startups-sponsor-h1b-work-visas-2024-1">H-1B work visa</a>. I returned to India feeling defeated. Five years later, I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/english-man-moved-to-canada-loves-it-surprising-things-2023-10">relocated to Canada</a>.In Canada, I found a clearer path to securing a work permit, and I'm less worried about being uprooted by the immigration system.<h2 id="b6a8d628-2960-4ae2-bfa9-e6651b4da0a4">I interned at US media companies at university</h2>I came to the US on an F-1 visa, which is for full-time students.During my studies, I worked for the student newspaper, The Daily Targum, and also did news internships at CNBC, NBC, and CBS, which each lasted around four months.I remember having to get permission from international student services and the journalism department to do the internships, as there were restrictions around working off-campus for F-1 students. The work had to be related to my field of study.I remember feeling anxious about needing to get so many approvals to work as an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-employers-can-support-international-students-job-seekers-2022-3">international student</a>, but thankfully, I was permitted to do the internships.Working at big-name publications felt like a milestone, but it was also difficult to balance the internships with two college majors.<h2 id="76d690be-d407-4073-9d70-b7a3d889b3da">I wasn't able to secure an H-1B visa to stay in the US</h2>I became accustomed to the reality that anything related to my professional life required a lot of paperwork. I knew that to continue working in the US, I needed to apply for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ice-arrests-15-students-employed-fake-companies-to-stay-us-2020-10">optional practical training</a>, which allows F-1 students to work for a year in a field related to their studies.I graduated in May 2016, and after my OPT was approved, I started on the CBS Page Program, a rotational program for graduates.I had several assignments there, including on the evening news and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I talked with Stephen Colbert at the show's rooftop parties and saw many celebrities on the job.But my time there was limited. The Page Program lasted a year, around the time my OPT expired. After six months on the program, I asked CBS about the possibility of sponsoring me for an H-1B visa but was told they don't offer sponsorships.I didn't realize this when I started working there, but I wanted the experience and to work on my OPT, so I would have done the program regardless.I applied to other jobs, but many applications included a question about whether I'd need a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fake-name-resume-hired-guilty-2024-5">visa sponsorship</a> now or in the future. I felt that this one question was already filtering me out as a candidate and I wasn't getting called for interviews.I spoke with two lawyers about my options. They told me about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-ukraine-tech-culture-differences-2024-5">O-1 visa</a> for people with "extraordinary" ability in certain fields. I tried gathering references for the application, but as time went on, I felt my chances were slim.This is partly because the lawyers shared case studies of people who received O-1 visas with me, and I felt they were more arts-orientated than journalism-orientated. I felt the lawyers weren't confident I had a good chance, so I decided not to apply.Extended family members and lawyers suggested I continue my education to stay in the US on another F-1 visa. I eventually decided against this as I didn't think I could learn anything about news from a school program I wasn't already learning at CBS.<h2 id="f3fc1807-fde1-4bd6-b552-e9cd476f3cef">I went back to India feeling defeated</h2>I started to feel lost. I remember lashing out at my dad on the phone when he suggested I come home, but in the end, I had a gut feeling that it was time to return to India, so <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/left-us-for-northern-ireland-these-cultural-differences-surprised-me-2023-9">I left the US</a> in August 2017.It felt like a defeat. I knew I wanted to be a journalist in America, but I couldn't do it. I'd given so much to the US in terms of time, energy, and money, and it was hard to accept that I had to give up on it because of visa stuff.I spent the next five years in India, working in journalism before pivoting into a brand and communications position. In 2021, I began freelancing in PR and marketing strategy.I planned on doing a master's in digital media to boost my PR career. My boyfriend at the time, who's my husband now, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-from-sydney-australia-to-canada-pros-cons-2024-5">moved to Canada</a> for his MBA in 2021, so I started exploring master's options there.<h2 id="d34eb837-2609-4a93-ba9b-25683513eb6c">I've found the Canadian immigration system to be more immigrant-friendly</h2>I came to Canada on a study permit and started my master's program at Toronto Metropolitan University in September 2022.I applied for a work visa in September 2023 after finishing my studies. While it took a long time to get my study permit because of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cicnews.com/2023/12/breaking-canadian-parliament-committee-provides-recommendations-to-address-immigration-backlogs-1240610.html#gs.bm1bft">the backlog created by COVID-19</a>, the work visa process took less than a month and was fairly easy.Graduating from my master's program made me eligible for an open work permit, which isn't tied to a specific employer. I'm self-employed as a freelancer.Unlike the US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/h1b-visa-lottery-changes-benefit-startups-hiring-immigrants-2024-2">H-1B process</a>, I didn't need an employer to sponsor me, and there was no lottery system.While I'm aware that some people have a hard time coming to Canada, my overall experience of Canadian immigration processes has been smooth. I feel it's more favorable to immigrants than the US processes.I couldn't get a work visa in the US, but there was a clearer and more stable path to getting one in Canada.When I left the US in 2017, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-first-week-as-president-2017-1">Donald Trump</a> had just become president. My understanding is that it's become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-google-twitter-speak-out-against-trump-h1b-visa-freeze-2020-6">harder to get a work visa in the US</a> since.My work visa expires in October 2024, and I'm open to options for settling in Canada beyond that. Moving back to India is still a small possibility as my partner, and I have family there, but I like the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/montreal-canada-city-low-cost-of-living-quality-of-life-2024-6">quality of life in Canada</a>, and I'm less concerned about my life being uprooted here than I was in the US.

I lost my dream job in the US because I couldn't get a work visa. In Canada, the pathway has been much smoother. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Senior product manager Yung-Yu Lin shares six strategies for preparing for FAANG interviews.</li><li>Strategies include mock interviews, subscribing to company news, and contacting recruiters.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-write-big-tech-resume-google-meta-product-manager-2024-6">Yung-Yu Lin,</a> a senior product manager at Google in Sunnyvale, California. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his employment history.In my two-decade-long tech career, I have worked in Taiwan, where I am from, and spent the last eight years in the US.I was a software engineer at Yahoo in Taiwan, and moved to the US to pursue an MBA in 2014. Since graduation, I have worked at<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-write-big-tech-resume-google-meta-product-manager-2024-6"> Meta, Visa, and PayPal</a> and am currently a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-product-manager-shares-her-two-page-resume-she-loves-2024-5">product manager at Google</a>.Over the years, I have designed an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/engineer-tech-interview-preparation-leetcode-questions-ask-meta-amazon-salesforce-2024-5">interview preparation strategy</a> that has worked for me.Here are six things I do leading up to a big technical interview:<h2 id="5921a9db-c303-413b-a005-12186558833a">1. Mock interviews</h2>It doesn't matter who you are — everyone gets nervous in interviews.The only thing you can do is practice and familiarize yourself with the interview process.This is why I am a big believer in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mock-interviews-chatgpt-land-jobs-ex-disney-recruiter-2024-2">mock interviews</a>, which can be taken on several career-building sites such as IGotAnOffer, which is what I used when preparing for Google.I took four mock interviews, which were structured so that I was paired with another candidate attempting to get into Google. We took turns role-playing as an interviewer and a candidate. It was a helpful format because I not only got a second set of eyes on my performance, but also took notes on what my partner did well and what they didn't.<h2 id="2e359a31-43a6-4b11-a4c5-799a52ce8d6e">2. Prepare for technical questions</h2>As a product manager, I did not have coding rounds like other tech roles such as software engineering or data science. However, I did have technical interview rounds focused on system design questions.Practice system design questions are available on several websites and there are books. I would go through them one to two weeks <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/faang-interview-tips-from-ex-google-employee-started-recruiting-platform-2024-6">before the interview</a> and try to answer them.I focused on preparing different examples for each use case.<h2 id="3edd7d98-8e69-4ffb-9c69-7deeedd3f801">3. Drop the recruiter a message</h2>If I am able to clear the first round, I will proactively ask the recruiter what the second round looks like.I always try to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/recruiter-how-filter-applications-software-engineering-job-post-atl-interview-2024-5">view recruiters as partners</a> in my application process, and tell myself that they have the most information about the role. I always ask them for any information they can share about my next interview and what a successful candidate for my role looks like based on their experience.<h2 id="0230ffc4-92f7-4fda-aaae-583a35abc404">4. Read my own notes</h2>In the last 24 hours before a big interview, I stop doing any mock interviews or looking at new technical questions to prevent feeling even more anxious.Instead, I keep a notebook where I jot down what went well and my weaknesses after each interview or question practice session. On the last day, I just go through those notes and try to sleep well.<h2 id="21340296-35f0-45ff-a643-b9c85d4dc14e">5. Subscribe to company news</h2>To have a good discussion, and to be able to ask informed questions at the end of my interview, I set up Google Search alerts for the company I am interviewing at.I take a look at whatever is happening in the past week and if there are any significant updates or news about the company. I would try to plan a few questions around these updates, and ask interviewers what it means for the company or industry.<h2 id="267dae58-a49d-4c95-9480-9c8f32f0fa08">6. Prep questions to ask the interviewer</h2>One of the biggest reasons I landed my first job at Meta was that my manager was happy with the questions I asked. They told me: "When we interviewed you, you had a good understanding of the company, about the business model, about the team's responsibility.""You will need less time to boot up and to get on board," they said.Here are two questions I try to ask:<ol><li>What does a good team player look like?This shows you what their team dynamics looks like, and what you should pay attention to to be seen as a good colleague. And it gives your hiring manager confidence that you're interested in being part of a team.</li><li>What is the most challenging project of their time at the company?This can give you signals that if you join, how big is the scale of the problems you will be working on. It can also give you insight into opportunities for growth and what domains you will be working with.Do you work in tech, finance, or consulting and have a story to share about your career journey? Get in touch with this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:shubhangigoel@insider.com">shubhangigoel@insider.com</a></li></ol>

I've worked at Meta, Visa,  and Google. There are 6 steps I always take when preparing for a big interview.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>George, an American, works in Germany but will move back to the US to retire and collect Medicare.</li><li>He wants to retire in the US because he believes the healthcare options are better for him.</li></ul>After a decade of working abroad, George said he'll return to the US to retire.George, 65, is an American living in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-living-in-germany-difficult-place-to-live-perks-2024-6">Munich</a>. He plans on working two or three more years before returning to Seattle, where he lived before moving abroad.George is a "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-retirement-of-peak-boomers-could-affect-economy-social-security-2024-4">peak boomer</a>," meaning he's part of the "largest and final cohort" of baby boomers to turn 65 this year and enter retirement age, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.protectedincome.org/peak65-economic-impact-forum/">report</a> from the Alliance for Lifetime Income's Retirement Income Institute. Many peak boomers are getting strategic about their retirement strategies and when they would <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-waiting-collect-social-security-higher-benefit-retirement-no-savings-2024-7">start collecting Social Security benefits</a> in the hopes of getting more bang for their buck. George is one of those individuals: he plans on retiring when he's 67 or 68 to get his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/agereduction.html">full Social Security benefits</a>, which for him, will start when he's 66 and 10 months.Additionally, America's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-cutting-medicare-social-security-benefits-2024-3">Medicare benefits</a> and being near family are factors driving his decision to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reverse-culture-shock-moving-back-to-america-asia-singapore-2023-12">retire in the US.</a>"I don't see myself staying here permanently when I have family back home," said George, who asked to use his middle name due to privacy concerns. "Even outside of Medicare, I just feel that healthcare is better," he said.George hasn't given up his American citizenship, and his wife, who lives in Germany with him, is a citizen of the Philippines. He's on a work visa and files with insurance to access Germany's national healthcare services.While he said the healthcare system is great on average, it's becoming more difficult to manage the bureaucracy of insurance filings as an American abroad. That headache could grow even more tedious as he gets older and will likely need more care.George had surgery on one knee in 2015 and is trying to schedule surgery on his other knee for this fall. But, he said he is facing hurdles, such as certain rehabilitation hospitals opting not to treat US citizens for insurance concerns. It makes him even more eager to return to the US."You spend a lot of spare time working things out that are so much easier in the US, especially if you're on Medicare," he said. "You just want to go back home so you don't have to deal with it all."George shared the differences between living in America and Germany, and which aspects he's not ready to give up as he prepares to move back.<h2 id="2676068a-b627-4fa0-a3b6-cf4eccd4301a">The ease of traveling through Europe makes up for the healthcare headaches</h2>George has worked as an engineer at the same company for over 30 years and began taking small work trips overseas in the 2000s. For privacy reasons, he asked not to disclose the company's name.He moved to Saudi Arabia in 2014 to work on overseas projects for a US company. In 2017, he transferred to Munich for a new project, where he's been living ever since.George said many aspects of life in Munich are preferable to the US, including less <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/insights-blog/acting-data/gun-violence-united-states-outlier">gun violence</a> and the beauty of the Alps in his backyard. He also said the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/german-vs-american-work-life-differences-according-to-us-mom-2024-4">quality of life</a> is better for him, particularly because it's a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timeout.com/news/this-european-city-has-been-named-the-worlds-most-walkable-041224">walkable</a>, cycle-friendly city.He lives in a rented apartment with his wife near the English Garden, a 375-hectare public park packed with architectural sights and a beer garden. He said it's one of the aspects of the city he'll miss the most.Germany's infrastructure is also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings/well-developed-infrastructure">better</a> compared to the US, George said, including the transportation system. "You can pretty much get anywhere by train or bus within Germany," George said.However, one of his favorite trips is driving south of Germany through the Dolomite Mountains in Italy."There is nothing, in my opinion, like a drive from Germany to Italy," George said. "Those kinds of things I'll miss the most."George said he's enjoyed learning about the cultural quirks of Germany, like Steckerlfisch, a roasted fish often served as a street food. He said he enjoys people-watching and drinking German beer — hefeweizen in warmer and pilsner in cooler seasons.He also enjoys working with people from around the world and appreciates the international atmosphere in the office.<h2 id="80fc0376-1e4a-4898-bc84-a4f6c384325c">Cost of living in Munich</h2>George said German consumers are still managing the effects of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/german-inflation-confirmed-28-may-2024-06-12/">cooling inflation</a>, similar to Americans. Additionally, the main cost of living concern in Munich is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-19/berlin-and-munich-face-rent-surge-as-buying-becomes-costlier">housing</a>.He said utilities are particularly expensive, and he's seen an uptick in electricity and gas <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/selected-issues-papers/Issues/2023/07/24/Impact-of-High-Energy-Prices-on-Germanys-Potential-Output-536837">prices</a> since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.However, day-to-day food at the grocery store is relatively cheaper than what he'd buy in the US.George said he does miss things about the US, like the quality of red meat he'd buy at the supermarket. He said the US has more variety and more goods imported from countries around the world, particularly when it comes to seasonal produce.One of the best aspects of Munich is the ease of flying internationally, George said."Living here, it's easy to travel to these other places because it's as if you're traveling from New York to Chicago," George said. "I can go for a weekend to Mallorca or Sicily or Dubai."Before he retires to the US, he said he'll try to appreciate all the perks of living abroad."I'm able to travel and enjoy that right now," George said. "I am not ready to give that up yet."Are you an American living or working abroad and considering retiring in the US? Have healthcare concerns influenced your decision to move abroad? This reporter wants to hear from you. Please reach out at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:jtowfighi@businessinsider.com">jtowfighi@businessinsider.com</a>

A 'peak boomer' working in Germany plans to retire in the US because he believes the healthcare is better 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Australia plans to cut new international student enrollment by a third next year.</li><li>The cap follows a surge in international students post-pandemic, straining the rental market.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/australia-law-right-to-disconnect-ignore-calls-after-hours-work-2024-8">Australia</a> is capping new international students next year, in an effort to curb record migration.The country plans to limit <a target="_blank" class="" href=" https://www.businessinsider.com/how-employers-can-support-international-students-job-seekers-2022-3">international student</a> enrollments to 270,000 in 2025, Australian education minister announced on Tuesday. In 2023, there were just over 400,000 new international students."There's about 10% more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/studying-abroad-in-north-korea-isolating-surreal-friendships-made-2024-7">international students</a> in our universities today than before the pandemic, and about 50% more in our private vocational and training providers," education minister Jason Clare said in a press briefing on Tuesday. "These reforms are designed to make it better and fairer, and set it up on a more sustainable footing going forward."The government will assign each university or vocational institute an individual limit.Australia has about 718,000 total <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-visa-moved-usa-canada-immigrants-2024-7">international students</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-diplomat-chinese-students-should-not-access-sensitive-tech-2024-6">primarily from China</a>, India, and Nepal, according to 2024 education department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.education.gov.au/international-education-data-and-research/international-student-numbers-country-state-and-territory">figures</a>.Curbs on migration were first announced in December, when Australia said it would tighten visa scrutiny for graduates and require students to secure higher scores on their English proficiency tests.The restrictions come after a period of concessions to encourage foreign workers and students who left during the pandemic to return to Australia. That created an influx of foreigners, which worsened the pressure on the country's tight rental market.Clare added that the restrictions will also limit the amount of "shonks" — people and businesses exploiting the demand for international education in Australia. Authorities have previously said that some providers participate in unethical practices or scams, such as recruiting students who are not proficient enough in English to do well, luring students with the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/26/fraudulent-course-providers-face-closure-in-labors-international-education-crackdown">promises of jobs</a>, or promising tuition fee discounts to those who recruit other students.Canada announced similar limitations earlier this year, in an effort to bring down the costs of buying and renting homes.Canada's immigration agency said in January that it will cap the number of acceptances for international study permits. The move is expected to cut the number of students by 35% compared to last year and reduce the number of "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://globalnews.ca/news/10241346/international-student-visas-canada/">puppy mills</a>" that provide poor-quality education.According to a study by education consultant IDP, the US, Australia, the UK, and Canada are hotspots for those seeking international education, with countries like Germany, New Zealand, and Ireland gaining interest in recent years.Since May 2023, the UK has clamped down on international students bringing their families on all student visas, except postgraduate research and those with government scholarships. The changes have also reduced the number of people using student passes as a loophole to work. The government <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-government-action-on-student-visas-comes-into-effect">forecast</a> that the changes would lead to 140,000 fewer people coming to the country.In the US, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/h1b-visa-lottery-changes-benefit-startups-hiring-immigrants-2024-2">dwindling chances</a> of landing a work visa after graduation because of the H-1B lottery system have made the country less attractive for some foreign students. A Trump-era executive order <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2021/08/10/biden-keeps-costly-trump-visa-policy-denying-chinese-grad-students/">denying visas to Chinese graduate students</a> also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/decline-china-international-students-economy-universities-trump-biden-immigration-covid-2022-8">slashed the number of enrollments.</a>

It's a terrible time to be an international student. Australia is the latest country to limit visas.

London: Universities and student groups on Tuesday urgently lobbied British Prime Minister <keyword id="19906889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rishi-Sunak" source="keywords">Rishi Sunak</keyword> to safeguard the country's <keyword id="21659184" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="post-study-visa" source="keywords">post-study visa</keyword> offer, which has been dominated by Indians to gain work experience for around two years at the end of their university degree. Amid reports that Sunak is considering either restricting or ending the <keyword id="20616105" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Graduate-Route" source="keywords">Graduate Route</keyword> to curtail soaring migration statistics ahead of a general election, a group of nearly 30 university vice-chancellors and the <keyword id="21760521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-indian-students-and-alumni-association" source="keywords">National Indian Students and Alumni Association</keyword> (NISAU) UK have issued detailed letters of appeal to 10 Downing Street. They list a series of factors in favour of keeping the Graduate visa scheme unchanged, including the benefits that international students bring to the UK economy in a competitive global higher education marketplace. "Modelling by consultancy London Economics shows that a single cohort has a net economic benefit of GBP 37 billion to the UK economy; as well as through the soft power that Britain's international graduates generate for the country over time, including through furthering ties of trade and diplomacy," reads the NISAU UK letter addressed to Sunak. "Indeed, 70 per cent of <keyword id="19971660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-students" source="keywords">Indian students</keyword> have told us that the ability to gain meaningful work experience is a critical element in their decision to choose between competing international destinations, of which the UK is one... the Graduate Route allows the opportunity to gain this work experience for a temporary period. It is non-extendable and does not count towards permanent settlement. This means that neither students nor Graduate visa holders should be considered 'immigrants' in the context of the long-term picture of migration," it notes. Their appeal comes a week after the influential <keyword id="20609895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Migration-Advisory-Committee" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Migration Advisory Committee" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Migration Advisory Committee">Migration Advisory Committee</keyword> (MAC) advised the government to let the scheme continue as it found no abuse of this post-study work offer. It also confirmed that Indians topped its tally, accounting for 89,200 visas between 2021 and 2023, or 42 per cent of the overall grants, and were likely to be "most affected by any restriction on the Graduate Route". In their letter to Sunak, universities in the north of England — from Sunderland to Sheffield, Leeds to Lancaster, Liverpool to Teesside, Bradford to Huddersfield, and York to Newcastle — said they will all be harmed by the removal or reduction of this visa as it is an "intrinsic part of the educational offer that has made the UK so attractive to brilliant students from all around the world". "The Graduate Visa Route is regarded by students in key markets like India as an integral part of their educational experience. The MAC review made clear that the removal of this route would make the UK less attractive and thus would cause considerable financial detriment to universities around the country," reads their joint letter. "International student tuition fee income has long cross-subsidised underfunded research and has increasingly become critical to cross-subsidise the teaching of UK undergraduate students because of the frozen tuition fee. Universities cannot continue to absorb the costs of teaching UK undergraduates without some form of alternative funding source," they caution. On top of their visa fees, international students who find work and start businesses contribute billions of pounds in income tax, national insurance and VAT annually. The university chiefs point out that they are also usually net contributors to the National Health Service (NHS) through the NHS surcharge. The Russell Group of the UK's leading universities issued its appeal over the weekend, with CEO Tim Bradshaw warning that there has already been a 10 per cent decline in international applications for post-graduate courses starting this September in the wake of the clampdown on students being able to bring dependant family members. "A further restriction on international students would not only be unnecessary — as numbers are already falling — but also damaging, resulting in less spending in local communities, fewer opportunities for domestic students and less UK research," he noted in a letter to Sunak. Members of his own Cabinet are believed to be opposed to any changes to the Graduate scheme, but the British Prime Minister is having to balance pressures from the right of the governing Conservatives who are single-minded in their demands to curb all forms of legal as well as illegal migration levels ahead of an election later this year.

Universities, student groups lobby PM Sunak to keep UK's post-study visa scheme unchanged

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As college tuition fees soar, more American students are going abroad.</li><li>Beyond cheaper tuition, college abroad can offer multiple benefits, including exposure to new cultures.</li></ul>When it was time for Liza Jean Miezejeski to start thinking about college, she couldn't stop worrying about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/professor-student-loan-debt-suddenly-forgiven-2024-8">student debt</a>."Every time I looked, there were schools that seemed interesting, but none that was worth going into debt for," she told Business Insider.One day, while in the car with her mom, she heard on the radio that Americans were moving to Germany for free education. It sounded like a dream to her: a chance to live abroad and earn an affordable college degree.Miezejeski, then a sophomore at a Connecticut high school, started to look into it seriously. She ended up <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-gen-z-college-europe-university-abroad-prague-brussels-affordable-2024-8">attending a university in Prague</a> and then moved to Brussels for graduate school. She graduated from both schools with no debt.Miezejeski is not alone. Like her, more American students are looking abroad to complete their college education.While<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyu-student-hated-study-abroad-semester-florence-italy-2023-3"> study abroad</a> programs — which allow students to spend a semester or a year overseas — are nothing new, completing a full degree outside the US has been gaining popularity.A representative for the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit exchange organization based in New York, told BI the number of US-based students who went to college abroad has increased in the last year. "Most US colleges and universities anticipate increased or stable student participation in study abroad in the forthcoming 2024/25 academic year," the representative said. They said this includes students in non-exchange programs and those pursuing degrees overseas.James Edge, the owner of Beyond the States, a platform that helps students apply to bachelor's and master's programs abroad, said he's seen a 5 to 10% increase in students pursuing degrees abroad each year since he joined the company three years ago.Greg Kaplan, a private college admissions counselor and the author of "Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting Into Highly Selective Colleges," said interest has increased tenfold over the past six years. "Six years ago, if we had one student applying abroad, it was interesting," he said. Now, out of the 350 high school students his company works with yearly, 10 to 20% apply to college abroad, he said.There are several reasons for this, from an interest in specific programs to a desire to explore the world. But above all, experts and students alike have echoed the same sentiment: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-tuition-costs-too-much-make-degrees-matter-less-jobs-2023-9">college in America is too expensive</a>.<h2 id="8e99aa2f-2e09-4281-86df-d39f0ee659f3">The skyrocketing prices of college in the US</h2>According to the<a target="_blank" href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Search?query=college%20tuition&amp;query2=college%20tuition&amp;resultType=all&amp;page=1&amp;sortBy=relevance&amp;overlayDigestTableId=202707"> National Center for Education Statistics</a>, students in the US spent an average of $28,297 a year — or around $113,188 for a four-year program — on tuition and required fees at public out-of-state schools in the academic year of 2022 to 2023.These fees have risen over the years. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/see-20-years-of-tuition-growth-at-national-universities">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a> found that among the 436 colleges in its annual rankings, out-of-state tuition fees at public universities have risen by around 32% over two decades after adjustments for inflation. The same report showed that in-state tuition fees at public universities have grown by 45%.And <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-us-universities-wildly-expensive-education-tuition-fees-america-2024-3">private colleges</a> in the US can cost more than twice that much. Tuition this year at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/financial-aid/undergraduate/costs/budget-costs.htm">Pepperdine University</a> in Malibu, which is ranked as one of the most expensive schools in the country, is $65,990."That sticker shock is very potent for families," said Robert Harry, an associate director of college counseling at Kent School, a boarding school in Connecticut.Harry estimates that in his 15 years of experience, the number of kids who went abroad for college increased from around 1% of any given high school class to as much as 5 or 10% of a class.<h2 id="da752867-c83d-49cb-9f93-4e420a8dea12">Many have their eyes set on Europe</h2>College in Europe has become an attractive alternative. For one, tuition is generally cheaper. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://beyondthestates.com/">Beyond the States</a> lists the average tuition fee for European bachelor's programs as $7,390 a year for international students. The average is based on calculations from its database of 12,600 English-taught bachelor's programs in Europe. In some countries, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-germany-from-us-school-almost-deported-dont-regret-2023-11">Germany, public college education is free</a>, even for international students.Many European university degrees often take three years to complete, so it's also one less year of college tuition to pay for. "You get an extra year of your life back," Edge said.American students often turn to English-speaking destinations like the UK and Ireland for their education abroad. However, college advisors said other European and Asian countries, like the Netherlands and Japan, that offer English-language programs are also gaining popularity.<h2 id="c8d0dc93-f262-4e4f-96d1-cf7969c1161f">The rise in interest comes as US applications become more competitive</h2><div type="image" title="A girl and her brother on a bridge in Toulouse, France" height="900" width="1200" msid="114566917" hostid="261" sizebytes="90356"></div>In 2019, Jacob Zeidberg <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-couple-sent-both-kids-college-europe-france-spain-cost-2024-7">applied to almost 30 schools</a> in the US. He was waitlisted or rejected from all of them.A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.commonapp.org/files/FY_application_trends_end_season_report_23-24.pdf">2024 report from Common App,</a> a college application platform, showed that application volume has grown by 171% since the 2014-15 academic year. The number of applications per applicant has risen by 46% in the same timeframe, now totaling 6.65 applications per person."When the Common App became ubiquitous, it started to get <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-competitive-than-ever-get-into-college-admissions-2024-1">really hard to get into American institutions</a> just because it's so much easier to apply to so many more of them," Harry said.It's pushed some parents and students to look elsewhere.For many, Europe is the answer. "Even if you haven't done all the extracurriculars, or if you haven't taken the SATs, it is much easier to get accepted to school in Europe because the way they do admissions is slightly different," Edge, owner of Beyond the States, said.For example, he said they may focus more on the student's academic strengths than on standardized tests.Zeidberg eventually applied to Toulouse Business School in France. He said the application process was smooth and efficient, and he was accepted two weeks later."It was like night and day," his mom, Jennifer Zeidberg, told BI.<h2 id="ea928511-b08c-486a-a718-951d6f05e28a">The benefits of college abroad go beyond cost</h2>In many US colleges, students declare a major after their freshman year. Many colleges outside the US are more specialized.That system appeals to many people who are sure of their interests. "If you are definitely a math person, knowing that you can do three or four years of math and never have to write another English essay — it's intriguing for people," Harry said.Scarlett Kiaras-Attari, who grew up in Kentucky and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-student-romanticized-uk-edinburgh-scotland-oxford-college-university-london-2024-8">moved to Scotland in 2018</a> for undergrad, was one of them. "I was so interested in medieval history and Classics," she told BI. "I just knew that there was no other place that I had applied to that was really going to capture that the way that I thought Edinburgh could."<div type="image" title="A girl poses in front of Oxford University" height="2268" width="3024" msid="114566921" hostid="261" sizebytes="556072"></div>Some students also seek niche fields that can only be found abroad. Kaplan, for example, had a student who turned down programs in the US because he wanted more exposure to Formula 1 racing, which is primarily rooted in Europe. He ended up studying motorsports engineering at Oxford.For many, being able to travel easily is also a huge plus."You can just pop on a train and go right next door to Portugal or France, for example. There's just so much more opportunities for cultural engagement," said Edge.<h2 id="47862e7c-8637-4709-bca9-9464a643493b">Important considerations</h2>Although tuition fees are usually lower, college advisors said that students going abroad have to consider other costs, such as visas, daily expenditures, rent, and flights back home.They should also consider the emotional impact of moving abroad.<div type="image" title="A girl posing in front of a castle in Germany" height="903" width="1204" msid="114566918" hostid="261" sizebytes="234730"></div>Amanda Mrozek, who withdrew from Central Michigan University in her third year and moved to Germany to get her degree in 2021, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-moving-germany-college-university-things-to-know-2024-7">struggled with cultural differences</a>.For example, her college in Germany lacked school spirit and a sports culture, she said. Most students also lived off-campus and went straight home after class instead of hanging out on campus."It's just not fun," she previously told BI. "I understand people will say, 'You're supposed to be learning.' But at least for me, I can learn better when I'm enjoying something about it."Harry often tells <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guide-moving-abroad-for-college-according-to-university-advisors-diploma-2024-9">students</a> they won't have a typical American college experience abroad and that they will often be in the minority of kids who go abroad."Recognize that your experience is going to be a bit different, but it doesn't mean it's any less rich or rewarding," he said.<div type="image" title="Girl sits by the window with her book in Italy" height="1886" width="2515" msid="114566920" hostid="261" sizebytes="312546"></div>In the years since graduating from high school, Miezejeski only knows of three other high school classmates who left the US: one went to Canada, and two others went to the Netherlands and Italy to study. But most of them stayed in Connecticut or studied in nearby cities like Boston and New York. Where she's from, it's not common to go abroad, but it's a slow trend, she said.Since completing her degree in 2021, she hasn't looked back.She decided to stay in Europe and pursue a master's degree in Brussels. Her master's program was one year long and cost around $4,700 — almost a fifth of what she would have paid if she had pursued a master's at the University of Connecticut, a college in her state, based on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://bursar.uconn.edu/tuition-fees/graduate/2024-2025/">university's website</a>.More importantly, Miezejeski gained experiences money can't buy."I have friends now all over the world," she said. "I've learned about all their cultures, how they do things and their languages. I've met incredible people and learned so much. The learning does not stop."

College in the US was too expensive, so these students opted for Europe

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Retirees are increasingly moving abroad for a lower cost of living and affordable healthcare.</li><li>Social Security data shows a nearly 48% increase in retirees abroad between 2008 and 2022.</li></ul>There's a new retirement trend sweeping the nation: Packing up and leaving.Many Americans are finding the retirement dream on further flung shores, chasing a lower cost of living and easier access to affordable healthcare. And increasingly, more Social Security recipients who are retired are heading abroad.Data from the Social Security Administration shows that, in 2008, there were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2009/5j.html#table5.j11">306,906 retired US workers</a> receiving benefits in foreign countries; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2023/supplement23.pdf">by 2022</a>, that number had swelled to 450,156 — a surge of nearly 150,000 more retirees abroad.It's a path that's becoming increasingly attractive to some retirees, especially amid political uncertainty. Dee, a 71-year-old retired teacher, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retired-boomer-social-security-pension-move-abroad-2024-7">previously told Business Insider</a> that she's considering relocating out of the US for the second part of her retirement, especially as the current political climate "terrifies" her; she's particularly interested in Central America."It looks like something that I could afford to live a little bit more, a little bit better; my income would stretch a little bit more," she said. Dee might be hopping on a trend: There were 18,940 retirees in Central America receiving benefits in 2022.Business Insider looked at the countries with the most retirees receiving Social Security. Many of the locales have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/international-businesses/united-states-income-tax-treaties-a-to-z">income tax treaties with the US</a>, meaning that income isn't double-taxed by both the US and the country where citizens reside.Perhaps unsurprisingly, Canada and Mexico — the two countries sharing a land border with the US — placed in the top three. Retired technical writer Linda Ofshe, 71, moved to Canada in 2022 to be with her husband; she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-moved-to-canada-retirement-weather-love-2024-2">previously told Business Insider</a> that Canada is a bit safer, and has a slightly better climate and politics."My life has greatly improved leaving the States, and I don't intend to ever live in Texas again," Ofshe said.Retirees have also been flocking to Japan, which has more than doubled the number of US retirees receiving Social Security between 2008 and 2023.Germany remains a popular retirement spot; Gary Hohenstein, a 73-year-old New York native, retired there when he was 59. He <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boomer-retirement-affordable-germany-than-us-lives-off-benefits-pensions-2024-8">previously told BI</a> that life there is calm, and that his retirement benefits stretch further than they would back in the city. And Baltimore native Jeffrey Park, 63, also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baby-boomer-retire-germany-better-healthcare-quality-life-homeownership-2024-8">previously told BI</a> that he was planning on retiring in Germany, where he's been working for 13 years."Everything's just a little bit more personal, or smaller, or a little bit old-fashioned, compared to American life," Park said.Poland is also an increasingly popular location, with the ex-pat retiree population growing by nearly 325%. SmartAsset <a target="_blank" href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/cheapest-countries-to-retire">ranked</a> Poland as its best country for retirement when looking at costs and peacefulness. The Philippines has also seen its ex-pat retiree population explode since 2008, growing by nearly 88%; that might be chalked up to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retired-couple-moved-america-philippines-house-slow-life-2023-12">low cost of living</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-vet-retire-in-philippines-american-expats-visa-guide-2023-12#:~:text=Steven%20Johnson%20holds%20a%20special%20visa%20that,military%20to%20live%20in%20the%20Philippines%20indefinitely.">ease of access</a> in <a target="_blank" href="https://internationalliving.com/countries/philippines/retire-in-the-philippines/">getting some visas</a>.And Italy remains a retirement stronghold, although its ex-pat retiree population has fallen a tad since 2008. Retirees to Italy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retired-americans-move-to-italy-affordable-healthcare-work-life-balance-2024-5">previously told BI</a> they were heading to Italy to escape American politics and healthcare costs; a more relaxed work culture was just the cherry on top."I have to say it's pretty much a total dream," Christina Schwendeman previously told BI. "Every morning, we wake up and look outside and say, 'I cannot believe we live here.'"Are you an American who's moved abroad for retirement? Contact this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jkaplan@businessinsider.com">jkaplan@businessinsider.com</a>.

The top countries US retirees are flocking to

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A French aerospace company has seen a surge in US-based applications since targeting SpaceX employees.</li><li>Latitude, a rocket company based outside Paris, is trying to lure SpaceX employees.</li></ul>A French aerospace company is trying to convince disgruntled American SpaceX employees to leave the US for Europe after billionaire Elon Musk announced he would <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-moving-spacex-x-texas-headquarters-california-law-2024-7">relocate his rocket company</a> from California to Texas.The offer comes days after Musk announced his intention to relocate SpaceX out of California after the state passed a law protecting LGBTQ+ youth, which Musk cited as "the final straw" in a post on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1813290895334383820">X</a>.Stanislas Maximin, CEO of Latitude, jumped at the opportunity to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-move-to-texas-rivals-poach-employees-2024-7">poach any unhappy SpaceX employees</a> suddenly staring down an interstate move.In a LinkedIn <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stanislas-maximin_for-spacex-employees-misaligned-with-these-activity-7219321928237408256-CHad/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop">post</a>, Maximin addressed those employees directly, encouraging any SpaceX workers who may be "misaligned" with Musk's values and who are looking to join an "inclusive and highly ambitious rocket company" to look into Latitude."We do small rockets of course, but also high-performance engines, full reusability, high launch rate," Maximin wrote. "You'll clearly be able to show the world your skills."The CEO offered applicants a desirable deal, saying the company would take care of "everything," including moving logistics, visas, healthcare, housing, employment for partners, and schooling for kids."A few have already taken the plunge, join them at Latitude!" Maximin wrote. "I'm personally offering 12 Champagne bottles for everyone that makes the move!"His pitch may already be working, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/23/this-french-aerospace-company-wants-to-relocate-americans-to-work-abroad.html">CNBC Make It</a>, which reported this week that Latitude has received a surge of applications from American engineers since Musk's announcement and Maximin's offer.A Latitude spokesperson told the outlet that it received one month's worth of applications within the last week, with 89% of applications coming from US-based candidates. Among the US companies most represented were SpaceX, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, and Tesla, the spokesperson said.Maximin told CNBC that his LinkedIn post garnered some 200 messages and helped him increase his connections on the site by a third.He added that he didn't intend his invitation to be a slam against SpaceX, which he called "one of the best engineering companies in the world." Instead, Maximin wanted to offer Americans a new opportunity in Europe, he told the outlet.Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.Latitude is a much smaller company than SpaceX, with about 140 employees, compared to Musk's roughly 13,000.But the surge in the company's applications is in line with increased interest among <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-moving-abroad-cost-of-living-too-expensive-debt-retirement-2024-4#:~:text=In%20a%20recent%20poll%20from,largest%20share%20of%20the%20expats.">Americans toward moving abroad</a>."We have done it multiple times over," Maximin told CNBC of hiring foreigners.Musk raised eyebrows earlier this month with his relocation announcement in response to a recently passed California law that bans school districts from requiring educators to tell parents about students' sexual orientation or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-comments-relationship-transgender-daughter-vivian-jenna-2023-9">gender identity.</a>The billionaire didn't say when he intends to move SpaceX from California to Texas, though it's possible some of the plans were already in motion prior to his social media announcement. Musk has made the Lonestar State his home base in recent years, moving <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-wants-move-spacex-x-headquarters-texas-tesla-california-2024-7#:~:text=Musk%20has%20already%20undertaken%20this,betting%20others%20will%20follow%20suit.">Tesla headquarters to Texas from California</a> during the pandemic.

This French aerospace company is trying to lure US SpaceX workers after Elon Musk said he would relocate the company from California to Texas — and it may be working

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