The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad

This is a great book to read & use as a reference if you are at a cross-roads in your life, whether personally or professionally, especially if you've ever had the urge to move overseas.The book addresses ways to accomplish your dream with suggestions on ways to do it whether by working, home exchanges, volunteering, etc. There are also many practical suggestions once you've arrived in your new country.

I was moving to the UK for a year with my 2 teenage sons, and I had no idea how to go about it. It was just for a year - studying for my MSc - so paying to take all our stuff seemed absurd. But then, did I want to pay for storage? It really helped me narrow down the necessities (like how many pair of pants can I get away with packing - it had a 6 month table, so I just doubled it). I gave away all my furniture (including a 1-year-old living room set) to needy college students in Los Angeles (hoping karma would be kind to me abroad), sold my car, and we rented a furnished apartment sight unseen (that was scary - and a pain in the a$$). Our extra clothes, electronics, DVDs and books we fit into boxes - and since my Mom keeps rooms for us at her house (I know how lucky I am for that!) I just made a wall of boxes.The book made me feel good about minimizing. But I also knew that some things I would just have to buy again overseas (and then get rid of again coming back). I'm back home now. Kind of. I'm from L.A., but getting my PhD in Pennsylvania. And for parenting students it isn't as easy as for other students - I can't just rent a furnished room. So, we don't have any furniture. lol We are slowly acquiring necessary pieces and are so okay with our minimalist life. We have what we need: each other (and food).

After having delved into "Work your way around the world" by Susan Griffith, and travelled through most of my twenties up to my mid thirties...this book is the next best thing to get the travel juices flowing. I have about two years until I Can Run away from Home, which is when my children will have spread their wings far and wide and become independent. Hopefully!I have already positioned the storage container on my land with most household goods stored and personal belongings,... as we have downsized to a riverfront apartment from the bush. This book is helping me to clear my mind of all the ideas I have had stored for the past couple of years. I recently travelled back to Spain and France and am still deciding where I would like to go. Italy would be nice and the Caribbean again is another possibility, an awesome place to be. I Love the book and its definitely helping put my future ideas and plans into action. Have decided to buy a few of these books as Xmas presents for some of my friends who are now also thinking to run away. They didnt realise it could be done.

Useful checklists to push you out of your humdrm existance and start the adventure of living overseas anywhere. Some of the information is dated, but the author correctly advises where to look for the most up-to-date information out there. Covers a small range of countries suitable for expacts with evaluation surveys to help you decide what kind of expat life best suits you.

The Grown-up's Guide to Running Away From Home: Making a New Life Abroad is a really great read. I'm planning to retire to Europe and it is proving very helpful. It asks many questions, some that are obvious and some not, has check lists (such as how many months before the move you need to have a mail box set up, find renters, move furniture, change subscriptions, etc.) It also helps solidify the process of making decisions about where to live and why. I'm loving it and recommend it to everyone!

This book is informative and has many great pieces of information. I like the fact that it is written for Americans, as most expat books are written by and for the English. I couldn't give it a 5 star rating, as I was constantly annoyed with the out dated references to the franc, VHS, VCR and lack of websites for all the groups/places/stores/goverment offices mentioned in this book. If this book was truly updated in 2015, it was done poorly.However, its a good starting place to familiarize yourself with the myriad steps one will be required to take when moving to France.

after having planned one such ESCAPE a few years ago, this was a decent book, but I had already BEEN THERE and DONE THAT with this issue and yet, a close scrutiny for anyone will help. Offers retirement budgets at the lowest of SSA paydays to more lucrative alternatives with examples in Mexico and south america with sample budgets. Good all in all.

Borrowed this to someone and never got it back

Had a few tips and tricks, but nothing more than any seasoned traveler would already know. Also very focused on US citizens moving abroad.