expatriate Archives - Rachel's Ruminations

Expat wellness: Life as an expat

Rachel Heller — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:34:52 +0000

Some ruminations on life as an expat, with a few words of reassurance for those moving to a new country.

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The US Election, as seen by Overseas Americans

Rachel Heller — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 12:31:29 +0000

Watching the American election season from abroad is like slowing down as you pass a car accident on the highway. You don’t really want to see the damage, but you can’t seem to stop yourself from looking. It has nothing to do with you, yet you’re fascinated. The US presidential election I gave up citizenship almost...

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Renunciations in the News

Rachel Heller — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 15:15:20 +0000

Last week new numbers were published about how many overseas Americans renounced citizenship in the fourth quarter of 2015, and they show, as expected, an increase in 2015: a record year for renunciations. Each quarter a “name and shame” list is published by the US Treasury Department based on IRS figures of those renouncing, and in...

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Citizen of a Parallel World

Rachel Heller — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 18:52:52 +0000

This week the Board of Elections of Illinois decided that Ted Cruz is indeed a natural-born citizen as required by the US Constitution to be eligible to be President. Ted Cruz was already identified as a US citizen because his mother was a US citizen. His birthplace, however, is in Canada, hence the question of...

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Citizenship Matters

Rachel Heller — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 15:28:28 +0000

I am, legally speaking, a citizen of the Netherlands. If you asked the US Foreign Service, they’d probably say I have US citizenship too, at least until I get my Certificate of Loss of Nationality. If you asked the IRS, on the other hand, they would say I’m no longer a US citizen. What does it mean...

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7 Reasons NOT to Renounce

Rachel Heller — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 15:23:13 +0000

When I was considering renouncing US citizenship, and then, once I had decided to do so, I heard several arguments for why I shouldn’t renounce. Reason not to renounce #1 But what if something happens where you are—an invasion or a natural disaster or something? The US would come and get you out! Answer #1:...

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The Irony of Renouncing Under Duress

Rachel Heller — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 15:00:37 +0000

The following post is one of a series about American values related to my renunciation of US citizenship in November 2015. In my journey through the wilds of US law as it applies to overseas Americans, I’ve joined a few Facebook groups where people in this situation share information about tax law, FATCA, and individual...

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The Happiest Expats Live Here

Rachel Heller — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 16:47:06 +0000

While it may seem appealing to ditch the daily grind and live an adventurous life abroad, being an expat comes with its own trials and tribulations, and not all expat locations are created equal. This is – or, rather, was – a sponsored guest post, originally published by thehipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on December 13, 2015. The Hipmunk brand...

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Equality? Competition? Not Overseas!

Rachel Heller — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 15:12:28 +0000

This is one of a series of posts about American values inspired by my renunciation of American citizenship. I wrote last week about a book I’ve used for teaching, American Ways, and the six values it emphasizes. Last week I discussed individual freedom and self-reliance. This week I’d like to address two more: equality of...

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Thanksgiving Reconsidered

Rachel Heller — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 16:49:37 +0000

“Are you still going to do Thanksgiving?” This is one of the questions I get asked when I tell people I’ve renounced my US citizenship. Yes, I am still doing Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in the Netherlands It’s always felt a little odd to celebrate Thanksgiving in the Netherlands. It’s a celebration of a particular event in American history, after...

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