Expat death 'is harder'

Dealing with death as an expatriate brings home the reality of living far away from loved ones, writer Apple Gidley has cautioned.

In an article for the Telegraph, Ms Gidley explains how her father's battle with cancer was hard to deal with because her return to the UK was delayed by the Icelandic volcanic eruption.

"Along with the ease of travel has come an expectation that we can get wherever we need to be with the swipe of a credit card and a hastily packed carry-on. But life and death don't always play fair," she wrote.

Five days after his prognosis, the writer's father died in hospital, before she had the chance to say goodbye to him in person.

And as much as she has enjoyed her nomadic lifestyle, "full of different cultures and peoples", no amount of excitement can make up for a lost moment, Ms Gidley noted.

This is one of the many aspects of a life overseas that expats should consider before moving abroad.

However, many people are happier living their new life as expatriates, as a recent survey pointed out.

The research by NatWest released in April found that 90 per cent of expats found they were financially better off after they had moved, and their quality of life, job prospects and healthcare had improved.