Geopolitics of the United States - Why it
Matters to American Expats

You have to pay attention to the geopolitics of the United States If you are going to become an American expat. Our home country is not your typical nation. It directly or indirectly impacts 95% of the countries on the planet. This can be either good or bad news for you as you move abroad.

Having grown up overseas as an American expat myself and then returning abroad as an adult (and now with my own kids overseas) I can share with you what to look out for as you make your own move.

We will start with the most important and work out way down as to what I consider to be the most impactful.

First thing is first: The safety of you and yours.

Geopolitics of the United States Affects Your Safety

The basic one is how the country you’re working in is changing. If you’ve been offered a higher paying job in a certain region there’s a chance that the region in question might be hostile (hence the higher pay.).

When you move abroad as an American expat you'll probably want to get an idea of how Americans are viewed there. In the best case Americans are respected...even admired. In the worst case they are seen are troublemakers and it can go from bad to worse.

When I was a kid the gulf war was going on. Needless to say Americans were not liked in the Muslim world (even though the US was saving an Arab country but I digress.). My family and I were living in North Africa at the time - and we had neighbors shout slurs at us. At one point our house was even invaded.

So what can you do should you be...concerned...about your safety and that of your family? Make sure you have a contingency plan should something happen. Be sure to be in touch with the US embassy or consul general in the region. If you're working for an American company and the situation in your host country is getting tense then be sure to talk to your superiors about maybe living in a neighboring country (or having your family in a neighboring country while you go work in the original one.)

Now not to be alarmist. And again this most probably will not be your situation or that of your host country. What can happen next, however, can also cause problems maybe not to your safety but to your job and friends.

Geopolitics of the United States Affects your Career and Social Life

Let's talk about these Americans who chose to go to Russia. According to the article they are choosing to pursue "the American Dream in Russia." If things work out for them then great...but what if they want to go back home? What if they want to return to the US?

They are going to have problems. It's 2025 and right now imagine telling a potential employer in the US that they used to work for a Russian company. Or imagine trying to befriend colleagues and they found out they used to live in Russia. You've heard of the sleeper cell show "Ameriçans" right? These men are going to have some difficulties readjusting to the US market and social scene in the future should they come back.

What if they want to work for the state department or have to do some sort of government paperwork (like a visa for their new Russian bride?). It will lead to problems.

Now I'm not saying this to scare you from going abroad to condemn anyone for doing what they want to do. I'm just saying that as an American expat you will need to pay attention to which country you expatriate to and understand the risks of doing that.

It doesn't even have to be something tangible like job or visa difficulties. It could be something like developing a new point of view that goes against the social norm in America. After having lived in Muslim countries, I remember trying to help my fellow Americans keep an open mind towards Muslims after 9/11 and it was tricky because of what had just happened.

Now let's say you've picked a host country that is neither viewed as a threat nor as an enemy. Then what?

Geopolitics of the United States Affects Your Host Country's Views

When I was an adult I spent time in Europe. I remember being told to keep my identity as an American to myself because at the time Americans were viewed in a bad light. At the time the United States had entered a war with Iraq that was unpopular in Europe. Needless to say that I didn't start this war but was on the receiving end of European frustration towards the United States.

I won't lie that I found it despicable that I couldn't express my pride in my country - but there it was and it wasn't just me. Remember how American athletes were told not to wave the Star Spangled Banner?

This might also affect your children. Or worse - your children might be made to feel ashamed of being American in their host country. If this happens to you be sure to listen to them and be patient with their stance as it might just be a way to cope with what's going on. How you and your family will be made to feel for being Americans or being on the receiving end of the American geopolitical changes

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