Has anyone moved from a developed country to a developing country?

Question

How did you cope with it?

Or you can share the stories of your friends or acquaintances had the same experience.

Answer 1

Yes, I can possibly share experiences of people who moved from a developed (DVD) country to a developing (DVG) country for a short stint.

1. The first thing is the weather condition. This may be identical in DVD & DVG countries but you won't get that much protection due to the non availability of A/C in transports and home in most of the cases. So, better get acclimatize as soon as possible.

2. The same goes about food. You better try to have the earnest desire to taste local food once in a DVG country. Otherwise, at times you may go hungry. Also, if possible, try to keep drinking water bottles available during outside trips to avoid water borne dieses.

3. Wear protective clothing against mosquito and such insect bites. Bring some repellant and first-aid medicines since the clinics and hospitals are not very well equipped.

4. Have your own laptop (220V in most cases in DVG countries, better check), and try to get portable emergency power generator say 5KW. Electricity failure may ruin your stay if you are not lodging in 5-star hotels.

5. Transport is another issue. If you are coming with assignment that covers everything of your needs than you are lucky. Otherwise, try to get some local assistance to get to know places around where you would be living.

So, you see there are some information missing in your Q as to how many days you intend to stay, who will foot the bill, what type of assignment you would be covering, which part of the world you would be moving, etc.

Have a nice time amongst us!

Additional info.
If you are visiting India say for a fairly long period of 3-4 years then please try to have someone from India associated with you either as friend or guide for the fist few weeks or months, on payment basis. Indians are getting more ‘professionals’ in service sectors in compare to other countries of South Asia.

The country: India is a tourist friendly and people there in these days are trying very hard to emulate ‘western’ culture, food, housing, attires, way of thinking etc., which one can see in abundance among the middle class citizen. They are virtually competing (if not jostling) to show off their newly acquired western traits and lifestyles which at times fall on the verge of snobbery (person who despises those inferior in social position, wealth, intellect, taste, etc.)!

Lifestyle:

a) Amenities: You may get along with English language for communication easily as even the lower middle class people are also fluent in English. The houses for foreigners are stuffed with all the bare necessities of life those you are accustomed in developed countries, like Fridge, TV, Satellite TV channels, Internet connectivity, sometimes small-size swimming pools, plenty of Indian English language newspapers and magazines.

b) Transport: You may even hire rent-a-car on monthly or yearly lease basis, though the conditions of the locally assembled cars are far from those you are used to in western countries. The first shock you may get is by seeing soviet-era designed vehicles and heavy industries, though Indians have picked up the taste to buy foreign brand cars and entertaining systems.

c) Food: India is famous for varieties in food preparations. You would easily get the food of your taste in major Hotels & Restaurants. Alcoholic drinks are easily available at very competitive prices. You need not to carry your drinks from your home country. However, be careful about drinks being produced by spurious local companies who do a lot of fake brands.

d) Family: If you would bring your family in India then schooling would not be that problem as there are many good English medium Schools in major cities of India. If you are coming as single then the evening life is also not boring in India, for reasons as explained above. However, use your discretion when having new friends as mostly people would try to be over friendly for achieving their own agenda. So, err on the safe side.

In general, visiting India would be more like you are traveling in time-machine back to pre-WWII era in either USA or Europe where people of all strata were trying to find a notch in their aim to attain unexplored heights. This is the right time to visit India, I suggest.

As a side kick, try to have a weeks holiday in Bangladesh to see Sunderban and also have Cox’s’ Bazar Sea beach which are yet to be developed.

Answer 2

I moved from Japan to a South East Asian country this April and still trying to cope with it. I have no problem with food, except that I try not to eat carelessly to avoid health problem. Since my office and house are air-conditioned, I have no problem with the weather in general, except that it's summer the whole year here.

However, my problem is with the infrastructure. I terribly miss 24/7 high-speed connection and have to make use of 36kbps dial-up. I miss the water pressure and have to deal with water trickling out of the shower. I miss being able to drink tap water instead of having to buy bottled water.

Above all, I miss having somebody who doesn't give me a blank look whenever I talk about anything that is remotely scientific or philosophical, or give me a laugh and nod as if I were just joking when I tell them I am bi.

Something like that.

Answer 3

A relative did. Moved to Cuba to be with his distant relatives.
To compare our country vs theirs;

1/3 the roads we have. Most in need of repair.
1/4 the phones we have. Many do not work.
Electricity turns on and off all day.
No big grocery stores.
No big department stores.
Very limited EVERYTHING.
Very low income levels.

They said it is very difficult to go a place that has almost nothing, and the people have no hope of ever having anything better.

Answer 4

Yes I moved from Ca in 66 to Au. ie from devoleped to developing and coped very well.
Then in 06 moved back from Au to Ca ie from a developed to a developing and coping very well at home. Praise The Good Lord.

Answer 5

Sorry I have not but was told yesterday about a young teen who went from here in America to a developing country and is wanting to come home. This teen if from one of our small town near us.
Wish I could send my teens somewhere like this so they can learn what they can live without....
Good luck copping where ever you maybe at. Make the best of it.

Answer 6

I did for a while, the pollution and beurocracy was the worst thing to deal with, but the prices/cost of living was very cheap in my developed currency, and you find ordinary people are usually decent and frendly helping you out.

Answer 7

no