9 years ago, I was living in the U.K., in a small city in Yorkshire called Doncaster. I had never travelled abroad alone before, other than annual trips to Spain as a child. I was always under the impression that moving abroad could only be done by those who have lump sums of cash, unlimited free time or a competitive relocation package as part of a job offer. After living out my routine day by day, working night shifts as a railway engineer around the country, coming home, eating, sleeping, waking up to go again and it hit me that there is a much bigger world outside of my hometown and I was going to do all I could to discover it.
So, I bought a ticket and left, and the rest was history. Since then, I have lived in or visited over 40 countries, from riding camels in the deserts of Morocco and exploring the vast history of architecture in Germany, right through to the old towns of Panama and the hectic nightlife of South Korea. I’ve been woken up by the glistening sun in Miami, and fallen asleep the very same day to the sunsets over the pyramids of Egypt. Boarding more flights than I dare to remember, finding new apartments, getting new visas stamped, rebuilding my network every time and adapting to the culture of each new home. During covid, I was working in the health insurance industry, ensuring that expats whilst living abroad were covered for the worst, and that’s when I knew I had found what I wanted to do, I didn’t want to just travel, I wanted to help people whilst I did it.
Eventually I returned back to Malaysia, with my beloved Fiancée, three cats and began to build our lives in Malaysia. I took a role with Melbourne Capital Group, where I help expats who are living abroad, focusing on retiring, saving, investments and insurance. Then I created the Relocating to Malaysia website to help expats who are movine here, just with free advise on how to navigate their new lives. But there was something missing, so me and Rachel decided to create the Expats Club. It started out just hosting a few small dinners, and grow beyond anything I can fathom. I taught myself how to make websites to bring this to life, focused on creating events I would enjoy and supporting causes that mean something to me (Mainly stray cat charities because all our 3 cats are rescues). I’m really proud of what this community has become, and I know each person in the group personally.
At the end of the day, the only reason I made this in the first place, is because it was something I needed when I got here and I know since we started it, it’s helped 100’s of people settle into their new home. And yes, sometimes the needs go beyond my expertise, sometimes those needs are knowing a trusted real estate agent to help you find a home for you and your family. Then knowing how to navigate the area, ensure your children are going to the perfect international school for their curriculum or understanding the complexities of moving your business and brand into a new country. I have requests from knowing how to lease cars, understanding local law and even how to make sure your pets can fly with you here. Honestly, the question’s I get asked, they vary in so many different ways. But luckily, I have the Expats Club community and a team of professionals who are dedicated to working with expats, and providing the best service, available for you to help.
Kind regards,
Joshua
So, if you just moved to Malaysia, you’re planning on coming soon or even if you have been here for years and just want to meet some new people? Message me on whatsapp : +60148459471
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