I lived abroad in Qatar as a high schooler, and it completely changed my life. 

I attended an international school, where I discovered my passion for interfaith conversations and learned what it means to be a world citizen. Most importantly, Qatar was a place where I developed my own faith as a Christian and where I met my best friend who means the world to me. I was challenged to self-reflect on my own values and beliefs when surrounded by hundreds of classmates from over 70 countries with vastly different religious and cultural identities than me. 

I was educated at an American school there, and yet when I looked around at my fellow two million expatriates (making up 88% of the total population in this small country), the other Americans as well as my family were penalized for moving abroad compared to our non-American peers and colleagues. The main issue I heard frequently discussed among my fellow Americans were the strict tax laws. According to a 2018 CNBC article by Lorie Konish, “That is because the United States is one of the only countries to tax based on citizenship, not residency.” The issue of taxes gets messy very quickly. Americans living abroad are given no tax break, unlike other nationalities who are not taxed while living outside their countries. Because we are heavily taxed even while living outside the United States, Konish says “Americans are renouncing citizenship at a steady rate.” I personally know a family friend who renounced his citizenship in favor of a Swiss one precisely because of tax reasons. 

The United States should be more aware of this issue and the messages it sends its citizens. At the current rate, the United States government is discouraging Americans from working abroad due to the tax laws. Other countries don’t do this, so why the United States? I could hazard a guess at why. As a fairly massive country relatively cut off from the rest of the world geographically, America’s focus has largely been on itself rather than looking at the rest of the world. However, in this new global age of the 21st century, if America wants to keep up with the rest of the world by participating in international dialogue, it needs to let its citizens live abroad without disenchanting them. By cutting taxes to Americans abroad and educating Americans about the incredible benefits of living in another country and culture, the United States could help its people to learn and grow by seeing the world through new perspectives. When they return, American expatriates can share their newfound knowledge with their fellow citizens for the enrichment of everyone. Just imagine how we could each grow individually and as a nation if we experienced the vast world beyond America’s shores and got to share with one another all the invaluable lessons about life and what it means to be human?

I know my life has been forever changed for the better after living in Qatar. Living in another culture and truly immersing yourself there helps you see and understand the world in all its complexities more than before.

Ideally, there could be better resources for Americans as they prepare to move elsewhere as well as when they come back regarding culture shock. I remember being surprised when I experienced culture shock not just moving overseas but when coming back to America, too. I have at times mused about the possibility of a job position in which I would equip people in their preparation to move outside the United States and help those returning to get settled back into American culture. 

Living abroad is especially beneficial for enriching interfaith engagement. If you move to a country in which the majority of the population identifies with a religious identity different than yours, it is a wonderful opportunity to learn about people’s beliefs. And what better way to add to the interfaith conversation than by having personal experiences living in cultures with a different majority religion? Studying and being immersed in a religious as well as cultural tradition separate from your own is the optimal way to understand people’s values and motivations behind how they choose to live their lives. 

By studying Islam in Qatar, not only did my appreciation and respect for that religion grow, but my personal faith strengthened as well. Living abroad is an experience that helps you better define what is important to you and why you hold your values and belief systems. 

So, if the opportunity presents itself, live abroad! It can be frightening—uprooting and moving to a new country, and therefore likely new culture, is not a simple transition. In addition, the United States government can and should do more to incentivize cross-cultural engagement, beginning with our tax laws. But think about it this way—if everyone lived abroad at least some point in their lives, how much better would our country be at being able to empathize and conceptualize the world’s problems? What would our world look like if we could all share our collective global experiences with one another?

Photo by Stacy Wilkins.