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The eXpat Files Ep. 43 (Season Finale) - What America Is Good At (Patreon)

Published:
2026-08-27 11:00:16
Imported:
2026-08
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Content

The eXpat Files is a series of podcast episodes that chronicle David and @joyofnapping's conversations as they consider how to adjust to life in another country.

It's the final episode of the eXpat Files for now! But don't worry, we'll be back with more weekly audio updates in a slightly different format.

In this special finale/mailbag episode, David and @joy discuss:

What makes for a good drying rack

Which Vuori pants are preferred

The Novobanco situation has shaken our faith in Portugal

Did we ever consider life in Spain?

Did we ever consider moving to Asia?

Do we want to visit Brazil?

How would life have been different if we moved to Lisbon instead?

Is Portugal a good hub for seeing Europe?

Has Portugal changed our thoughts on vacationing in general?

Closing thoughts

Thanks for listening to this series! We are very grateful.

PATRONS: You can get this audio in your podcast app by going to patreon.com/davechen, going to the "My Members

Files

Comments

Pixel-davis

I would just like to compliment Joy's use of the phrase "ludicrously capacious."

Ralf Haring

One thing to consider for any "bopping around Europe" plans is that airline carry-on sizes & enforcement are wildly different from airline to airline, as well as in general between the US and Europe. Standard US carry-on sizes will almost certainly be larger than the official sizes allowed for intra-Europe flights, and the various airlines will inconsistently enforce even their own stated rules depending on the mood of the particular gate agent. It's infuriating.

Joy o Napping

Absolutely! I bought a special suitcase in the Dusseldorf airport to fit the airline I flew that day (Swiss) but that same bag would not count as a carry on for Ryan Air, who are SO mean about the bag size.

Ralf Haring

Currently on my 🤬 list are: Lufthansa, Swissair, TAP Air Portugal. Ones that were good with a US carry on were: Singapore Airlines, ITA Airways, British Airways, and (extremely annoyingly) Lufthansa.

Nizar B

I've loved this series in particular. Getting to re-experience life in Portugal through you both was special. Please know that everything you shared was valued and appreciated. 🙏🫶 I also loved the politics discussions last year around this time. Y'all thinking to follow the run-up to midterms?

Ink Ribbon

Hey guys. Thank you so much for an amazing season of The eXpat Files. To be honest, I'm very glad you guys are back in the USA and with your family. We should all hold strong against such a tyrannical regime. That said, I am Thai American living with my parents in Thailand. They retired here and I want to be with them as we Asians know that our parents are most important especially as they get older lol. Thank you guys for the Thailand shout-out. If I may, I like to share with you and anyone listening who are considering being an expat the many specific PROS and few CONS of living in Thailand. PROS: It's so easy to get a DTV and live and work here. We are the biggest city for digital nomads for a reason. Thailand is very diverse and super welcoming. We have a HUGE expat community with plenty of social meetups. White people. Black people. Muslims. Hindus. Everyone here is welcome. It's super cheap. You can seriously live in the heart of the city for $2,000 per month. That includes your rent and your living expenses. Your condo will have an amazing pool and gym with breathtaking roof views. Food delivery. Ever used DoorDash? It costs like $8-10 dollars extra plus tip. Well, here we use Grab. And it costs, no joke, just $2 dollars extra for the food to come to you. We are the mall capital of world (okay we are fighting with Dubai for that title but we make that claim). If you're a mall walker who likes luxury shopping, Thailand is the place to be. Everything you want is at your fingertips. Taxis! You can call a taxi on your phone and it's literally just $5 if you want to travel over 5 miles. Health insurance is only $1000 PER YEAR. You like deep tissue massages? How about an hour Thai massage for only $8 and a deep tissue massage for only $15? CONS: Too damn hot! 90+ every single day! I know Joy and hot weather aren't friends so it's something to consider. Traffic is HORRIBLE. You can take a subway but it will get overcrowded which I know Joy isn't a fan of. Corruption. Thailand does have a reputation of corruption. Rich people often bribe the police to leave them alone. For Dave: Sorry, Dave. You're going to have to wait a little longer for smaller films. I had to wait a month for Obsession to come out and I was super pissed. The Invite was never in theaters. I had to wait for streaming. This will hurt Dave. Poker is ILLEGAL here. You cannot even play poker with friends in your condo. You will get arrested if someone tipped you off. So that's pretty much it for now that I can think of. Thailand is a beautiful city. I'm glad my roots are here. Right now we are battling Vietnam for American expats but I'll say without any bias that we are much better! There's a fun rivalry between the two countries. If you ever want to stop by in Bangkok, please let me know. I love to show you around and you can stay in one of my empty condos.

Brad Sucks

It’s been a real treat to be along for the ride on this adventure, thanks to you both for sharing!