Living abroad is ... exciting - bewildering - fascinating - confusing - eye-opening - infuriating - self-confidence-building - self-confidence-destroying ...

Thanks for visiting Tales from a Small Planet, www.talesmag.com, where personal essays, Real Post Reports and Real School Reports tell you "what it's really like to live there."

We're non-profit, and our mission is to share uncensored and honest information about both the delights (new cultures, fascinating people, unique opportunities, exotic foods) and the challenges (loneliness, loss of identity, struggles to accommodate special needs) of living abroad.

Post Report of the Day

Pretoria, South Africa
What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
We have a lovely old single-family home with a large yard and swimming pool. There are several different neighborhoods where embassy people are housed and they are all nice. The embassy has been trying to...
What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
We have a little car for zipping around the city and a larger SUV for those weekend get-aways. Roads here are fantastic and you really don't need an SUV unless you like off-road travel; even...

Read More

Latest Post Reports

Latest School Reports

Subscribe to our newsletter


New book from Talesmag! Honest and courageous stories of life abroad with special needs.

Read More