US Edition 
What makes expats grumpy?
Mosquitos, mochas and mystifying tax forms: we asked six people who've moved overseas what gets on their nerves about their adopted country
In our collective mind moving to a new country to start afresh often conjures a dream vision of gorgeous weather, fabulous work opportunities and great social life. Reality though can bite. From little niggles like being unable to buy favourite foods at the local supermarket to an insurmountable feeling of isolation and inability to fit in, expats go through a whole spectrum of emotions on a daily basis which can make or break them in their new environment.
Here is what six expats shared when I asked them what irritates them, hinders them or simply puts them in a grumpy mood in the country they've moved to.
Peter Grey – wine taster and blogger at English Man in Italy (englishmaninitaly.org)
"An expat that gets caught in the crazy Italian bureaucracy might as well reach for their chilled glass of prosecco because nothing in Italy moves fast, apart from the Italian drivers. My application to swap my UK driving licence to an Italian licence took a staggering nine months. The official who allegedly was processing my application, kept assuring me altre due settimane – just another two weeks.
And we all hate mosquitoes. We apply creams, burn citronella candles, and sit around slapping each other’s arms like Bavarian folk dancers. Oh and a rented unfurnished house won’t contain kitchen units. In Italy they really do take everything, including the kitchen sink. But we still love bella Italia."
Emma Langham and Stewart Slaymaker – environmental worker and program manager, bloggers at Brown Bear Travels (
), British expats in Canada
"The issue that made us the grumpiest was filing our 2014 Canadian taxes. As young professionals, less than 10 years into our careers, we had never been required to complete a tax return in the UK.
However, in Canada, everyone needs to file their personal taxes. Navigating the endless forms and confusing terminology is not a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a spring weekend, just when the weather is warming up after the long, cold Canadian winter.
Nevertheless, living abroad has been a great experience, and the positives have far outweighed the negatives."
Alison Trainer – opera singer and founder of the Facebook group ‘Grumpy Expat’, an American living in Switzerland
"In Switzerland, we have expats from all over the world, but even among the expat community, we struggle to relate to each other. An expat from Nigeria might have a very hard time understanding a New Yorker's frustrations with the sexist, backwards culture or the lack of good shopping here in Switzerland. An expat from Finland or Norway would not understand an American or British person's frustrations with the lack of friendliness or openness. Sometimes the only thread that connects us is profound homesickness, loneliness, and a frustration with the local language.
Chantelle Howell – blogger at Seychelles Mama (
), British expat in the Seychelles
"The biggest thing that makes me grumpy about living in the Seychelles is that people think we are on a permanent vacation. Yes, we live in ‘paradise’. In fact, when our island, Praslin, was first discovered they thought they had found the real garden of Eden. However, wherever you live in the world there is still everyday life to deal with. My husband's job requires just as many hours as it did before we moved, our toddler makes as much mess here as he would anywhere else, dinner still needs to be cooked and the house certainly doesn't clean itself."
Nicole Webb – freelance journalist and blogger at Mint Mocha Musings (
), an expat from New Zealand expat living in China
These are just a few things that get me a little hot under the collar as an expat living in Xi’an, a city of eight million people in north west China:
"Where are the chocolate bars? You’re kidding me? I can't log into Facebook? What do you mean my daughter needs an IV drip? She has a cold."
Me in my best Chinese: 'I'll have a mocha with skimmed milk.' Cashier: 'Sure, would you like sauce on your noodles?'
Every day is a challenge, but it’s also a fascinating experience (just bring your sense of humour)."
Rossi Thomson is a Bulgarian living in Vicenza, Italy. She spent 14 years in England before moving to Italy in 2014. Married with a baby, Rossi is currently a stay at home mother, having previously worked as a journalist and linguist. Read her blog at rossiwrites.com.