Keeping a blog can seem a bit egotistical, but there are many excellent reasons to maintain a blog when traveling or living as an expatriate.

Keep in Touch with Friends

Writing a blog is one of the best way to update a large group of family, friends, and acquaintances about what you are doing and what you find interesting/odd/horrifying. This allows this large social group to check in, rather than requiring more time consuming direct contact.

Beware, close friends and family will still require personal contact!

Make New Friends

The blogosphere can introduce you to people in similar situations and introduce your experience to fellow travelers/expats. You can share stories and find out tips and tricks for making life abroad feasible.

Readers may also connect with you through your blog, offering support, insight, and alternative views.

Chronicle Your Adventures

Some bloggers liken their blog to a digital scrapbook. It can contain videos, pictures, and stories. Looking back at entries from years ago can bring back great memories, and remind you of the good times, and the bad.

Offer Advice to other Travellers & Expats

Blogs are a great way to document your experience for other travelers/expats. Your entries can help others find the best way to navigate the complicated situations that come up while abroad.

Some of the most helpful entries:
• The process of obtaining visas
• Transportation connections, issues, and nuances
• Finding Housing & landlord/roommate issues
• Finding work and negotiating contracts
• Parenting Abroad

BlogExpat & Expat Interviews

On BlogExpat, you can browse blogs from all over the world in many different languages. Expat Interviews spotlights some of these bloggers and answers questions like

• Why did you move abroad?
• How do you make a living?
• What do you miss most?
• What advice would you give other expats?

You can also add your blog to the directory: http://www.blogexpat.com/en/add-blog.htm. Share your story!