Young American Expat's Mission

To be the online digital showcase and storytelling platform of the 9 million American expatriate community, with a particular focus on the younger segment.

We do this mainly through out website, YoungAmericanExpat.com, as well as our other platforms, including our newly launched blog targetting all young expats (also non-American), YoungExpat.com. 

​​Our Core Values

• Be the digital storytelling platform of the 9 million American expats abroad, in particular the younger segment
• Promote and encourage the expatriate lifestyle and openness not just to Americans but also to other nationalities (in particular in 2018 with our new initiative Young Expat)
• Encourage online engagement from the expatriate community, especially aspiring writers and bloggers
• Engage with wider media and other outlets to collaborate on expatriate storytelling and travel​

​​We are not nor do the following on our online platform:

• Run expat events
• Are a study abroad program
• A free hotline for travel-related or relocation services
• Use our platform as an expat directory of services 
• Use our platform for you to promote your services (unless if there was a formal partnership that goes with the motto of Young American Expat)
• Base ourselves only in our centers of operation (Madrid, Abu Dhabi and London) - we are a global digital storytelling platform

We are an online digital storytelling platform of the 9 million Americans abroad, with a focus on the younger segment

How Young American Expat Got Started - Our History

Young American Expat was born in January 2015 by Richie Santosdiaz, initially using  the website to host a blog, where he mainly reposted expat resources. This lasted through 2015 and part of 2016 as a part-time voluntary hobby (the originally blog has since been shut down).  In fact, believe it or not, Richie almost shut down the website end of 2015. 

In 2016, as Richie started doing more thought leadership pieces with his day job at the time, he had a resurgence of Young American Expat and decided to focus more on his life abroad (as people were fascinated that he has lived in 6 countries at the time). Part of the resurgence was Richie tried to approach a major expat publisher to do some writing pieces geared towards the younger expat, as most of the resources and support groups were geared towards the older expat (the typical story of the usual affluent business person who gets offered a high expat package to relocate their family overseas). However, they completed ignored him and instead were interested in their traditional audience. Finally, what motivated Richie in 2016 was, in 2015, although he didn't put much effort in his hobby at the time, the website organically was getting a lot of traffic. 

Therefore, in June 2016, Richie started storytelling more about his life and creating the persona of "Young American Expat."  Later in 2016, Richie's friend Colleen Boland got on board and the two began showcasing their lives. Eventually, the Young American Expat team grew further to include other members and affiliates.

The Young American Expat team realized that, coupled with the organic growth of the website, that Young American Expat really can truly be a showcase of the nearly 9 million Americans currently abroad. Many have very interesting stories, especially both the young Americans in their 30s and under, who often get ignored as the priority tends to be the older expats. In addition, some of the older expats were once young expats and have since established themselves and have successful international careers. It is in a way inspiring to see these former young expats willing to inspire and help their current young expats and also future generations. 

It has been an honor, given how niche we are in the focus, to be a major voice for the American expat community, especially to the younger segment in their 30s and under - both current and former. Through digital storytelling, our mission is to tell the lives and stories of the nearly 9 million Americans overseas. And we are pleased in April 2018 to begin storytelling the lives of all young expats, not just American, through a newly launched blog called The Young Expat Blog. 

Hope you enjoy our storytelling! 

-The Young American Expat team
​#YoungAmericanExpat

FACT: The intro headline banner on this page (for those who visited the website in 2015-2016 will know) was our original banner for the entire website. We've kept it exclusively on this page to remember our past.

WATCH SOME OF OUR OLDER OFFICIAL VIDEOS FROM 2017 EXPLAINING YOUNG AMERICAN EXPAT