While traveling and exploring other cultures is generally one of the primary reasons people choose to live abroad on a permanent basis, there is also another reason people choose to travel abroad and experience other cultures, and that is exploring musical diversity as an expat. Because you have the flexibility to travel where you want, when you want, you can go to where the music is and explore musical diversity at its very roots. Rather than be relegated to only hearing music on the radio or your favorite music channels on television, you can travel around the world and seek out inspirational song and dance at their very sources.
For example, take a look at the mariachi music of Mexico, which has many similarities with the chalga of Bulgaria in the sense that it relies upon accordions and horns along with guitars and drums, but unless you are one of the many expats choosing to travel the world and explore musical diversity, you would never know the similarities between these two very different cultures. Separated as they are by thousands of miles and completely different continents, it would seem an absolute impossibility that their musical styles are similar, but as you travel the world you will find that many different cultures share the same musical roots.
Part of the joy of traveling abroad as an expat is the simple fact that you can immerse yourself in environments that other people would never think of, and because you can experience these cultures first-hand with your feet in the sand and your hands in the mud, you will experience a richness of life that no one can take away from you. Your ability to appreciate and understand cultures on a multinational level will only be expanded as you include musical diversity to your list of cultural aspects that you have managed to tuck away in the recesses of your mind.
For more information on what it means to live around the world in various destinations, such as being an expat in Sofia, Bulgaria, you can check out the Marginal Boundaries blog and series of products related to the nomad existence.
