- Brian Norris
When first moving to Washington, D.C., I didn't know many people outside of the office. InterNations has changed that with some exciting events.
Living in El Paso
You may hear locals refer to El Paso as 'The City with a Legend' in reference to a line in a popular 1960s Marty Robbins song. This is a self-consciously American city with a twist: it sits directly on the US-Mexico border, with the Rio Grande that runs through the conglomeration marking the national border as well as that of the two cities. The El Paso–Juárez conglomeration is a far larger urban area of over two and a half million people, and until the 1920s, the two cities effectively existed as one cross-country community. Expatriates living in El Paso will be able to experience this rare cross-cultural atmosphere which still continues despite a more rigorously controlled border. There is plenty else besides for expats in El Paso to explore, of course – the city sits in the foothills of the spectacular Franklin Mountains, and with attractions like the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and the El Paso Zoo, expats living in El Paso will have plenty to explore.
Join Our Exciting Events in El Paso
Attend our monthly events and activities for El Paso expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.
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Moving to El Paso
As a border city, El Paso is by its very geography an international city. There are various routes for expatriates moving to El Paso to choose from, perhaps the simplest being to take a connection into the El Paso International Airport from a major American city (like many American airports, the title 'International Airport' is misleading). Alternatively there are occasional trains to New Orleans and Los Angeles, and a good highway network. The city is easily accessible from Mexico, of course, and although the entrance points are now quite tightly controlled, expats moving to El Paso may like to cross into Mexico for weekend 'trips abroad'. You can get plenty of information on expatriation from our online Expat Magazine, a comprehensive collection of articles on everything from expat finance and insurance to life abroad, or browse our selection of articles written by other InterNations members for anecdotal as well as serious insights into the ups and downs of expatriation.
Working in El Paso
El Paso is a vibrant city, with a population of over 670,000 and an impressive 300 days of sun a year. The city is home to a number of border forces and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the local economy has strong elements of international trade, government employment, tourism and a booming services sector. There is also a military sector here, as well as a sizeable oil and gas sector. Expatriates working in El Paso will have plenty of culture to enjoy and sights to see, as well as a strong international network in the city. The InterNations website is by far the easiest way to get in touch with other global minds and expats working in El Paso, with our discussion groups, forums and private communications popular methods of organizing meet ups. Expatriates in El Paso needn't worry about finding an international community here, though – the entire city fits that bill.