The world is getting smaller. More and more organizations are expanding into new international markets as globalization continues to become a reality. Such global expansion requires people who are willing to be globally mobile. While we may understand some of the reasons that motivate expatriates to work internationally, it is not very clear how important the destination is to expatriates.

With more than 22 million Indians living abroad and about seven million Pakistanis doing the same, the expatriate communities have found ways to put their grudges from back home aside and even formed lasting friendships in their new countries. 

Pakistanis online are outraged over reports of a French restaurant's ban on reservations by Pakistani customers. "La Maison" in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, requires customers to provide information such as an individual's nationality and passport number. The only Pakistani customers reportedly allowed are dual-citizenship holders or Pakistanis accompanied by foreigners.

Kazi Hasan Arabi, a longtime Indian expatriate in Saudi Arabia, talks about his experience of the country, its development and what led him to find a home in the kingdom. “My education started late, because in our family, in those times, we were not allowed to go to school, rather, teachers used to come home and teach us.

Times are changing and so are the Chinatowns across the world. Starting off as ordinary trading outposts that attempted to satisfy to the culinary needs of overseas Chinese communities, these towns have evolved to become major soft power assets and representative symbols of the modern and resurgent China.

"The distinguished Pakistanis living abroad can also play a vital role to be a bridge between the countries of their residence and Pakistan and contribute towards expansion of business, trade and cultural relations. They can build goodwill and friendship between Pakistan and the world community through public and cultural diplomacy initiatives," Mr Malik said.

In a nation where just one in four citizens has Internet access, The New Hanoian is a new phenomenon...