strongly disagree. there is a big benefit to have cultures mix and help with integration into an international company, both to gitlab and to society. that's why i moved to china.
i am not demanding to maintain a lifestyle from elsewhere or even from my home. i just expect the acknowledgement that as an expat i simply can not avoid certain extra expenses that locals do not have. with regards to kids, there isn't even another option. children that did not grow up speaking chinese at home have no realistic chance to successfully pass through chinese schools.
why should i not be able to demand that?
this hinges in whether we want people to mix and integrate. if we do want that, then we do need to support people who make that choice. if we don't want to support that, well then we just won't get people who are willing to make that move.
so if gitlab is not paying a salary that allows me to do that, then gitlab is missing out on the benefits of the mix and integration that i am achieving. it's quite simple.
it's fine if gitlab (or any other company for that matter) does not want that. that's their choice. but they also have to accept that the consequence for the company is to not get those benefits. you get what you pay for.
