Is a portable career part of your plan for an untethered expat life? If it includes a WordPress blog or website, here are 52 links to help you get started. I’ve tried to arrange them in roughly the order you’ll need them. (And yes, some of them are affiliate links.)

Domain Name Registration and Hosting

Domain Name registration with Namecheap. During the Olympics, get a discount with the coupoon code OLYMPICSUMMER.
WordPress hosting with Dreamhost
WordPress hosting with Bluehost
WordPress hosting with Hostgator

Downloading and Installing WordPress

Download the latest version of WordPress
Filezilla, a free FTP program

WordPress Themes

Why you should never, ever download free themes from Google
Studio Press, creators of the highly rated Genesis Framework and a wide variety of child themes
Elegant Themes, creators of “amazingly beautiful” themes for WordPress. For a modest annual fee you can use all of their themes.
Woo Themes, based on a solid framework with lots of designs and features
Standard Theme for WordPress, a top choice for professional publishers
Atahualpa Theme (free). I recommend this free theme — in fact I originally built Future Expats using Atahualpa. It’s robust, extremely versatile, and fairly easy to customize. It’s a good starting point for anyone who isn’t ready for a premium theme but wants a premium theme-like experience.

WordPress Plugins

Secure WordPress to improve your website’s safety and security. You can never make it completely hacker proof, but installing this plugin is one of the things you can do to avoid those opportunistic hacks
Bad Behavior, another security plugin
Exploit Scanner, because you can’t over-secure your website
Database Manager, to help you with backing up your site
Google Analytics for WordPress so you know where you stand
To dress up your home page (depending on your theme), you might want to add the Dynamic Content Gallery. That’s what provides the slide show on the front page of this site.
Yet Another Related Posts Plugin to display a list of posts your readers might want to see after reading the article in front of them
Or you might want to try Link Within, which does the same thing but with images (that’s what I’m using now on this site)
Make it easy for visitors to share your best stuff with Sexy Bookmarks
If you’re going to be selling anything on your site, you’ll need top-quality landing pages. The best plugin for that is Premise by Studio Press, which now includes membership functions as well
Another system for landing pages and more is Optimize Press
For a dedicated membership site plugin check out Wishlist Member
Need help with SEO and keywords? Scribe from Copyblogger Media is your answer.

WordPress Books and Tutorials

Blogging for Expats Tutorial Series
How to Become a Successful Freelance Blogger
31 Days to Build a Better Blog
BlogWise: How to Do More with Less
Copywriting Scorecard for Bloggers
ProBlogger’s Guide to Blogging for Your Business
ProBlogger’s Guide to Your First Week of Blogging
The Blogger’s Guide to Online Marketing

Programs

Site Setup Kit
Wealthy Web Writer
Third Tribe
A-List Blogging Bootcamp
Blog Marketing Academy
Demolish the Technical Confusion: Live training workshops starting on August 7. Basic, step-by-step training on starting and running a WordPress website
Blog Topics, includes writing advice and prompts, tips, tricks and more to help you with your blog’s content
Blog Topics Master Class, a 16-week program