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THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE MOVING ABROAD

According to a recent study, 33% of Americans consider moving abroad at some stage during their lives. There are various reasons for this. For example, you may be craving a fresh start away from your hometown or simply looking for a way to replace rain-filled skies with constant sunshine. Alternatively, you may be seeking out new career opportunities or a better quality of life.

Regardless of your motive, there are many benefits associated with moving abroad.

For example:

You can change your perspective on life. Living abroad allows you to view life from a new, fresh perspective. This can help you realize what truly matters to you as you can step away from the chaos of everyday life. As such, many people cite moving abroad as a clear contributor to improved mental health and well-being.
You can enjoy a better quality of life than ever before. Improved quality of life is one of the key reasons why people move abroad. For example, you may be able to earn a higher salary abroad, even though much of the work you are carrying out is the same. This, coupled with a lower cost of living, means you could set yourself up to enjoy financial freedom for the first time. However, you may enjoy a better quality of life in other ways. For example, you may get to spend more time outdoors and with nature.
You open yourself up to new opportunities. Living and working abroad also gives you the chance to open yourself up to new opportunities and change your life for the better. For example, you can explore new career opportunities and meet new people from all walks of life.
You get to explore the world. Whether you love sitting in the sunshine, or sledding through the snow, living abroad gives you a chance to call your favorite vacation destination home. As a result, this gives you more chances to explore – as you can step off the beaten track and discover beautiful places that tourists do not know about.

However, that’s not to say that moving abroad is as simple as hopping on a flight and heading into the sunset. In fact, the situation can be challenging – a thought that sometimes encourages would-be ex-pats to stay closer to home.

With that in mind, here are some tips you can familiarise yourself with before moving abroad to make the big move as easy as possible.

Do Your Research

You must do plenty of research before committing to moving abroad. For example, while you may have enjoyed a vacation in a specific country, living there is very different. As such, completing a short ‘trial run,’ wherein you stay for a month or so, helps you paint a better picture of what it will be truly like to become a local. For example, this will give you an understanding of work opportunities and the general cost of living.

Get Your Paperwork in Order

While you may be well-versed in obtaining travel visas, finding working visas may be a little more challenging. For example, you may need to find a company willing to sponsor you before you move. Furthemore, each country has specific laws and regulations, and you must follow them all closely if you want to turn your dreams of living abroad into a reality.

Make Smart Career Moves

Whether you’re moving with the intention of

starting a new career or wanting to stay within your current industry, you should have an understanding of the current job market before you get on that plane. This way, you’ll know whether there is a pre-existing demand for your skills and expertise. A good way to determine this is to check out local job boards and see what openings are available. For example, if you work as a nurse, you should check out ain jobs boards and websites.

Think About What You Are Leaving Behind

Regardless of your motives for moving, it’s important to note that you also leave a lot behind when moving abroad. For example, you may lose vital industry connections if you’ve worked within a particular company for many years. Additionally, you’re also leaving your friends and family behind. Preparing yourself for this can help you understand if moving abroad is right for you while also giving you a chance to think about how you will handle or combat homesickness.

Start Building Your Support Network

Even the shyest among us crave social interaction – it’s part of our biological makeup. In fact, “researchers found that social isolation activates the same area of the brain as hunger.” As a result, to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness, you must start building your support network sooner rather than later. As you establish roots, you’ll feel less out of place in your new home. Thankfully, there are many ways in which you can go about building this network. For example, you can join online groups for other ex-pats moving to the same country as you or to chat with locals. Alternatively, you can reach out to others you may already know who live in the area and ask them to meet up or for any advice.

Prepare For a Culture Shock

As mentioned above, spending a few weeks in your chosen country ahead of time will help you gain a better understanding of what it’s truly like to live in this space. However, this does not mean you are immune to the ‘culture shock’ that is so often synonymous with moving abroad. For example, you may find that how people interact with each other in public is widely different from place to place or that the cuisine is different from your own. Taking time to learn more about local cultures and customs ahead of time can help prepare you for this. This research will also help you make a more informed decision.

Learn the Language

According to a recent study, 17% of the world’s population speaks English. However, this does not mean that it is the dominant language in your new country, and you should not expect it to be. As such, you should take the time to learn the basics of the language before moving and keep up your studies once moving. Doing so will help you integrate seamlessly into the community, communicate with those around you, and make new friends. Language classes are a great place to start, but you can also use apps such as DuoLingo.

Save Up Some Money

Moving abroad, much like moving house, can be both stressful and expensive. As a result, it’s vital that you have a general understanding of the costs as far in advance as possible, so you can begin to save up some money. For example, if you cannot find work right away, you’ll need to have enough money set aside to support yourself until you find a reliable income. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways in which you can start to save more money. Remember, you also have to cover the costs of flights and visa applications.

Put Together a Plan

Many people describe the decision to move abroad as spontaneous – fueled by a desire for change and wanderlust. However, in order to execute a successful move, careful planning is required. Write down a list of everything you need to do – such as finding a place to say, securing a job, and saving money can help you turn your dreams into a reality. You should also give yourself a timeframe to work within. It’s often not realistic to move right away or even within a few months. Giving yourself the time to properly prepare will make the chances of success more likely.

Embrace the Opportunities that Come Your Way

While having a solid plan in place is essential, you should also be willing to open yourself up to as many opportunities as possible during this time. For example, while you may be a particular career or role in mind, keep an eye out for employment opportunities elsewhere. Your fresh start could allow you to start down a new career path, enabling you to take on roles you’ve always dreamed of but never put yourself forward for. You should also put together a bucket list of everything you want to do while living abroad – from places you want to visit to the food you’d like to try. This will encourage you to embrace the joys of living abroad, as opposed to getting stuck in a boring routine.

Attend Virtual Viewings

Finding a place to live when you are currently on the other side of the world can prove challenging, as you can’t vet potential properties with the same level of attention to detail as you would normally. However, as a general rule of thumb, you should never sign a contract for a property based on images or pre-recorded videos, as they can easily be doctored. Instead, ask for live viewings, where the letting agent provides you with a virtual tour. This will paint a more accurate picture of the property.

Things to Remember Before Moving Abroad