7 Steps To Prepare For Expat Living
Leaving your homeland for a new life in a completely unfamiliar country is both daunting and exciting. What’s ahead of you is a land of possibilities.
But before you can successfully relocate yourself and thrive in a foreign land, a good amount of preparation is required. Moving overseas is a long process. In addition to this, you want to make sure that you have a certain level of understanding of what lies ahead to avoid the usual troubles created by unfamiliarity.
To help you with this, here is a guide of seven steps to establishing a life in a country other than your own:
1. Create a calendar of activities
It always helps to be organized so you do not forget anything that is important to do. You can use the checklist that relocation companies offer, or any moving checklist that you can find online.
The checklist will help you determine when you should get every one of the important tasks done, such as getting all the necessary documents ready, telling relatives and friends about your move, holding a garage sale to dispose of belongings and generate extra funds for the move, and other tasks.
2. Hire reputable overseas removalists
When you do not have to worry about the safe transport of your personal valuables to your new abode abroad, easing into the life of an expat will be a whole lot easier. After all, it is always nice to have certain pieces from your old home around to bring a sense of cozy familiarity to the place you are still yet to know.
When you hire expert international removalists, you can be sure your belongings will be transported across borders without any problems, and will arrive at your new place on time and in good condition. Leading removalists also offer packing services and other forms of assistance to help you manage all tasks during the busy, and often stressful, relocation process.
3. Create a sense of continuity by doing the things you love
If you have always enjoyed doing certain exercises or other activities after a long day at work, find a way to still be able to do them when you move. Pack your workout clothes or crafting materials, and look for a gym or hobby place in your new neighborhood.
Pursuing the activities you love and enjoy wherever life takes you can bring stability in your life. At the same time, this will provide you the opportunity to find like-minded people that you can develop a relationship with, and make living in a different country feel more like home.
4. Decide to learn something different
Like continuing your hobbies, cultivating a new hobby or studying about a new interest can do wonders for your social life. You will find people who will be willing to help you with your personal betterment as well.
At the same time, should you find yourself feeling lonely, busying yourself with something that requires your focus to perform correctly will take your mind off your longing for your old home.
5. Learn about the local culture and traditions in the host country
Take the time to study what makes the country you are moving to, different from where you are coming from. This will help you earn the acceptance of your new community faster.
Get started on language lessons. You want to know how to utter greetings and the most commonly used phrases for conversations. Likewise, familiarize yourself with the customs.
For instance, in East Asian countries, respect is taken quite seriously. Greetings are delivered while bowing. Also, there are different ways to address people of various age groups. You can avoid social faux pas by reading up on cultural guides and consuming other helpful content online.
6. Plan for social collisions
Learn how you can deliberately meet people and establish connections. For example, find community groups that match your hobbies, interests, religion, industry or current life status. Women expats in Turkey, for instance, can join groups for moms, or women expat meetups. If you have always been actively involved in volunteering, get to know about the various causes and non-profits you can support in your new place.
This will allow you to meet people and at the same time find opportunities to further pursue your interests or build a support system.
7. Make plans to explore
You want to make sure that you have the time to perform all your responsibilities as well as learn more about the place that you have moved to. Go online to look for walking tours that you can join, or plan a road trip for one weekend.
Not only will this acquaint you with your new community better, it will also provide you the excitement you need to overcome your homesickness.
The life of an expat can certainly present some challenges. However, if you plan for it well, instead of it being a difficult experience, it can be an organized and exciting process of discovery and starting anew.
AUTHOR BIO
John Pfeiffer has been the proud owner of Ashtons Removals for 41 years. His attention to detail, a product of his accountancy background, and his emphasis on training and empowering his team members, has ensured the vast number of Gold Coast families who have been moved by Ashtons Removals, have had their furniture and effects moved undamaged and with minimum fuss.
