It’s such an exciting step to decide you want to be an expat. It’s such a fun adventure that will likely be one of your favourite periods in your life, but it will probably come with a range of challenges and surprises. If you’re thinking about becoming an expat or if you’re on the way to starting your new life overseas now, I hope these four tips for being an expat help you get on the right foot for your new journey.
1. Get Some Help With the Move
Moving overseas can be a lot of stress between having to organise visas, the logistics of moving your stuff and pets overseas, and also finding a new job – it’s a lot at once! I think it is extremely worthwhile to outsource at least some of the process so you can focus on what you need to and keep your stress levels manageable. You might find it helpful to work with a lawyer in your destination country to help you arrange the visas and to ensure all your paperwork is in order. It can also be worthwhile to check out these moving companies before you even get started, to see how much it would cost for professional moving assistance.
2. Think About Employment
If you’re not lucky enough to be moved overseas with your current work, then you’re going to have to seriously think about what kind of employment opportunities will be available to you overseas. If you don’t speak the local language, you might be limited in where you can work. If you’re starting from scratch looking for a job, I suggest that you start the job search well before you want to move. If you’re looking in a specific industry, like teaching, you might want to consider when the best time is to apply for work as it is a seasonal job. You can also look into employment opportunities in a different industry, such as franchising. If you want more information, check out this link for more information: https://www.chucksroadhouse.com/franchising/.
3. Say Yes
It can be hard when you’re in a new city or country to make your own group of friends. There’s an uncomfortable period that can be quite lonely where you don’t know that many people and your social life is pretty limited. One way you can boost your social life quickly is by saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Even if you think an event wont be interesting or something that you would like, just say yes and give it a go. You never know who you will meet at those events and how they’ll fit into your life, but you wont know unless you say yes!
4. Keep in Touch
It’s normal to feel a little homesick and to miss your loved ones when you’re so far from home. Keeping in touch regularly can really help with homesickness because you can really keep in touch well via using Skype or video calls. For me this is important especially for my younger family members who change so fast and might not remember me if I’m not in touch with them frequently!
Becoming an expat is such a fun journey and hopefully with these tips your journey to being an expat will be smoother than you expect.
