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Moving Abroad
Can Be Challenging
So Plan Ahead
Are you excited about moving
abroad and the potential to live in a
foreign country?
I know I was. I took it upon myself to learn as much
about the country I was visiting (or living temporarily) as possible.
Whatever your career plans and personal dreams are, I suggest you
explore the awesome potential that working abroad and moving overseas
has to offer.
As I consistently stress to anyone that asks, you need to have a game
plan before jumping on the plane.
Call it a career
development plan or
business plan or whatever you want.
The key here is to take a good,
long look at yourself to see if you have what it takes to live and work
abroad.
Living overseas and relocate to a foreign country is a huge leap for
most of us. The more you do your homework and plan ahead, the better
chance of success you will have.
When I was planning my moving abroad adventure, I came up with a list
of all the things I could think of that I would need to consider prior
to the move.
Here is a list of issues
for you to start with. As you look through
these, think of your particular situation and how you might address it.
Passports,
visas and work permits
- A good place to start is to find out what the
requirements are in order
for you to even enter the country let alone work there.
- Every country
has it's own way of handling foreign nationals.
Cultural (and
political) climate
- Moving abroad will be a lot less stressful if
you have an awareness of
the political and cultural climate (to include security) of the country
you are entering.
Medical
consideration
- Does you current medical insurer provide
coverage while you are
overseas?
- What other types of insurance will you need to
consider?
Dental, auto and travel insurance are only a few.
Vaccinations
- Get them before you leave.
- Many hospitals and clinics have a standard
list of immunizations recommended for a particular area of the world.
Medications
- Make sure you have enough medications to
last...or at least a means to
obtain more, if needed.
- However, make sure the medications are legal in
the country you will be living in.
Personal
documents
- I prefer to keep the original documents at home
with family or friends,
but I would encourage you to take copies of such documents as birth
certificates and proof of citizenship with you.
Living
expenses
- Check to see what your expenses are going to be
for the country you are
moving to.
- Where will you live and what is the
rent/mortgage for that
area?
- Consider utilities such as heating, cooling,
water and sewage
fees.
General
finances
- Do you have a direct deposit of your salary
back
to you home bank?
- Can you access it while living abroad?
Schools and
child care
- You need to plan on the availability and access
to local school
systems.
Local laws
and customs
- You must learn what behavior is acceptable in
your new environment.
- Be
aware of traditions and local customs.
Getting help
- While living overseas you may be in need of
some help and assistance.
- A
country's diplomatic consular services such as an embassy is a good
place to start.
- They provide a lifeline between you and your
home
country.
As you can see, planning ahead is key to any successful moving abroad
opportunity.
The same advance planning is required with working
abroad
as well.
For more detailed information on moving
overseas, such as the moving
abroad
section here,
please check out the expatriate,
international
job search, working
abroad and overseas
jobs areas as well.
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