What To Consider When Moving Abroad

This is a collaborative post.

Moving abroad is a huge decision for anyone and it’s not something that you can take lightly. You’ve probably already made your decision on things such as where you want to move but have you thought about all the little details? Have a look below at some of the important things that you need to consider when moving abroad.

How Much Is It Going To Cost

This may seem like something that won’t go forgotten but when it comes to moving abroad often people forget about all of the costs involved. They will do some shopping around for homes such as looking at a luxury condo in Selangor online and considering how much rent will cost but then forget about how much their utilities will cost or how much it will cost to get there. You need to have a think about what your living costs are going to be, what your moving cost will be and how much it’s going to cost you to tie up any loose ends from where you’re moving. Do some research into how much it’s going to cost you to do a weekly shop, how much a taxi costs, the price of petrol and other essential things before you move so you have a good idea how much your lifestyle will cost once there. It’s also a good idea to consider how much it’s going to cost to move any belongings over or are you going to buy new for your new place? If you’re planning on taking any pets with you, you look at how much the extra vet visits, the plane journey and the quarantine stays are going to cost you. Don’t forget that depending on where you’re moving to you may need to register them.

Work And School

When moving abroad the majority of people will have already secured a job position and sorted the schools for the kids, this is because it’s one of the most important reassuring things to tick off the list. Once you know the children are sorted and you have an income, things can be a lot less stressful. Often moving abroad is because of an opportunity you just can’t turn down, in these situations it can be very easy to build bonds with colleagues and the new company because they understand the decision you’ve made. However, if you are moving first and then looking for work you may be left with a difficult search as trying to explain your choices for moving before making sure you are secure. Unless there are extenuating circumstances people who are planning on moving should really be actively seeking work and already have sorted the education for the kids. One thing to bear in mind when looking at school abroad is the level of education on offer and whether your children will be required to learn a new language once enrolled.

Language Barriers

It’s often the case when people move to another country that there can sometimes be a language barrier. This obviously doesn’t apply if you’re moving to a country that speaks the same language however there are always still small differences. It’s a good idea to try and learn some of the language of the country you’re moving to minimise the language barrier it creates. Having an issue with a language barrier can make a move unnecessarily stressful and make you miss home even more. Living abroad with no intention of learning another language will make it near impossible to live, making it difficult to gain friends, build relationships and it will just not cut it. But don’t let this put you off, it has been proven that if submerge within a culture it’s possible to learn a language within 3 months. So if you’re flexible and eager this will cause no problems at all.

Family And Friends

Unfortunately family and friends often become the last minute thought when getting caught up in the excitement of moving to a new country. You’ll think about your partner and children and consider them in your thoughts about moving but sometimes forget about how another family member may be feeling. It’s definitely worth speaking with the people your leaving behind as they can be left feeling as though they are going to be forgotten when this definitely isn’t the case! Have a chat with them and put a plan into place so that you all feel as though your not going to lose your support system or that nanny and grandad aren’t going to be missing out. Maybe looking at flights and accommodation options will reassure you all.

So you have any tips for moving abroad? Please share them in the comments section below.

1 Comment

  1. Heather
    April 16, 2019 / 4:54 am

    We moved from Orlando,Florida to Victoria, BC Canada. We had immigration issues to deal with (I’m Canadian and sponsored my husband, but he was unable to work until he got a work permit and permanent residency…hugely stressful period!). We also didn’t realize that we had to import our van, get it retrofitted to meet Canada’s standards, and make a note of everything that was in storage that we might eventually be moving up (spoiler: it’s 99% still in storage). We didn’t have jobs or a place to live aside from a hotel, and found it more difficult than expected to find a place. Lots of landlords wanted a years rent in advance. I don’t regret the move or the way we did it, driving across the US for 7 weeks, visiting friends, family, and sites along the way, but I admit that we should have tried to get some of the stuff done for immigration beforehand. We did enjoy the move and we blogged it, though we lost the pictures due to the hosting service closing down some years ago. At least the text is preserved. It was a great way for friends to be involved and aware of how it was going.

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