Moving overseas can be the greatest adventure you will undertake. It’s a profoundly beneficial experience, deepening your understanding of both other people and your own culture. It opens your mind to different ways of living and matures you in many ways.
However, it can be stressful. You have so many things to plan and decide. Where you will work and stay. Whether you will sell all your belongings or use shipping container transport to cart all your household goods to the port to send them overseas. What type of visa should you apply for and how will you sort out challenges along the way? Even, where you will send your children to school?
That’s a lot. So, what are the practical steps you can take to make life easier for yourself?
Connect with an Expat Group
The very first action you can take is to connect with a group of Australians or other expats living in that country. There are plenty of groups on Facebook or other social media platforms that will give you an instant connection to your chosen land.
You can connect a long time before you leave, and gain advice from people who are experts and have done it before. As a group, they’ve probably experienced all the problems you may face while moving overseas and will often help in very practical ways.
They may be very busy, but they’ll often go out of their way to assist, because they wish to make others’ journeys smoother than their own.
Have an Attitude of Adventure
First and foremost, have an attitude that everything—from the smallest bit of paperwork to the flying, to the first days in what may turn out to be a crummy hotel—will be an adventure. The right mindset can actually diminish your stress.
Be Open to New Experiences
Being open to new experiences is connected to having an attitude of adventure. The more you wish to try new cultures, new ways of living life and new ways of eating, the better you will adjust to your surroundings. Enjoy even eating weird dishes like fried worms. Try on traditional dress. Whatever is different may end up stimulating you.
Make the Practical Logistics Easier
One of the most important challenges to tackle is that of the practical issues to obtain documents and plan the logistics of your journey. These can take time, money and a lot of travelling between bureaucratic government departments – none of whom will tell you the full list of documents to bring.
There may even come a time when you will wonder if these departments were set up simply to make people’s lives difficult! However, with your positive-attitude-hat on, you’ll realise that most people are simply doing their job to the best of their ability. Win them over with your good attitude and they may go the extra mile for you.
Visa Assist
There are many companies that are experts at obtaining visas and handling you. To save yourself many headaches and wasted trips, as well as time and money, go through a reputable company. They will give precise information about the documents and procedures and will even undertake to apply on your behalf. They will leave only the interview for you to attend.
Moving Assistance
There is a surprising amount of work that goes into moving physical goods. From the physical action of packing goods into boxes and moving them across the world, to the legal paperwork that you need, it is a long and laborious process. Getting a moving company who will take care of every step for you will alleviate tension significantly.
Work Assist
Searching for a job can be tricky, especially with so many people and companies offering fraudulent placements. Although the Immigration Office in any country should be able to help you spot these, it is best to go through a company that is able to vet the validity of any potential employer, and help you find the perfect job, with the correct salary.
Accommodation Assist
Are you aware there are companies that exist solely for helping you find accommodation? This will ease anxiety.
Nobody wants to fork out huge amounts of money for uncomfortable hotel accommodation. If you want to settle as soon as possible, you may wish to contact the apartment property management who will help you find temporary or long-term accommodation.
A great online aid these days is that you’re able to see a property via video-link. Simply find a reputable company, and you are set. Make sure you have a get-out clause should the property not be as was represented. But a company with a good name is not likely to let you down.
Also read: Get A Whopping 200% Sales With Cookie Packaging
Emergency Assist
You’ll always need emergency insurance. For example, you may experience an urgent need for a doctor, or you may have your purse stolen and require funds urgently. Make sure you have a very comprehensive insurance that covers you well into the duration of your stay in the new country.
Conclusion
The experience of locating abroad can be one of the most exciting times of your life. However, it can be stressful! So, alleviate that stress by using all the help you can possibly get.
Have a specific question? Ask us in the comments!