Moving out for the very first time can be an exciting but challenging experience. You get to experience real life for the first time and have to act like an adult. With time, you get used to the new life, and it becomes easier living on your own. But is moving abroad for the first time just like that experience? Definitely not! While you do get used to living alone and taking care of all the important stuff, moving to another country is a whole another experience. It is not just leaving behind the home you got used to, but you have to leave behind your loved ones as well by going to a strange land with unfamiliar faces. So if you are packing your bag and moving abroad, there is a checklist you should take care of!
Learn A Foreign Language
The moment you know that you are moving abroad, you need to start learning the common language of your destination. It will seem impossible at first, but with practice and immersion, slowly and steadily you will become fluent. But until then, you have to be able to learn enough so you can communicate in that foreign country. If you are moving to Spain or Mexico, or any country where Spanish is spoken, start learning the common Spanish words. Other apps that are great with learning a language include DuoLingo and WriteIt!
Make Health Appointments
Make last-minute health appointments and ask your doctor what is required to live abroad. Once you move abroad, in the beginning, you may not have health insurance. If you encounter a health issue, it will be difficult for you to handle it. If you have any appointments, including your dental and vision test, book them before your leave the country.
Make A Budget
When you go to a new place, and meet new people, it can become overwhelming and costly. If you don’t budget, you may end up spending more than you anticipated. Before you go, create a realistic budget and then follow it. Make sure to include necessary items such as housing, food, clothing, vehicle expenses and cellular phone service in your budget. In the beginning, you need to save as much cash as you can because you never know what incidents may come up while living abroad. Life is not always predictable, and especially even less so when living in a foreign country.
Re-Route Your Mail
Get all your mail re-routed to a family member’s place or a friend’s. Just because you are leaving the country does not mean there will not be any important mail that you will need to attend to.
Get A Long-Term Visa
When you move to another country, you will need a long-term visa. A visa can be acquired from an employer who sponsors you, or you can also apply for it if you’re moving to study or work in another country. Take all your necessary paperwork with you, and save copies of your important documents and applications on your computer so you can easily access them when needed. I recommend using Google Drive to store your documents on a cloud for easy retrieval.
Get A Travel Debit
Research and get a debit card that is good for traveling and living abroad. I recommend banking with Charles Schwab or HSBC because they have international locations. It is better to establish a bank prior to landing in the country of your new home, or you may run into inconveniences. Also, be mindful of these travel money mistakes and scams that you may experience.
It is natural to feel anxious and apprehensive of moving abroad. If you are scared about moving out of the country for the first time, we recommend traveling to that destination first to see if it’s a place that you would want to live in short or long-term. As scary as the thought is, it can be an exciting experience if you have done all the necessary tasks beforehand!
About the Author:
Lara Smith has worked for Wall Street English for 20 years. After studying at Stanford University and subsequently doing a CELTA course, she began her career in teaching. She is obsessed with languages and currently writes blogs at https://www.mimicmethod.com/.
Join Alex and Larry on our journey, as we find love, eat great food, and travel to beautiful destinations. #weloveeattravel