People make the decision to move to a new country for all kinds of reasons. Some are following a lover or partner, while others are following a job opportunity. Some simply want to see the world, staying for a long-term period in a new city far away. Whatever your reason for moving, this article’s about preparing you for your trip. It’s a huge step to move abroad, and you’ll want the journey to be as smooth as possible so that you can hit the ground running, exploring and making friends, when you arrive. Here’s how you’ll do it.
Paperwork
Every country requires some level of paperwork in order for you to live there securely. You’ll want to fill this in and get this prepared as soon as possible, seeing as a little red tape can leave you with delayed documents that might mean you have to miss your flight. Of utmost importance are your visas, which should be correct for your type of stay – work or vacation, for instance. Vaccinations are also important, alongside your vaccine passport. Finally, make sure you have all your COVID data on you – in case it’s a requirement for the country you’ve moving to.
Packing
It’s difficult to know what to pack when you’re moving abroad for a long stay. Some people take everything but the kitchen sink, while others tend to try to pack light and buy the essentials for living when they arrive in their new host country. If you’re working in your adopted new home though, it might be wise to ship some creature comforts in advance of your arrival. You can even get a quote for auto transport if you’re keen to have your set of wheels to drive you around in the new country that you’ll soon be calling home.
Housing
Sometimes it’s not advisable to pick a home and begin renting it before you’ve left your home country. Many travelers would prefer to live in a hotel for a week or two in order to get an idea of the kinds of areas that they like and the house prices in those areas. This process is exciting, as you’ll be getting to know the layout and character of much of the new city you’ll be living in. But of course you cannot stay in a hotel forever, so it’s worth being shrewd with this process and organizing a home as soon as you have found one that you like.
Friends
You’ll be leaving behind a large group of friends for the great unknown when you move abroad. This can feel worrying and destabilizing – after all, are there any guarantees you’ll make friends in your adopted home? Of course, these worries are quickly dispelled when you start traveling to the kinds of places where you’ll meet new people. Even your new workplace will provide you with a number of contacts and new friends. Just make sure you’re putting yourself out there (socializing when possible) to maximize the chance that you’ll meet a close friend in your first few weeks in your new home.
These four tips are crucial for those who are planning on moving abroad in the coming weeks and months.
