8 Essential Tips for First-Time Expats
Last Update: January 11, 2025 / 13:13:05 GMT/Zulu time
Packing up your home and moving it and your family abroad should fill you with giddiness and a healthy dose of apprehension.
Apprehension is a natural response toward changes on a big or small scale, depending on your personality type and history with the subject.
If you have decided to give yourself and your family the opportunity of a lifetime, but should you not know where to start, you have come to the right place!
Below are eight essential tips for first-time expats:
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Plan
Without a plan, your stress levels will shoot off the charts.
Once you have decided to emigrate, start planning how it will work.
Make notes, research, and discover how much easier it will be with preparation. Keep all your notes together during the planning phase; you will be surprised at how helpful they will turn out to be.
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Attitude
While this might seem like a superfluous tip, your attitude towards living in a new country will make or break the experience.
Be realistic about the situation – things will be different. It is the nature of choosing something new and novel. Never be so stuck in your ways that you cannot pick a different brand of toothpaste without being grumpy about it.
Embrace the experience with a healthy, happy attitude. You might not be able to buy the coffee brand you have been drinking for the last ten years, but there will be other coffee brands.
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Finances
As with most major life changes, moving overseas and booking long haul flights is going to take money – and a substantial amount of it.
Do a deep dive into your financial situation and if your plan is to move without already having a job or a plan to make money, ensure that you know exactly how many months you afford to get through before things get rough.
While there is no harm in making cuts to afford the change, you do not want to jeopardize the standard of living you are accustomed to. That said, some things are not as affordable in a new country as they are back home.
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Insurance
Relocating overseas is an exciting opportunity offering countless ways to enjoy personal and professional growth.
The quality of healthcare systems in other countries can vary wildly, and what may be considered routine care in one place could be unavailable in another.
Insurance for expats can help ensure that you and your family get the medical attention you need when you need it. It can also provide access to world-class healthcare facilities and comprehensive treatments that public facilities would not.
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Housing
Finding a place to call home when you land is the dream, but it is not always practical.
Unless you know what neighborhood you want to move to, and have the money to do a preliminary visit before your moving date, it is best to rent furnished short-term accommodation until you find the perfect place.
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Pets
In the mad rush and hustle that inevitably comes after deciding to move abroad, do not forget your furry friends.
Research online or consult pet relocation professionals to find out what you need and when before moving your pet.
Understandably, many pet parents want their animals to move with them because they are part of the family, but not all country's customs departments will necessarily agree.
Some countries require quarantine periods on arrival, others do not – but most of them require vaccinations ahead of time.
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Work
Finding a job should be a task that you have either already ticked off your list or you will shortly after arriving.
Depending on your origin country, where you are going, and what skills you have, will dictate what is required of you beforehand.
For example, some countries have strict work permit visa requirements that mean you must have already secured gainful employment or have signed a contract for such.
Finding a job in the most sought-after cities in the world is not for the faint-hearted, but it is possible if you do not give up and have valuable skills to offer potential employers.
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Fun
Last, but certainly not least, living in a new country should be a fun and exciting experience. If yours does not meet your expectations, chances are - you need more fun.
Something as simple as meeting a friend for coffee each week has the power to change the trajectory of your experience as an expat – do not underestimate it.
In Conclusion
These tips are not hard to follow; you need to commit to them and your new home country.
A chance like this does not come around every day, so do not miss yours simply because you are not sure of how it will work out. Take the leap of faith if you feel good about it, chances are it will be the best decision you have ever made.
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