This is a collaborative post.
Living and working abroad is something that many people wish they could do. However, we often rule the idea out, telling ourselves it’ll cost too much or it’ll never work out. However, it’s actually entirely possible to follow your dream of living and working abroad. You could start a business in another country or find businesses looking for native English speakers to head up an expansion. Others will follow the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) route, while freelance writing also offers plenty of opportunities while also enabling you the freedom to work from different locations.
Living and working abroad is an incredible experience that might even change your entire perspective on life. You want this adventure to be a success, though and to make that possible, you need to consider the essentials before you get ready to pack up your life and set off across the world to live somewhere entirely new and ultimately exciting.
So, without further ado, here are ten essential items you’ll definitely need when moving abroad.
10 Essential Items for Moving Abroad
Necessary documentation
First things first, you need all the right documents if you want to transition to life in a new country successfully. The obvious documents include your passport and medical information. However, you’ll also need a visa that enables you to work in your chosen destination.
Visa laws vary between countries. Depending on the type of work you’re travelling to, you can choose which is most suitable for you. Some countries do not require a visa if you are staying for less than 30 days, which is typical for many freelancers.
If you are planning an extended stay, however, you’ll need to go through the correct channels to obtain the right visa. It’s advisable to apply as soon as possible in order to prevent delays or issues once you reach the border.
Home comforts
Even if you’re swapping the UK for another Westernised country like the US or Australia, you may still find that some home comforts are a little more challenging to get hold of, whether due to availability or cost. With this in mind, you should make sure you bring as much as you can with you to make your life that little bit easier.
If you’ve got a specific type of medicine you need, bring enough of it to tide you over until you can restock and get another prescription. Likewise, you can follow this link to obtain a spare pair of glasses, which is always handy but especially so if you’re planning lots of exhilarating adventures and you’ll be moving to a country that might not have a lot of reliable opticians.
Clothes for all seasons
You might know exactly where you’re going and you might spend every spare hour checking the weather report to make sure you’ve not made a terrible mistake. Working abroad is not so straightforward, though. While you might have a specific hub, there’s also a possibility that you’ll take the opportunity to explore other places nearby.
You’d be surprised at how quickly the climate can change when travelling the world. So, even if you’re going to an area with a sun-kissed beach and temperatures in the high 30s every day, you should definitely bring some warm clothes and waterproofs in case you decide to head into the mountains for a hike. If you’ll be travelling for work, you can probably justify bringing a suitcase with you, so there shouldn’t be any problems with overpacking.
Enough to survive
While some people will already have a job lined up before they fly out, others prefer to rely on luck and plan to find a job as soon as they arrive.This isn’t always as easy as it seems, however. The job market in different countries can be tricky to navigate and there might be laws around hiring foreigners before locals.
With this in mind, make sure you bring enough money to survive off if you can’t secure work immediately. This will help you to pay for your hotel, hostel or rented accommodation, as well as to eat and enjoy some sightseeing before you start work. You might need to be sensible with your money, especially if the job search is not as successful as you expected. Try not to fall too far into the frivolous traveller lifestyle!
A means of communication
You might think you’re doing the right thing by moving away and leaving your friends and family behind, but this doesn’t mean you won’t experience some element of homesickness eventually. Typically, this strikes at about six weeks, but it always varies depending on who you are and how you adapt to life in a new country.
It’s vital that you have a way to keep in regular touch with your family and friends, whether you arrange weekly video calls or set up a WhatsApp group to stay connected. While this won’t be the same as real-life conversations, it will help to ease the sting of homesickness somewhat, especially once the excitement plateaus.
A network
Going it alone and starting a new life and career in another country can be tricky to navigate by yourself. Despite this, there are plenty of expat communities all over the world with whom you can engage with as a way of meeting new people.
You may also meet people from work or you could consider joining a local sports club to meet more people and grow your network quickly. The very nature of working abroad means that people don’t tend to stick around for long, but this can often work in your favour as there will be a constantly-rotating group of people to help you to keep things fresh.
The right jabs
Moving to a new country means you might encounter diseases that you’re not prepared for. Vaccinations can help to protect you against possible illnesses your body may not yet have the antibodies to cope with and this can save you stressing out or spending days in bed in the unfortunate event that you get bitten by something or accidentally ingest something that makes you feel sick.
Often, you’ll not be able to enter specific countries without proof you have had these jabs, especially where Yellow Fever and Japanese Encephalitis are concerned. While these can be expensive vaccinations, they can also save your life and prevent you from getting into serious danger while you’re away from home.
Even a rabies vaccine is useful. It won’t protect you if you get bitten, but it buys you a little more time in which to seek treatment.
An open mind
You can’t expect to move to a new country and lead your life in the exact same way you’ve been used to at home, so it’s vital you go in with an open mind and a willingness to learn. You’ll need to take time to understand the culture and perhaps even put in the effort to learn the language, if English is not the native tongue.
Not only will this help you to decide whether you’d be happy staying for the long haul, but it’ll also open more opportunities for you. You could end up learning a range of new skills that’ll make you even more valuable to potential new employers.
A plan B
Although you may never need to rely upon an action plan to escape a bad situation, you need to be realistic about your dream of working abroad. There are a wide range of possible issues that could crop up. You might struggle to adapt, you might feel too overwhelmed by the move, you might experience homesickness or your new job might not live up to your expectations.
As this could happen to any of us, you’ll need to make sure you know what you’ll do if things don’t work out. While you’ll never want to feel like you’re quitting, you shouldn’t continue living and working somewhere just to prove a point if it’s not really making you happy or successful. Consider booking a flexible plane ticket that you can use at any time to save you some money and give you some peace of mind if things don’t go to plan.
Perseverance
While living and working abroad can be too overwhelming for some, you often need to persevere and get over the initial hump. You might struggle to adapt at first, but this doesn’t mean you should turn straight back around. Instead, you need to give it time.
After giving it time, whether it be a week, a month or six months, you might realise that staying was the best decision you’ve ever made. Had you left too early, you’d be kicking yourself – especially if you didn’t get to see everything you wanted to. If you’re really not enjoying yourself or your job isn’t what you thought it’d be, however, don’t be afraid to return home and get back to your usual way of life – or, perhaps you could even start planning your next big adventure!
Have you ever lived and worked abroad? What advice would you give to someone looking to try it out? Share your tips by commenting below.
This is a collaborative post.