Before a long trip, I often get nervous that I’m forgetting to pack something. So imagine the butterflies I felt before picking up and moving to Spain to live in a country where I knew no one and spoke no Spanish! I’d done so much research into whereabouts I wanted to live, speaking to lots of different real estate agents (click here for an example of one that specialises in a particularly beautiful historic area) but I finally chose my ideal home. Now, I’m going to have to think about how to move all my stuff over to my new home. If I was in England and I just wanted to move a couple of hours away, I would look at Van Hire Quotes From Compare The Man & Van but I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.
I’m usually well-prepared (must be the teacher in me), but this move abroad really made me realize some important details I neglected to prepare or even think about.
Follow these seven pieces of advice and you’ll have a smooth transition to your new hometown:
Make copies of all your important documents
This includes, passport, license, insurance cards (front and back), marriage license, birth certificate and both sides of your credit and debit cards. Make sure the copies are in color and that you have both a hard copy and soft copy saved on the computer. You can even use a website like DropBox that stores your files securely and allows you to access them through the Internet.
Do NOT save this information on your cell phone. Last thing you need is a stranger getting a hold of your phone and going through you photo gallery only to spot your credit card details. You’ll need this info more than you think, especially when establishing yourself in a new country and trying to set up bank accounts and a housing lease, so having it easily accessible in one place is the way to go.
And of course, if you should lose them or be robbed, at least you have the card numbers and can easily call to cancel or block access.
Learn the local 911
I can’t believe I lived in Spain for a year and had no idea what number to call in case of an emergency. There were many times I would walk home alone at night and think to myself, “If something bad were to go down right now, I wouldn’t know how to call for help!”
This is a quick fix. Either ask around (literally to anyone, even a store clerk) or go to a local pay phone to check, as they’re often written on the phones. Then, store the number in your phone as well as memorize it.
Figure out your phone situation
Most likely, the phone you want to use abroad costs less in the U.S., so if that’s where you’re coming from, buy before moving. And better yet, buy it unlocked so you can easily get a foreign phone number and plug your new chip into your mobile device. An unlocked iPhone costs $600 at an American Apple store compared to over $700 in Dubai and $800 in the UK.
If your cell phone came from a telephone provider like AT&T, then don’t expect it to work abroad unless you jailbreak or illegally unlock it, which is a whole other article I might delve into later.
Stay connected
There are so many ways to stay in touch with family and friends back at home. There is e-mail, text, social media, and that once-upon-a-time thing called making a phone call. Before moving away, be sure you have the latest contact info for those you care to communicate with, then figure out the best ways to reach them.
At a minimum, everyone should have WhatsApp, a free messaging system that allows you to send texts, pics, videos, voice notes and location points. FaceTime and Skype are also great options IF the country you’re moving to allows it.
Some places, like China and the UAE, ban certain means of communication, so before you move, look into a VPN service for your computer or home router to get around the blockage. Some countries even block the VPN websites so that you can’t sign up once there, making it essential to sign up before you actually move!
Load up
You can find most items abroad, but expect them to come at a premium. If there is a certain face wash or makeup brand that you use then buy enough to keep you supplied until you return home or a visitor from home can bring it for you.
My blush once fell and broke while living in Taiwan. Luckily, there was a Sephora 30 minutes away. Unluckily, my same blush cost more than double the already pricey cost in the U.S. I spent a month pinching my cheeks for pink before I was able to convince a colleague to bring me back one.
So think about this as you pack your bathroom goodies: Would you be OK using any shampoo if you can’t find your normal one? What about your foundation, razor blades, or deodorant? Oh and girls, tampons… load up from home. Trust me on this one!
Scatter out your visitors
Now that you’re moving to somewhere new and hopefully cool, a lot of your friends and relatives are going to want to visit. Don’t schedule any visitors until you’ve had a month to settle in and get to know your new hometown. You will make for a better tour guide and won’t be so stressed balancing out a visitor, new home and work all at the same time.
Plus, you need time to get homesick between visitors, as well as time to figure out what you need from home so every few months people can transport your beloved items.
Research your new town
For two reasons: to get excited about where you’ll be living and to be somewhat familiar with the place so you don’t feel completely lost. The Internet makes it easy to learn about faraway places, so do your self the favor and get to learn the basics like the city/country culture, food, geography and climate. If you’re thinking of moving to Montenegro, where rental yields are up to 8%, you could always look at these Montenegro guides for help and advice.
You don’t need to know which park is going to be your new hangout spot or what movies are playing in the local theaters, but you should know how to get in and out of your new town (train, airport, buses) as well as what the town is “like”.
Is it a trendy town with coffee shops galore and tons of wannabe artists? Or a conservative business capital? There will be plenty of surprises to discover once there, so finding out the general vibe of your new place won’t ruin any of the experience for you.
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss 13 Truths Egyptian Realize When Traveling Abroad.