Things to Consider Before Moving to Another Country- Ngtraveller
What to consider before moving abroad
Work and money
How will you support yourself when you move abroad? Will you get a job or do you have enough savings or passive income to support yourself and possibly your family? One of the most important things to consider before moving should be thinking about your income.
When I moved to Toronto, I received a job offer before I arrived, which made things easier for me. The job didn't work out so I ended up quitting and working independently. Fortunately, there was work available that matched my skill set. My next international move was to Vienna, where I worked part-time at the school where my girlfriend worked. This again made this step easier. Having a certain job or job when moving to a new country will alleviate some of the financial stress.
In addition to working for a company, you can try freelancing online. Jobs like programming, graphic design, writing, and many other jobs are always in demand. Consider reading: Jobs That Help You Travel and See More of the World to get some ideas on jobs you could do if you moved abroad.
Visas
When traveling abroad, always make sure of your legal capacity and whether you need a residence visa, a work permit, or anything else that allows you to stay. In some countries, there are schemes where you can live and work in a country for 1-2 years to experience that country. This sometimes applies only to young people.
Language
What is the language of the country you are moving to? Can they speak your language too?
Upon moving, you may find that you can do the basics, but if you receive mail, such as bills, and you also have to go to government offices for paperwork, it can be difficult at times. Before moving to another country, try to find guides online that explain all the legal / registration matters that you will need to do once you arrive. You may also have to sign contracts that can be long and you really don't want to sign things that you can't read and understand. There are translation services available and one that I use a lot is translate.google.com, which is good, but probably not perfect. You may also consider hiring someone to help you with translations, but this can be a bit costly.
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From my experience in Austria, my girlfriend and I discovered that many government offices do not always speak English well and that legal documents are written in German. Fortunately, we had the help of the school staff when we moved; otherwise it would have been much more difficult.
Friends and family
Traveling abroad can be difficult if you leave all your friends and family behind. You may feel homesick and lonely. Meeting new friends in a new destination can take some time depending on the job you get and whether you participate in the expat community or social events.
For me, I always miss my friends and family, living in Austria does not make it difficult to go back and visit them. However, living far away, such as in Asia, America or Australia, will make it more difficult.
Holiday allowance/Annual Leave
What kind of vacation allowance will you get when you work in another country?
If you hope to travel or visit friends and family at home, you will probably want as much time as possible to return. You may need to return for weddings, funerals, and other similar occasions. Even if you do not intend to return home very often, you may also want to travel, and if you are receiving the minimum vacation allowance, you may not have enough time to do so. For a rough idea of annual leave / leave allowance in different countries, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of minimum annual leave. Also check the official websites before moving to a country.
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For me, I had a lot of annual vacations when I lived in Europe, but when I lived in Canada I only had 10 days, and it was not enough to see friends and family at home, much less to be able to travel. Actually, this was partly why I couldn't stay at this job for long.
Travel opportunities
When you live in another country, it will probably provide more or less travel opportunities. For example, if you are moving to Europe, it is very easy to get around and see other places in Europe. In Toronto, I found it much more difficult as there were less expensive options.
Location and cost to get home
Another thing to consider before traveling abroad is how easy and affordable it is to get home. The further away you are, the more expensive it will be, and as a result, it may be more difficult for you to visit your home country more often, especially if you have a low income or have a low annual license.
Cost to move
Traveling abroad can be very expensive, especially if you plan to move your belongings abroad. The easiest way to move abroad is to get a job that will sponsor you. Some companies, such as international schools, pay for trips and send some of your belongings abroad. However, this will not apply to everyone.
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Deposits and agency fees
Another big cost when traveling abroad is obtaining a deposit for accommodation. This can be expensive at times. For me, moving to Toronto was pretty easy as I had no agency fees and I only had to pay the first and last month's rent when I moved. Whereas in Austria most places charge a huge agency fee, as well as a large deposit. This can add thousands to the initial moving cost.
Religious and cultural rules
It is helpful to know some of the religious practices in the country you are going to before continuing. For example, in some societies, if he is not married but lives with a partner who can cause him problems, and if he is involved in homosexual practices, this is considered illegal. If he knows that there is an aspect of his lifestyle that may not be acceptable, he should always check official sources before planning a trip abroad.
For shipping suitcases
Another service you can use is mybaggage.com, which can send your luggage, such as suitcases, to the whole world. This will come in handy if you've been doing it for a few years and want to take some of your items with you, but not all. This is a traceable service and you can receive SMS and emails that notify you when your items have been collected and must be delivered.
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Furniture and luggage
In some places, like the UK, you can move into fully furnished apartments such as a bed, tables, washing machine, etc., but in many other places in the world you can rent an empty apartment and you have to bring everything yourself. If you are moving to a vacant lot in another country, you may consider shipping your furniture or purchasing it.
Personal Possessions
In addition to shipping furniture, you should also think about what you need to ship in terms of personal belongings. How many clothes do you need to bring? Can you pack everything you need into two bags, or will you have to ship a few things? For me, when I moved, I left some of my belongings with my parents and then took the essentials with me, such as clothes, a computer, some travel books, and various other things.
Electrical items
What many people forget is whether their electrical appliances will be fine in another country. Some high-energy items, like hair dryers, can fade and die after a while (as my girlfriend found out). Whether or not you need to worry depends on the country you are coming from and the country you are moving to. For example, in the United States, the voltage is typically 100 to 127 volts, while in many places in Europe it is 220 to 240 volts. This means that if you connect a low voltage device to a high voltage outlet, you can destroy the element.
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On many electrical items, such as laptops, chargers, etc., you will be able to look at the plug or power adapter and see what voltage the item can handle.
In addition to the power of the device, you should also consider plugs, as there are many different types of plugs around the world. I have used the Skross World travel adapter on most of my trips and also when I have been to Canada and the UK, and the plug seemed great. Takes inputs from almost any outlet in the world and also connects to almost any outlet.
Internet speed and reliability
If a good Internet connection is important to you, you should consider the speed and reliability of the connection before you travel. For example, a good Internet connection will be important for those who work online, watch TV online like Netflix, as well as those who need Skype for their friends, family, or business contacts.
Getting bank accounts
Examining bank accounts in new countries can be a long and painful process. Especially if the staff cannot speak your language and all the paperwork is foreign to you. For me, when I moved to Austria, fortunately we were able to find staff who spoke enough English to help us. We first needed to register with the government where we lived before we could get it, so check online for the steps required to move to a new country.
Also, you may need to transfer funds between your home country and your new bank account.
Food, cuisine and groceries
Some destinations around the world are not ideal for grocery shopping, which can make cooking at home more difficult. For me, England and Toronto were the easiest because the grocery stores were huge and had so many things to buy. On the other hand, I found Vienna a bit more complicated because many grocery stores are much smaller and have less variety. I have heard that some destinations like Hong Kong generally eat more than cook. This may be due to smaller grocery stores and smaller kitchens.
Summary
I hope this post helps you and gives you things to think about before moving to another country. One of the most important things to do before proceeding is to search online and research official sources of information.
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