“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart.
But that’s OK. The journey changes you; it should change you.
It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you.
Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Moving home is stressful enough, even without the added conundrum of moving across the world. Living abroad is something many say we all should experience at least once; not only do you learn about a totally new culture, you also learn a lot about yourself.
Moving abroad is a brave decision which shouldn’t be taken lightly, but once you get there, you’ll be opened up to a wealth of new experiences and people.
So many people have rejected opportunities to move abroad, simply because the logistical side of things seems insurmountable.
Moving furniture, children, pets, or even just yourself to a new country with new rules and cultures seems like an organizational nightmare. However, with the right planning and research, the move does not have to be a highly stressful experience.
Here are three things you need to know before moving abroad.
Plan, Plan, Plan.
If you’re a spontaneous person who flies by the seat of your pants, you need to find a new approach to your move abroad. This is not something to be taken lightly or done last-minute; doing so can incur serious costs and will probably end in stress.
If you have the idea that you want to move to another country, it will likely take up to a year to actually pull it off. Leave yourself plenty of time to move, particularly if you have dependents such as children or pets.
Have a Backup Plan.
Moving abroad is a risk, both financially and emotionally. After all, unless you already know the place you’re moving to pretty well, you aren’t really sure you’ll enjoy it until you arrive and start your life there.
Plus, you could run into issues with your housing, your job or your health while you’re there. Ensure you have some financial backup in case you want to return home.
For your belongings, it is important to also have a backup. Companies such as All in Self Storage will provide a place for your furniture and precious belongings to be kept while you sort out your housing issues, if you have them.
Take It Day By Day
You might find your immediate reaction to your new city to be disappointing. If you have built it up in your head as being this incredible, beautiful dreamland where you’ll be totally happy all the time, it’s bound to be a let-down.
If you find the first weeks or months in the new place difficult, it isn’t always because you hate this new place – often it’s just your mind and body adjusting to a drastic change.
Moving abroad pushes people firmly out of their comfort zone and this comes with some growing pains.
So, with this in mind, manage your expectations and take things day by day.
Don’t expect to fall in love with this new place in an instant – it will take time but instead learn to love it as you get to know the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Take things day by day, and learn to become comfortable out of your comfort zone.
