How is it to move to another country and how you can prepare
This article is about the process of moving to another country and how you can do it the best way.
Cultural shock, language barriers, loneliness... these are the things we might be afraid of when we move to another country. So what can you do to prepare to all of this?
Decide! Plan and organise everything to the last things (the smallest details you can possibly see) (how are you gonna travel, how to travel to your place. What if anything doesn’t work out the way you imagined (plan B and C). The more cases you think about the less surprises you can get (we like the positive surprises, but we are not talking about that right now :) ).
Let’s talk about culture shock, and the reason of it: the cultural differences.
How to avoid the shock. Make research, be prepared, get to know some important information about the culture before you travel or meet people from a different country or continent.
Research what the legal requirements are for moving to and staying in your chosen country
You might need a passport, often visa, too, but it is possible that it will be a longer process and a set of documents and requirements in order to move to that country, so it is better to start the process as soon as you decided.
Job opportunities
Apply to jobs before you move, so you are going to feel more secured.
Accomodation
Nowadays you have the opportunity to see the flats to rent on a video tour, therefore you don't necessarily have to be there physically when you view a flat that you possibly want to rent. But you need to be careful here and avoid scammers, choose reliable letting agencies with a positive overall rating or a private landlord that's reliable. If you'd rather go through the process in person, you can find a hotel or AirBNB for the beginning of your time there and view the flats in person. It is still advised that you make viewing appointments just before you travel, it will save you some time and money.
Prices
Research prices (and exchange rates if necessary).
Language
If the language of your chosen country is one that you can't speak, I advise you to start learning it before you go there, the sooner the better. Even if a lot of people can speak English and you can speak English, there will be less language barriers and better experiences when you can speak other languages, too.
Before you move there, start to learn the language if possible (if you haven’t). If you have, practise and improve your fluency.
Here are some tips for language learners:
How to make friends abroad?
It's something that you shouldn't have to worry about. Where ever I moved, I've always made new friends. Of course, not everyone is gonna be really your friend, so you don't have to trust everyone straight away, but friendships will come in an organic way in your new country as well. Find your hobby or a new hobby there, and you will find yourself connecting with a lot of interesting people. But I can't stress it enough: you should learn and practise the language.