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Leaving your existing life behind and starting a new life in a different country can be an exciting thing. This, however, does have its challenges. You should not get dismayed by the difficulties that come at you. You should use each difficulty as a learning experience, becoming better as you go along. Before you permanently settle anywhere you need to stay there for some time experience the culture and based on your experiences you should decide where to settle. Don’t be in a hurry to ship all your stuff to your new home. In order to go on this initial quest for the perfect home for you, you need to be able to leave and keep moving from place to place. For this, it is recommended that you rent first and buy when you are sure that you are going to settle in that particular location. Below are ten important tips for first-time expats.
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Research
Before moving to a new place you need to ensure that you do proper research. Starting your life in a foreign land is nothing to be taken lightly. It is going to require you to collect information and do your research well. You will inevitably at some point come across some information that conflicts with your existing knowledge. This shows you that there are no definite answers out there for you. The only way you can be completely prepared and find out if the community you’re traveling to, suits you and is a place you would be able to live in, is by going there and spending time. However, with research done beforehand, it will be easier for you to adapt.
Getting a resident visa can also be a hassle and you cannot depend on government authorities for all the information you require. Collecting all the information about the country beforehand is definitely going to make your job easier. It will ensure that you do not have to depend upon the locals and the government officials as much. This will save you from needlessly wasting your time gathering ambiguous information.
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Be patient
Patience is a virtue holds true in this scenario. Not everything is going to go your way and you cannot push things to happen when you need them to happen. When you’re living life as an expat you need all the local help that you can get. The best way to ensure that you get help is by being nice and patient with people. Keeping yourself in check is a must.
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Get a new passport
You need to renew your passport and other official documents like your driver’s license before the big move. This will save you a lot of hassle later on.
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Become tech savvy
When you move away from your home base you will still need a connection to it. This is because your bank accounts are probably going to be based back home. Shifting to online banking is an effective way to manage your bank accounts while living the expat life. To use these existing systems well you will need to understand them properly. So, it is essential that you work on your understanding of online transactions and online banking.
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Expose yourself to the worst
Before you do move to a country it is advisable that you experience it like a local. This means that you do not do touristy things; you do not form groups with other foreigners and hang out with other expats. You need to get involved with the local community. This can be done by taking an interest in religious worship, cultural events, etc. It is even better if you go during the most undesirable time of the year. This way you can experience how hard it can really get on you. After such an experience if you still believe that this is the best place for you, then you move there otherwise keep searching. You have to make absolutely sure before finalizing anything. It is also a good piece of advice to lighten your burden. This means that instead of keeping all your possessions and putting them in a storage locker, you sell them off. The money you get can be better used by you on your adventure. It can aid you in your search for a place. This will also make moving easier as you will not have much of anything left to move. Just the essentials will be left with you.
Once you have shifted to a place do not form a group of expats. This will limit the exposure you gain and ultimately prevent you from achieving the exposure you expected to. The only way to actually have fruitful experience and learn about the new cultures is by actively involving yourself in it. You will need to jump off the deep end.
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Improve your language skills
When you move to an entirely new place it is important that you are able to speak the local language. This is because you need to effectively communicate with the locals as they will be the greatest source of knowledge about this strange land for you. English, though a very widely spoken language is not spoken with expert proficiency all over the world. In fact, in some places of the world, English is a language that is altogether ignored. This means that you are able to speak the local language is going to be very important for you. It will also make people more willing to help you as they will clearly understand you.
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Engage with other expats
Although it is not advisable that you engage a lot with other expats, it is going to be helpful for you to understand the nature of a place properly by engaging with expats who have lived there for a long time. You can probably get some useful tips particular to that region from these people. You can always connect with them on expat forums.
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Acclimate yourself to the food
The best way for you to adjust yourself to the food of a new region of the world is by slowly getting used to it. Do not overdo it with new food on the first day. Chances are you are going to be sick for a long time if you overdo it. Gently dip your feet into the pool that is the local cuisine and train your stomach to handle the food.
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Learn to live alone
This means that it is important that you give up your dependence on all the people back home. You need to be able to find your own way in an entirely new country.
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Choose a busy locality to live in
Initially, your aim is probably going to be to immerse yourself into the new culture and meet interesting new people. For all this, it is best if you choose a busy locality to live in. in this manner, all important things like hospitals and grocery stores will be nearby as well. This will make adjusting to the new place easier for you.
