8 Things You Need to Know Before Moving Abroad
I wish I had known these eight simple things before I moved abroad; they would have saved me from many headaches.
Moving abroad can be a life-changing, enlightening experience. Undoubtedly exciting, digging up your roots and replanting your life in a new place can be extremely daunting.
I moved to Yantai, China, on January 28, 2020. Right before the pandemic really surged. Let me tell you; I was in over my head big time.
There were several things that I wished I had known before showing up that would have saved me a lot of stress. So I want to do my best to save you from the many stresses I myself faced when I first moved.
Perhaps you have your visa in your passport, and you’re ready to go, or you are just beginning to wonder if moving abroad is for you. No matter the stage, you need to be correctly informed.
There are excellent resources for the most critical information, but what about the little things?
How much money should I bring? What do I do with my old phone number? How do I handle converting money?
These are just some questions that have fluid answers I want to give you today.
1. Research Covid-19 protocols, regulations, and conditions of your destination.
I figured we should get rid of the elephant in the room first. It’s absolutely paramount that you do in-depth research about protocols to meet, regulations to follow, and what is expected of you to protect yourself and the country you will arrive in.
Of course, official government websites are the best to check out, but sometimes these websites will have outdated information. Voraciously call embassies, consulates, or friends you know in said country. If you know which region or province you will be in, call whatever foreign help service is available. Hell, I even check some subreddits from time to time. For people wanting to live in China, /r/chinavisa is a wonderful resource.
Ultimately it is up to you to ensure you are prepared for whatever comes during these crazy pandemic times. Perhaps your destination has a one-month quarantine process, perhaps it doesn’t. You need to figure this out first and foremost before buying a ticket!
2. Transferring money to and from your destination.
If your main bank account is within the United States, there’s often at least one bank with ATMs where you can withdraw your USD into whatever their currency may be. But what about sending that country’s currency back home to your main account?
Bank transfers are available, but they often take a considerable amount of time. Match this with a large transaction fee, and I was looking for another way.
Research for insured peer-to-peer currency trading with your destination’s fiat. There will be a transaction fee, but normally they will be lower than a bank’s fee. This, coupled with not having to sit in a bank for two hours, makes it a must.
For my friends looking to come to China, without a doubt, check out Swapsy. I have been using it over these two years and have never had a problem.
3. Make a Plan to Get a Phone or Phone Number
This was a big problem as the country was locked, and no phone stores were open. Because of this, I was using my United States number, racking up a huge bill. Not fun. However, you more than likely won’t run into this problem as total lockdowns seem to happen less often.
Unless you have a wonderful international phone plan, getting a new SIM card is very important. Even with an international plan, many countries will not accept specific international numbers for services. So you need to plan ahead on how to secure that coveted SIM card.
What many of my friends have done is look for telecommunication stores around their apartment using map applications before ever taking a flight over. This way, you can see how many stores there are and, depending on the possible language barrier, compare prices. Once you get to your apartment and are ready to get into life, make your way over to the phone store and get yourself that number!
4. Change your Necessary Account Information
This has been one of the most frustrating parts of moving abroad for me. I canceled my United States phone number when I got my new phone, and as a result, I locked myself out of all of my accounts, including my bank account, emails, social media, and Steam. I was able to recover nearly all of them eventually, but it took a whole bunch of emails and phone calls.
Once you get your new phone number, don’t cancel your old one right away! Use your old number to change your account’s recovery to your new number. This way, you can ensure both access and the safety of your accounts.
This also applies if you’re moving back to your home country, as well.
5. Exchange More Money at the Airport than You Think You’ll Need
It’s a good practice to exchange MORE than you think you’ll ever possibly need when traveling. Of course, carrying a big wad of cash can induce some anxiety, but as long as you keep it safe, you will be alright. I suggest splitting it up in different spots of your luggage or clothing, so it’s not all in one lump sum.
As with any move, there are often expenses you did not expect to come across. Your housing agent lied to you, and you need to pay more on the deposit, the phone you need is more expensive than you thought, or whatever the case may be. These are real expenses that can happen to you.
An ATM that works with international currency could possibly be 20 km away from you, creating a huge hassle. To keep your head on straight and not cause unnecessary stress, take a few extra bucks with you just in case. Hopefully, you won’t need to spend it, and you can send it right back into your account.
6. Learn the Numbers
If you don’t have any experience in the language of your destination, I have one easy suggestion. Learn at least numbers 1–10 in your country’s language. Even more, is better, of course. It sounds extremely simple because it is.
Whether it’s getting your bill, listening for your number in line, or getting a cute individual’s phone number, it is an easy quality of life boost to know these words. It is relatively easy to learn 10 words as long as you give it a try. Many languages use easy-to-understand derivatives of these numbers to say the higher ones. So you’ll already have a basic understanding of these.
I highly recommend you invest time into practising and learning your country’s language if you haven’t already. It brings you closer to the culture and the people and can grant you experiences you might not have had without knowing it.
I was a slowpoke in this regard and just started taking official classes in the past two months. After listening for two years, I’m starting to make decent progress. It makes life much more enjoyable and eventful when you can (at least partially) understand the people around you.
7. Know How to Replace a Missing Passport in your Country
Luckily, this is something I haven’t personally had to deal with. However, one of my friends was not so lucky. After losing his passport on vacation in China, he couldn’t board his flight back to the town he lived in. He had to take a twenty-hour taxi ride instead, which cost him an amount you wouldn’t believe.
It took him over six months to get a new passport. The time it took him to do this could have been largely cut down if he had researched beforehand which bodies to go through. Typically a good place to start is the embassy of your country.
Hopefully, you never have to deal with this situation, but it doesn’t hurt to do some prior research on what to do if it happens to you.
8. Know that Starting a Life in a New Place Takes Time
No matter how often you travel abroad, it will take time to replant your roots. There is often a “three-month funk” that expats mention where the first three months seem to have a lot go wrong. The reality of moving to a new place goes against our expectations.
Unless you’re incredibly lucky, you typically will hit several road bumps in the process after finally arriving. Maybe you won’t make a ton of friends quickly. Perhaps the local culture and etiquette are taking your time to understand. Or the local food doesn’t sit well in your stomach. All of these things are totally okay.
If you find yourself in this stage, remind yourself why you made the decision to go abroad. I really love the saying, “all good things in life take time,” as I believe it’s totally true. You can’t rush true connections with friends or learn a new culture. These are things that will come naturally. Until then, keep your head up and try your best to learn and enjoy the beautiful country you’re living in!
Now I Know All 8 Things. What’s Next?
The different points I’ve listed here won’t apply to everyone. It depends on what country you’re from and where you’re going. Even with this being the case, being ready when you don’t need to be is better than not knowing what to do when you need to.
Going abroad for the first, fifth, or even tenth time can be an extremely stressful yet rewarding experience. Picking up your life and moving it across the world is a scary yet exhilarating experience.
No matter what stage you are in on your way to moving to your destination, I hope you can at the very least check these 8 points listed and see if they may apply to your time abroad.
I’ve really enjoyed my time in China, and I hope I continue to. I’ve had a ton of wonderful experiences and met so many great people. However, as a first-time expat with no peers to guide me initially, these are some simple things I wish I had known. I hope you can take these things and have an incredible journey!
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