What will i Encounter as an Expat Moving Abroad?

 

Before we address some of the commonalities, it’s important to remember that each person’s experience is unique. Each work assignment has specific business objectives and will come with different professional challenges. And each individual will respond to these challenges in their own personal way. 

 

As such, don’t feel bad if your experience differs in any way to others. It might take you longer to settle into your new life, or you may be faced with obstacles you have never considered about before. 

 

 

Even if you’re not arranging for relocation to the other side of the planet, there’s a chance your items can be delayed or lost during the moving process. House removals to France for instance, despite being so close to the UK, will still involve a similar process of packing and shipping onto planes, trains, trucks or ships, which could lead to your items becoming accidentally mishandled causing delay or loss. 

 

While we do everything in our power to reduce this likelihood, it’s impossible to control the actions of individuals at every stage of your moving process. Our best advice is to work with a trusted partner who will be honest and transparent about these incidents, and do their utmost to rectify any inconsistencies in your relocation. 

 

In order to avoid bad weather, industrial action, unhelpful customs officials or simple bad luck getting the best of you, we recommend factoring enough flexibility into your plan so you can still move forward with your life when you arrive in your new location. Also, covering yourself with appropriate insurance is a must! 

 

 

You may have access to a supportive expat community, or you may not. Nevertheless, you can still feel lost, out of place or lonely in your new environment regardless of how prepared you are for the emotional challenge of starting fresh and making new friends. For instance, if your partner works and you are still looking for employment, or are looking after the children at home, this can be incredibly challenging when it comes to settling down. 

 

We recommend that you give yourself the time to readjust to your new role. And if you’ve never been an expat before, give yourself a little extra slack for your initial nesting phase. Putting too much pressure on yourself from the start can cause you to feel stressed or anxious and make it even harder for you to settle. 

 

 

An overlooked part of the expat life is coming home. Unless you have actually relocated permanently, you will at some point need to return to your home country. Unless you plan ahead and think hard about this reality, you may find yourself back home in 2-3 years completely unprepared for the transition. 

 

We recommend speaking to professionals who are experienced in this field about how to plan for this long-term eventuality. For example, is shipping from your new country back to the UK just as easy? Will you need items to be stored for a certain amount of time until your return? 

 

 

It can actually take a while for many families to find the right home in their new country. Some simply get lucky and secure their dream apartment or villa through online listings or remote communications with a local partner, however, the best way to ensure you get the place you want is to give yourself a few weeks to look at homes in person. 

 

To do this, you’ll need to think carefully about how you will arrange the transportation of your items so they arrive at your new location on time, and without too many complications. For example, arranging for temporary storage while you finalise a property is one way you can give yourself some time to familiarise yourself with the market first hand. 

 

 

Moving internationally can certainly be stressful, but there are a few things you can plan for in advance to reduce some of the potential obstacles and complications you may face. If you’re ready to start building your new moving plan, get in touch with Movers International and we’ll happily discuss your circumstances to help you build the most appropriate relocation package for your needs.