Important Tips for First-Time Expats

Moving to a new country for a few months can be scary, even if you already have a decent mid-term rental to live in. There are so many things that you will find confusing or won’t even know about, and most of them will be necessary for your day to day life. So here are five tips for first-time ex-pats in any country that should help you get your bearings.

Doing basic research for a couple of hours can help you a lot down the line. Knowing things like the exchange rate of currency, visa proceedings, how to pay taxes, or how to get primary healthcare in a country can be the difference between a pleasant stay and getting into trouble. Even more minor things like knowing the emergency numbers, where to buy a SIM card or how far away from your apartment a groceries store is can make your life much easier. Doing your research before you even arrive at your new home is good – just be prepared that some information online might not be entirely accurate, so you might have an unpleasant surprise when you arrive. But that’s part of the adventure.

Many ex-pats have the feeling that moving away to a new location is a form of proving themselves or a way to show that they are self-reliant. But you should never feel too ashamed or proud to ask for help. Find online groups – most large cities have one or two Facebook groups for ex-pats – or go for ex-pat meet-ups where you can talk to people in person. Those who already have experience living in a given place can help you a lot with navigating the ins and outs of ex-pat life.

But that’s not all; being social also helps you with the inevitable homesickness. Additionally, befriending at least a few people who grew up in the country and knew the language could also help out because you can try and ask them to aid you with small translations at the hospital or when dealing with administration. They can tie you over until you learn the language. Speaking of which.

While it would be unreasonable to think that every ex-pat will learn the language of every country they visit, it is essential to know some things. Being able to order at a restaurant, know how to count to a thousand, basic greetings and goodbyes, as well as some words for emergencies, can all make the difference between being understood and helplessly flailing your arms at someone. Sometimes, just learning to pronounce the words you see written on a page can be a challenge. Investing even a little bit of time, say an hour a week on Duolingo or in some face to face class, can help you out in the long run.

This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s an important one. Make sure that your finances are in a secure bank and accessible online as well as at the ATMs of the country of your choice. Make sure you read through the specifics of the bank account, so you don’t end up overpaying for ATM withdrawals or paying by card abroad. If it seems like you’d be overpaying, think about either paying for a bank account in the country of your choice or at least about whether or not you should change your bank service.

Many ex-pats stay in a country for a few months and don’t enjoy it as much. Perhaps the work doesn’t fit them well, and there aren’t that many other opportunities, maybe they feel lonely, maybe the culture is too different, or perhaps homesickness is just too intense. It is always ok to pack up and move to a foreign country that shows better promise or go back home for a while and see if you want to try again later. Remember, the ex-pat life can be difficult at times, but it should ultimately make you feel happy.