subject: Moving To Another Continent For Work. Part 4 [print this page] Are you ready to learn about the exciting (and sometimes quite annoying) path to follow on your first international move? For the past several articles we have highlighted some of the various pitfalls that many international workers fall victim to. The good news is that most of them are easy to avoid if you at least have an idea of what to look for and how to properly prepare. We have the international experience to shed light on some of the things you should do prior to stepping foot on foreign soil. So we hope that you are willing to heed our advice!
We have detailed many of the common mistakes in past articles, from the guy who books a limo service to show off to his new compatriots for all of his events and even sports an airport limo to and from every flight, to the guy who thinks he can just finish up his visa paperwork on the ground once he is all moved in!
We have detailed all of the things not to do, so for today's article, let's discuss things that you should place near the top of your priority list before you move overseas.
1.) Research your neighborhood. Once you get an address from your employer or from whoever is helping you arrange housing, set a Google alert notice anytime that part of town or district shows up in the news. Doing this will probably give you a wealth of insight into the prevailing themes which will effect your quality of life, like crime, economic situations, transportation, social activities, and so on..
True story: I once had a young co-worker from Miami who planned his entire housing situation out utilizing the internet, having never once researched outside of craigslist, facebook, and online directories to find the most economical deal.. In all reality, after he accounted for the cost of transportation, he ended up spending way more money than he had to, and even got into a few fights on the way home. Don't be that guy.
2.) Create a culture core. I'm not saying that you should contact every stranger online from that country and tell them your life story, in some regions, that would be dangerous, so obviously you should use your common sense and show restraint. However, it would be wise in the months leading up to your move that you would add some people in that town to your Facebook or Linked in accounts.
Checking out some cooking classes for that culture will at least get you used to the diet, and even a bit of history and culture is likely to rub off.
Read about how business is done there and be aware of anythings that might come off as offensive or arrogant.
If you use these tips, you will find your transition overseas to be quite a bit easier.
