It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of getting a job abroad. However, preparing for your adventure abroad can be stressful and at times overwhelming. Bringing the right things with you can make living abroad more relaxing and comfortable, but forgetting the essentials can often lead to unnecessary stress. When preparing to live abroad consider packing these five items:
Medication
Most over-the-counter medications that you get at home may be difficult to find abroad, especially in Asia. Consider packing some common pain relievers and allergy medicine such as Advil and Zrytec, as they will come in handy during your travels. Depending on where you are headed, the local cuisine may also be an issue when you first arrive. It might take some time for your body to become accustomed to the different kinds of food. In this case, packing a stomach reliever will help ease your transition. Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to ask your doctor for a broad-spectrum antibiotic before leaving for your new job. The stress of living in a different country can take a toll on your immune system and make it easier to get an infection.
Electronics
Now this one is a no brainier. If you are going to live abroad, taking your laptop, music player, headphones, and camera will make your life a lot more comfortable. It is also important to consider where you will be living when packing electronics. Depending on where you are headed, it is likely that you will need to pack a plug adaptor or power converter. You also may want to think about purchasing an external hard drive. A hard drive crash can be devastating no matter where you live, but the frustration is tenfold when living abroad.
Your important documents are undoubtedly the most crucial items to remember when preparing for your trip. Whether they are in physical or electronic form, make sure to prepare your transcripts, degree, bank info, and international driver’s license. While working abroad you may decide to pursue another degree or study program. Having your transcripts and degree on hand will surely speed up the application process. An international driver’s license will allow you to obtain a national driver’s license in a foreign country much easier. For instance, in Taiwan you don’t have to wait a year to apply for a license if you already have an international one. In most countries that you work, you will be eligible for national health insurance. In this case, you should bring any records of recent immunizations to help reduce the costs of procedures and tests that will take when you apply for health insurance.
Language Phrase Book
Never underestimate the usefulness of even just a few simple native phrases. People are always more appreciative and willing to help a foreigner who makes an attempt to speak the native language. Language phrase books are easy to find and are inexpensive. In addition, there are also hundreds of free language apps available for most mobile devices. Now of course no one expects you to be fluent, but knowing some basic phrases is in your best interest.
Emergency Funds
Before heading off to your new job abroad, you may already have calculated your start-up costs. However, most expats are sure to tell you to bring more money than calculated. You can never count on everything going as planned when you first arrive in a foreign county. The old idiom, better safe than sorry, holds true when moving abroad, so bring more cash than expect to spend just in case. Complications with your bank at home, social outings, and additional housing fees are just a few situations when you’ll be thankful you brought the extra cash.
These tips may seem a bit obvious or overcautious, but preparing yourself for life abroad should not be taken lightly. If you are prepared physically, then the mental challenge that comes with living abroad will be a lot more endurable. We at Expat Workforce welcome your thoughts, so please feel free to comment and let us know anything we may have left out. Check out our blog at http://expatworkforce.com/blog/ to find out more tips about living and working abroad.
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