Appendix K

Let’s Move Overseas

Use this guide to prepare you and those around you for a move overseas.

Moving Abroad Alone?

If you are a job seeker looking for greater opportunities in a foreign country without the responsibilities of a spouse or family, your physical move will probably be straightforward. However, there are still some things you need to put into place to set yourself up for success:

•  Friends and Family

– Do they have any objections to you leaving? Are they justified? What can you do to alleviate their fears?

– Create a Facebook page or blog to keep everyone abreast of your adventures.

– Make a list of phone or Skype numbers for your core group for moments when you need to connect with home.

•  Banking and Money

– Keep at least one bank account open in the United States. This will be helpful when you return for visits or move back at the end of your sojourn.

– Calculate your finances and make sure you have enough money to begin life in a new locale.

– Find out what documents you will need to open a bank account in your new country. Gather them into a file, either paper or electronic.

– Organize power of attorney for someone within your immediate circle in the United States, just in case anything needs to be taken care of financially or otherwise.

•  Housing

– Do you own your own home? Deciding whether you will rent or sell is of utmost importance because leaving your home empty while you’re abroad has insurance implications.

– Do you want to store most of your belongings or will you take the opportunity to declutter and have a yard sale?

– Try to secure housing in your new locale before leaving the United States. This will make your transition easier.

•  Language Skills

– You might want to take a conversational language course. Learning basic phrases will assist in your integration, even if you will be working primarily in English.

•  Medical and Health

– Look at what healthcare plans are being offered either by the country or your employer. Pay attention to any costs associated with supplementing your plan.

– Verify if any vaccinations are required to enter your new country, as well as any health risks associated (for example, travelers to Ghana are required to have yellow fever vaccinations).

– Ask your healthcare professional in the United States if you have any pre-existing conditions that will make it difficult to live in your chosen new country, and what plans you will need to put in place.

•  Driver’s License

– Renew your stateside license for at least one year. Some countries will allow you to drive with your U.S. license.

– Find out if you’ll need an international driver’s license, and if you qualify for it.

•  Pets

– Can you legally import your pet? What are the procedures to do so? Will you be able to bring it back when you’re ready to move back to the United States?

– Is your pet healthy enough to transport? Some countries require you to have a certificate from a USDA veterinarian; check this website for one in your state: www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/area_offices.

– Will it be too costly for you to import your pet? What will you do if you cannot?

Moving Abroad With a Partner?

When moving with a partner, everything involved with moving alone is still applicable to you; you’re simply fortunate enough to be able to share the journey with another person. A trailing spouse is the term that identifies someone who moves with a partner. What do you do when your partner is reluctant? How can you persuade your partner to make your dreams his or her dreams? Here are a few things that could help:

•  Creating the “WE” in Your Decision

– This is a huge decision that deserves input from the one with whom you share your life. Open the communication lines early in the process and keep them open.

– Spend some time researching together and separately. Don’t just look up information; check out forums in which you can gather real-time information on your new potential country of residence.

– Remember that there are two of you in this decision. This is paramount.

•  Finances and Budgets

– The number one reason couples fight is money. Make sure you are on the same page when it comes to spending.

– Do both of you have access to bank accounts, both stateside and overseas?

– Have at least three months of expenses set aside as a reserve. This will give you a sense of financial security, which can help calm fears.

•  Should We Have a Test Drive?

– Before selling all your earthly possessions and flying to your new locale, consider having an end date in mind. Forever is a scary concept for some people, and your spouse might fall into this group. Give your new locale a no-strings-attached trial for a specific period of time.

•  To Work or Not to Work?

– This might be your spouse’s opportunity of a lifetime. Maybe she has always wanted to write a book, learn to paint, or volunteer for an NGO. All of these could be packaged as her dream come true.

– Within relocation packages, the norm is to include a transition allowance for trailing spouses. These services include resume writing, career counselling, recruiting assistance, or providing actual employment. Make sure you verify with the employer once an offer is made that this is included.

– For the entrepreneurial spouses, the ability to start a retail business, an English tutoring service, or even a freelance Internet company may help ensures their dreams are realized as well.

Moving Abroad With Children?

Depending on the age of your children, involving them early in the process of moving internationally is definitely the key to getting buy-in. Each age group offers its own set of challenges; here’s a list of tips and tricks on how to involve them.

Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers

•  Explaining the New

– Talk openly about the new country, new house, and new friends with your children. Although they are too young to grasp everything that will occur, they will be much more willing to accept what is explained at their level.

•  Routine

– The primary item you need to address in this age group is routine. Keeping consistency in their lives will ensure that there is not a marked difference in their behavior.

School-Aged

•  Researching the Country

– Get a globe or map, put it in the child’s room, and map out where you will be going. School-age children are visual and concrete.

– Create a fun and exciting game out of learning new items about your destination.

– Contact the school your child is attending and involve the class in learning about the country you are going to move to.

•  Schooling

– When choosing a school, remember to take the child’s interest into account. As in the United States, some schools abroad stress sports, while others focus on the arts.

– Connect the child with the school you have chosen as soon as possible (maybe through chat or Facebook).

•  Language

– Children learn languages quickly, but getting a head start could help with the initial barriers of not knowing the language.

– Hire a language tutor or register them in classes.

•  Friends Back Home

– Until they create a new peer group, they need to maintain their present friend group. Create a way for them to exchange conversations, such as Facebook, chats, or emails.

•  Allow Them to Communicate Their Feelings

– Keep the lines of communication open at all times. Always give honest answers, even if you have none to give.

– Ask them to create a list of what they will miss the most, and check to see if these things will be available in the new country.

– Involve them in deciding what to put in storage and what to bring with you.

– Recognize that the process is different for each child. Just be there for them.

Teenagers

•  Discussion Table

– Although the decision to go does not lie with your teens, including them in the discussions from day one will create a sense of participation. This is the first step of buy-in.

•  Social Networks

– Friends are an important part of their life. The more you include and try to garner the assistance of their peer group in helping with the transition, the easier it will be.

– Encourage your teenagers to have friends help them pack or organize a going away party.

– Make sure your teenagers connect virtually with friends. They will want to stay in regular contact with everyone they know, at least at the beginning.

•  Schooling

– Research the schools together. Knowing what your children are looking for in a school and weighing the options is paramount.

– Try to find schools with the same curriculum as their current school.

– Visit the schools before making a final decision, if this is in your budget. This is a great way to ensure the school will be a good fit.

•  Extracurricular Activities

– Sports teams, music lessons, church youth groups, and so forth are all activities that could be a great segue into creating excitement in your teens for the move. Imagine a soccer player getting the opportunity to attend a summer camp at a European club, or a budding ballet dancer joining a renowned dance school. These are opportunities that might not be available to teenagers in the United States and may entice your teenagers into an easier transition.

•  Leaving Your Teenager Behind

– Sometimes due to schooling issues, a child must be left behind. Include your child in this decision. There may be alternatives, such as distance learning, that your child could make use of, rather than staying behind at a boarding school or living with family or friends.