Working Abroad - Be Prepared

We all love to go on holiday. It can be a chance to see how other people live, to enjoy some warmer, or colder weather, depending on what you want to do. But imagine you fell in love with a country so much that you wanted to prolong your stay, or even stay there indefinitely! You are going to need to survive, which means getting a job. There are some crucial factors to take into account when considering working in a foreign country.

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Cost of Living

You are used to how much things cost at home. Day in, day out you are spending money on the same kinds of things, such as toiletries, food, rent, etc. Just because something costs a certain amount where you live now, don’t assume it will be similar somewhere else. Different countries have alternative financial ecosystems. You should be aware of this before you pack your bags and jump on a plane.

Sometimes this can work in your favour as you may find that items abroad are much cheaper than when you buy the same stuff back home. Usually, when this is the case, the average salary is also lower and will reflect the price of everyday goods. You may go to Thailand and find that you can buy a day’s worth of meals for next to nothing, but this is an indicator that the wages are usually pretty low also. You could work for a whole day and only have enough for daily food costs, so don’t carry away and blow all your contingency money. You will need it to supplement a lower income than you are used to.

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Communicating with Co-workers

So you have booked your flights, found somewhere to live, and most importantly, you have secured a job. The only problem is, when you turn up on your first day, nobody speaks English! There is a tendency for English speakers abroad to assume that everyone else speak their language. While this is fine in some foreign countries, it should not be taken for granted. Think about this, you are working picking oranges in Seville. The boss declares that everyone can go home early if they pick ten more oranges in the next five minutes. You don’t understand what he says and instead, end up working at the same pace and missing out an early finish. It looks like you should have taken that Spanish course after all!

Also, you will be able to ingratiate with your fellow employees much more if you speak their language even just a little. This could be the difference between having an active social life and going home alone every night after work. By learning just a few simple phrases, you can open yourself to light conversation, which will lead to your learning a lot more.

These two basic things will impact your quality of life while working abroad. Make sure that you take the necessary steps and do the research. Your experience will be so much richer for doing so!

Four Things To Do Before You Become an Expat

With the internet now littered with information, it is becoming much easier for people to move abroad. You can find all the information you need to become an expat within a matter of minutes.

Some people choose to become an expat for the experience, whereas others are following their life long dream and potential career break. Whatever the reason for moving, you need to ensure that you don’t rush the process. Moving to another country can be exciting, but only for those people that have made the necessary preparations.

Property Management

If you own a property it is likely that you will be relying on rental income from that property when you move to your new country. Don’t risk leaving the property under the management of family and friends. Although they will do everything in their power to ensure that the rental runs smoothly, their best is probably not going to be good enough.

What you really need is a professional property broker. They will be able to ensure that you achieve the maximum rental value possible for your property. At the same time, they will be able to ensure that there are rarely any months when the property is free.

Selling Unwanted Items

eBay is a great tool to get rid of all your unwanted items. Use eBay to clearout items that you have not been using over the last 12 months. This will help to generate some much needed funds when it comes to the big move. It is likely that many of the things in the home are not going to be used and are going to lose value. This includes things such as your TV and CD player. It is better to sell them now and if you ever do come back, you can easily replace them.

Putting Items Into Storage

If your long term plan is to come back to your native land, then it is likely that you are going to need some kind of storage facility. Although friends and family might have a garage that they are not using, this is not likely to be big enough. You want to find a local cheap storage facility that can house all your items. That way, if you do come back in a hurry, you know that you are not going to have any hassle when it comes to accessing all of your items.

Check Out Visa Requirements

You will need to check the visa requirements for the country that you are visiting. Some countries are much stricter than others. For instance, an EU citizen moving to another country in the EU can easily get hold of both a residency and a working visa for their stay. Travelling to countries that are outside the EU is generally where the problems occur, as the process and requirements are a lot stricter.

Make sure that you don’t just check basic visa requirements. If you plan to work in the country, you need to ensure that you have a valid work permit. For instance, if you are travelling to South Africa, then you will need to research work permitrequirements South Africa before you leave.

Bio

Alex has been writing for lots of top blogs on the internet for a number of years. Since 2007, he has been writing for blogs, including his own. During this time he has had over 100 pieces published online. Although he writes in niches such as construction and finance, his favourite subjects are relocation and travel.