With all the upheaval in the US in the last 4 years and the effects of the pandemic on economies and jobs worldwide, a lot of people seem to find the future uncertain and with
that uncertainty I've had many friends and acquaintances ask me about the process of moving abroad. I also see posts in expat groups asking about advice for moving abroad, and I get DMs on a regular basis asking about teaching ESL especially in Korea and China in an effort to move abroad (and not just from the US). In addition, the perceived glamour of living the expat or nomad life pulls people into wanting to leave their home country and try out someplace new. I planned and prepared for my move abroad for about two years, even though I didn't decide on Korea until a month before I needed to be in country (but that's a story for another time). On today's visit to expat island, we're exploring advice expats wish they'd been given, and some thoughts on the choice to become an expat.
Learn the Language (at least a little)
This might sound like a no-brainer, but all too often in expat groups/forums and teaching groups and job boards I see people asking if they need to learn the language for whatever country they are thinking of moving to. And just as often I see people telling them no, that they will be able to get by with English. I've also met a lot of expats (especially teachers) who have lived and worked in a country for a while (5 years and higher) who have zero language skills outside of their native language (usually English). You should learn enough of the language to be able to things like order food at a restaurant or ask for directions (and understand the response) at a bare minimum. Obviously the better your language skills are, the easier your life will be and opportunities for things like making non-expat friends increase.
Budget Ahead
Again this sounds obvious, but I'm always surprised at how many people, especially ESL
teachers move abroad without being financially prepared. When perspective teachers ask me what they should bring with them on their move I tell them: enough money for 1) a flight back to your home country 2) start up costs for a new life 3) 1-2 months of living expenses 4)a major unforeseen expense like a medical emergency. I've definitely been attacked in an expat group for making this suggestion to someone when they asked what they should bring on their move to Korea. Many ESL teachers (especially in Korea) move without the resources for even a flight home, this can mean getting stuck in a crap situation because they are relying on the contract promised flight home. Employers know this trend, they exploit it and take advantage of their employees because they know they can't afford to leave. I've also seen people stay in relationships where they weren't happy or that were abusive in some capacity because they did not have the resources to leave and either go back to their home country or move into a separate living situation because they either rely on the other person financially or they just don't have extra funds. In the age of covid, moving to a new country requires you be prepared for any unexpected expenses such as quarantine, hospitalization, or medical treatment, depending on the countries requirements in regards to testing upon arrival and what will happen if you do test positive on arrival. And yes, I've seen posts about people having negative PCR tests to board the plane and tested positive on arrival...and the financial problems they were having because of it. Having resources in place from planning, saving and budgeting will give you options (which equals more power in the situation), prevent you from getting stuck in a crap place or accumulating medical bills that you can't pay.
Know the Cultural Norms
Both in the the workplace and out in your life, knowing what some of the cultural norms are ahead of your move (and continuing to learn about them once you're in country) can help you be more successful as you navigate the workplace and life. Having a basic understanding both in the workplace and out, demonstrates your willingness to learn about a new culture and your adaptability to fitting into a new place. It will also help you determine which battles are worth fighting and when a hill just isn't worth dying on, no matter how frustrating the situation. It also helps in building friendships with local and even in the dating world. In both these scenarios, the cultural norms and customs can differ from those in your home country. When I first started my then boyfriend in Korea (he's Korean) I was so puzzled by the fact that while he wanted to meet and go on a date every weekend, would text me all the time, and in general just seem interested, but avoided all physical contact with me (socially distancing before it was cool). Eventually one of my Korean friends explained the concept of "manner hands" in dating to me and it all made sense.
Advocate for Yourself
This can even be a challenge in your home country, especially for women, but it's even more important when you are living abroad. Whether it's in the workplace, looking for housing, in friendships, dating, or in regards to your health, being educated and willing to stand up for yourself, even when it makes you uncomfortable or causes conflict is important to your overall wellbeing and the life you lead. This ties in a lot with the point above, being familiar with cultural norms and being able to tell the difference between cultural differences and when you're being taken advantage of due to being a foreigner (yes, it happens) to help you know when you'll need to stand up for yourself and make your voice heard. It can be hard enough to do this in your home country, where there is no language barrier and you know all the social and cultural norms. At the end of the day, you are the only person with your best interest at heart and you If you're a woman this can prove to be especially tricky and important as there is a good chance you may end up in a very patriarchal country, especially if you're interested in moving to Asia.
Manage Your Expectations
Moving to a new country and starting a new job and life can seem really exciting and often we've been thinking about moving abroad for years (although I do have a good friend who moved to Italy in a kind of spur of the moment move). When you have a dream country in mind, there can be a tendency to have blinders on to some of the realities and negative aspects related to that country. I have a friend who is convinced that Sweden has none of the social issues that we see in the US, and while they may not be exactly the same, they do exist, they exist in every country. These ideas can be perpetuated by movies, TV shows (I see you K-dramas), literature, and even what the news in your home country covers in regards to that country and how they present it.
Social media can also lead people to idealize the life expats lead (yeah we typically only post the the good stuff), but a life in any country has the same ups and downs (and some new ones) as your life in your home country. Just because you move to a new country, doesn't mean you become a new person (well you can...but that sounds like a different issue), like the line from one of my favorite Tiesto songs "You can travel the world, but you can't run away from who you are in your heart", if you're moving because you're unhappy with yourself, chances are you'll still be unhappy in your new country.
Making sure you manage your expectations of what life as en expat or in the country of your dreams can help avoid disappointment if (really when) things aren't exactly as imagined, when things you don't like pop up, or when you just start to see all the cons of that country. When you start
Make Friends With The Locals
It's so easy to only make friends with and hangout with other expats when you move to a
new country. This happens for a variety of reasons, such as proximity or lack of a language barrier. It's important to expand your circle of friends beyond other expats to people who are native to your new country. They can play a critical role in helping you bridge the gap between you as an expat and the community and culture you have moved into. They are also typically removed from your circle of co-workers and expat friends, which gives you some much needed separation from both these environments. For more on the benefits on diversifying your friend group, check out my article on the good ship friendship here.
Labor Law Savvy
When it comes to working and living in another country it's important to remember the rules and laws are different, it's important that you are familiar with the labor laws in your new country before you even accept a job as you'll want to make sure what is in your employment contract (if you have one) is standard and legal. In addition, knowing the labor laws will help keep an employer from taking advantage you at work...and help you know when they are making a reasonable request and not dealing with the later. It will also give you an idea of how "ironclad" contracts are, I can't count the number of times I've heard an expat say "my contract says..." in countries are seen as more of a loose agreement than terms written in stone.
Visa Smart
If you're one of the lucky expats, your employer may take care of the visa process for you by filing the correct visa paperwork and making appointments with immigration. Whether your employer handles the visa legwork or you do, at the end of the day immigration considers the visa your responsibility. This means knowing deadlines, what supporting documentation is required, and eligibility for visas. If your employer misses a deadline for applying or applies for the wrong visa, the consequences fall on you. Make sure you you research what visa you need for your job and what paper work and documentation you need for it. While we're on visas and responsibly, with the rise in digital nomads, some countries offer visas just for digital nomads which allow you to stay in country longer and often come with privileges like multiple entries and exits. If your country of choice doesn't offer this type of visa and you're a digital nomad, your usual visa option is a tourist visa. Depending on the country and your nationality this can be anywhere from 30 days to 6 months. It's important you know the length of the visa, visa extension options, and polices and options for visa runs. I see posts from expats and have overheard actual conversations in cafes between expats who have over stayed their visas, and they know it. Just because people usually only have to pay a fine (in certain countries) doesn't mean you can just ignore their policies and overstay because you don't want to be inconvenienced (or afford...see budgeting ahead) by a visa run. We're guests in these countries and if we want to remain so with all the leniencies and privileges they offer...respect their laws, you also never know when your luck will run out and instead of charging you a fine, you get detained and/or put in jail.
Banking & Taxes
Most expats will open a new bank account in their new country of residence and pay taxes
there, you will most need to keep a bank account in your home country, and possibly file taxes there as well. The banking industry is subjected to company policies as well as domestic and international banking laws. Before you head off for your new home, meet with a banking professional to find out about any international banking regulations and laws, or even internal banking policies that may impact you and your banking. If you want to use your debit/credit cards from your home country, check on what the foreign transaction fees will be, some banks have no such fees and you may want to switch banks if your current bank has high foreign transaction fees. Taxes are another fun and potentially complicated that expats need to sort out, depending on your situation it can be fairly straight forward...or not. Are you from one of the rare countries that has double taxation (hey there USA), do you work freelance as well as for a company in your country of residence? What are the tax laws and rates in your country of residence? This is where meeting with a tax professional before you move, or hiring one who is familiar with tax laws in your home country and country of residence the first time you do taxes from abroad (or every year).
As I live in more and more countries, I've realized that a country is just that, a country. They all have perks and drawbacks, things that are really cool about living in them and things that make you want to pull your hair out. When you do make that move abroad, you want the experience to be a good one. Whether it's for a year or indefinitely, as a nomad or with a more traditional job the switch to expat island is a big one and being as prepared as possible can help make it a little less stressful.
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