How to make your emigration go with a swing

Wherever your emigration destination is in the world, checking with those who’ve already done it saves time and money.

It’s true to say that expats from the same home country tend to get together as a community, no matter where they’re located on the world map. Perhaps because it gives an easy introduction to a new culture and way of life, or maybe it’s to continue to enjoy at least a taste of home. Whatever the reason, listening to those who’ve settled down after having made all the usual mistakes can avoid the same mistakes being made by a newer generation of expats.

Mexico is a good example of a community spread across an entire country, possibly because it’s so easy to get to from the southern part of the USA. Would-be expats from Europe and especially the UK are now discovering its delights, but the initial impact of an unfamiliar country hits all new arrivals, no matter where they’re from or where they settle. One important aspect for new arrivals is finding out whether the chosen area is all it seemed on a brief holiday without committing everything in one fell swoop. Renting a property rather than jumping in with both feet and buying a new home is the wise way to get used to your new surroundings.

If you’re determined never to darken the doors of your country of birth again, making a clean break by leaving all but essentials behind and travelling light is the best way. It costs a lot to move an entire household’s worth of furniture and effects, the vast majority of which can be purchased cheaply once you arrive. One unpleasant truth about emigrating is that home country taxes tend to follow you, especially if you’re from the USA. One exception to the rule is given to digital nomads, most of whom are allowed considerable foreign earnings before tax becomes due.

Learning the local lingo – or at least trying to – before you leave is highly recommended, as it means you’re attempting to make an effort to adjust as well as making your life easier as regards shopping and suchlike. It also helps when attempting to strike deals on rentals and expensive purchases, as well as helping make local friends. Making sure you’ve at least some degree of health insurance is important unless your chosen country gives medical services for free. Finding your way around your local banking procedures can be frustrating at best and scary at worst, but where there are expat communities there are also locals who speak enough English to assist.

Homesickness is quite normal for newly-arrived expats, often accompanied by a dose of loneliness. It helps to remember that things don’t go as planned in the home country, as this saves you from feeling you shouldn’t be were you are. In the vast majority of expat destinations, the locals are friendly and helpful, and immersing yourself in the local culture is a good way to male new friends outside the expat community. Sharing meals and enjoying new tastes, enjoying your free time and resisting the temptation to stress out when things don’t go as planned are all positive aspects of your new life, wherever it’s being lived.



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