Things to Consider When Moving Abroad: Part 1

Joining the foreign service or deciding to move abroad both involve an upheaval of life as you currently know it.  Living abroad entails making new local friends and contacts, adjusting to differing cultural norms, weather patterns, languages, and multiple other social factors.  That being said, I have compiled a brief list of factors to consider before moving to a foreign country.  The more comfortable you are with your options, the more likely you will be ready to face and achieve success in your new life abroad.

So you've got the travel bug.  When considering foreign ex-pat life, if you don't know exactly what type of experience you'd like to have on a daily basis, ask yourself the following questions for a bit of clarity and assurance.  If you sit and take a few moments to ask yourself what you really want, you will save yourself money, anxiety, and droves of time later.  Don't be caught saying "Why didn't I consider this before I left for a life of travel?"

A girl's dream or way too warm for ya?

1. Weather:
What type of weather am I looking for?  Am I a tropical weather, beach fanatic or do I prefer the changing seasons?  If snow is considered pleasurable, how low (temp wise) are you willing to go and for how long of a duration?  Some winters are brief, but others encompass 7-8 months of the year.  Likewise, are you ready to face potential wind storms, hurricane seasons, or monsoon seasons?  Can you manage in 90+ Fahrenheit degree weather without access to air conditioning?  Think about holidays and special times of the year: would you be okay with a summer-style barbeque at Christmastime?  Could you face a 4th of July with ice storms?  Don't just check out a country's rainfall level, but the times and amounts of rain that falls.  For example, Seattle has a lower rainfall than most tropical weather islands, but the trickle effect of daily overcast drizzle makes it feel as though it is raining all the time.  If you will only be happy with palm trees in your vicinity, or, conversely, fall leaves and snowmen, narrow your world options in half by assuming your weather preference.

Willing to deal with mosquito nets?

2. Bugs, Germs, Disease--the good stuff:
Some countries require no vaccines; others require multiple.  Are you limited to countries that are for the most part immune to the likes of malaria, dengue fever, and tuberculosis?  Are you willing to face flying cockroaches in the shower, scorpions in your shoes, or other such lovely adventures?  If not, this knocks out another half of your options.  Generally, the warmer and wetter the weather, the more types of bugs and 'fun' inoculations will be required.  That said, the original reasoning behind gin and tonics harks back to colonials living in countries requiring antimalarial prophylactics: the quinine-infused tonic protecting against those pesky mosquitoes was considered so noxious tasting that it had to be covered up with gin to be potable.  Now people in malaria-free countries order a G+T because of the taste.  Moral of the story: bugs and lizards and creatures (oh my!) are scary to think about, but often easier to adjust to with a little patience and time.  I don't love cockroaches, rodents, or crawly creepies myself, but if I see one now, no big deal as long as they aren't poisonous.  Lizards, tree frogs and geckos I find endearing, and am intrigued by lizard culture head bobbles, faux push ups, and knightly battles for the best spot in the house.  My motto is that if it can kill me or eat me, I respect it from a distance.  'Nuff said--no Steve Irwin inquisitiveness here.

How would your spouse/friend/pup feel about sporadic access to electricity?

3. Children, Pets & Partners:
Another consideration is who will be accompanying you on your journey abroad: kidlets, fido, and family.

Kids & Spouses: If you have school-aged children, the level and types of education offered in-country are of course going to stand as primary consideration in your mind.  If there is no quality education available in-country, would you be willing to send your children to boarding school, home school, or another viable alternative?  Try to imagine how the people accompanying you will adjust to language, social interactions, cultural expectations, food availability, weather patterns, and their new daily routines.  If your kids, aging parent, dependent, or your spouse has special needs or interests that they can't live without, their needs being met will be primary to group satisfaction and a happy abroad life.  If one person is completely miserable, it will affect the whole family.

Traveling with a partner, spouse, best friend, or sibling means that you have to take their considerations into account.  If you will be the primary earner and have already landed a job, for example, assess whether your partner/spouse/friend wants to work as well.  If so, what type of jobs are available that match their individual backgrounds?  Some countries have work reciprocity agreements with the States and others only allow for traveling/vacation visas.  Would volunteer work be an option, as a way to engage with community?

Pets: Likewise, if Muffy the cat or Mr. Pickles the dog are your furry best friends that can't be left behind, be sure to check the import/export laws for bringing pets abroad to your host country.  Some places with more precious ecosystems, like New Zealand, have pet quarantines that can last up to six months.  Other countries in Latin America or Africa may easily allow a vaccinated dog in country but the US (or other home country) may not allow a pet to return stateside after living in an area with a high prevalence of rabies or disease.  Some countries may not have vet access or may only have pet care available in the lingua franca.  Can you speak (or be willing to learn) basic phrases for pet care in Swahili, Urdu, Portuguese, or Dagara? 

More on moving abroad coming up soon!