{"id":1528,"date":"2016-01-14T12:33:41","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T12:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/?p=1528"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:53:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:53:04","slug":"before-you-move-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/before-you-move-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Before you move abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>5 things to consider before you move overseas<\/h2>\n<p>Moving abroad takes some planning. From arranging the transport to deciding what to take, getting prepared to leave the country for pastures new is no mean feat. Before you go, take some time to make sure you\u2019ve considered everything thoroughly. Here are some resources to help:<\/p>\n<h3>1) Do your homework<\/h3>\n<p>Researching where you\u2019re going can be so much fun, and can get both you and the kids into the groove of the new country you\u2019re going to. Take the time to get them excited, with videos, food, sights and more. Check out our tips on <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #5e8687;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/how-to-research-your-move-abroad\/\">how to research your move abroad here<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2) Learn the language<\/h3>\n<p>OK, so you might not have enough time to become fluent in the local lingo, but learning a few basics as a family can help you find your way in a strange place just a little bit better. Find out about <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #5e8687;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/importance-learning-language\/\">the importance of learning the language<\/a><\/strong><\/span> here, and make sure you can at least manage your please\u2019s and thank-you\u2019s before you arrive in the country.<\/p>\n<h3>3) Prioritise your packing<\/h3>\n<p>Unless you\u2019re moving everything you own into a new house elsewhere, chances are you\u2019ll have to pare down a fair bit in order to travel with a reasonable amount of stuff. Chances are you\u2019ll find that half the stuff you\u2019ve taken is surplus to requirements, so do your best to be measured in the assessment of your gear, and to only take what\u2019s really needed or what you won\u2019t be able to buy over there. Get some insight with our<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #5e8687;\"><strong> <a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/moving-overseas-packing\/\">moving overseas: packing<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span> article here.<\/p>\n<h3>4) Prepare for the flight<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re flying long haul, chances are this is going to be the least fun part of your exciting move abroad. If you\u2019ve got older kids, chances are they\u2019ll be adequately entertained with the in-flight movies and a good book or two. Younger kids can be a bit more of a challenge, however, so read our advice on <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #5e8687;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/keep-kids-happy-plane\/\">how to keep your kids happy on a plane journey<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3>5) Say goodbye<\/h3>\n<p>Leaving enough time and space in your schedule for both you and your kids to say goodbye properly is crucial if you want to make the transition as painless as possible. Helping your kids to say goodbye to their school friends, family and neighbours can help them feel happier about their move away. We offer some advice here on <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #5e8687;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/how-to-help-children-say-goodbye\/\">how to help your children say goodbye<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Moving abroad is never going to be the easiest thing in the world to do, so don\u2019t be surprised if you feel a little overwhelmed from time to time. Try not to panic, and instead make sure you have the time to do all the preparation you need to get things off to an amazing start.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-1859\" src=\"http:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/ExpatChild-logo-300x300-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"ExpatChild logo Relocation advice for parents\" width=\"94\" height=\"94\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/ExpatChild-logo-300x300-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/ExpatChild-logo-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 94px) 100vw, 94px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check out ExpatChild.com for many, many more articles on this topic. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #5e8687;\"><a style=\"color: #5e8687; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/preparing-move-abroad-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Start here!<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moving abroad takes some planning. Before you go, take some time to make sure you\u2019ve considered everything thoroughly. Here are some resources to help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_srk_meta_title":"","_srk_meta_description":"","_srk_robots_meta":[],"_srk_canonical_url":"","_srk_advanced_settings":[],"_srk_last_sync":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planning-and-preparation"],"cubewp_post_meta":[],"taxonomies":["Planning and Preparation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Expat Directory - Expat Directory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"5 things to consider before you move overseas. Moving abroad takes some planning. 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