{"id":2103,"date":"2018-04-27T08:51:28","date_gmt":"2018-04-27T06:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/?p=2103"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:50:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:50:33","slug":"5-things-every-new-expat-must-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatchild.com\/expatdirectory\/5-things-every-new-expat-must-know\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things every new expat must know"},"content":{"rendered":"

5 do-or-die things that every new expat needs to know<\/h2>\n

OK \u2013 so \u2018die\u2019 might be a little extreme\u2026 but seriously, these 5 top expat tips will save you a lot of stress.<\/p>\n

1. Your expectations need continuous reassessment<\/h3>\n

\u2018We\u2019re going on a bear hunt, we\u2019re going to catch a big one\u2026we\u2019re not scared!\u2019 (Michael Rosen, 1989).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That family set out with unrealistic expectations too \u2013 they thought they were swishing through grass, wading through mud and splashing across rivers on a great adventure to catch a bear. The outcome was rather different – they freaked themselves out, ran home and hid under the bed!<\/p>\n

You can avoid the same fate by doing your research well in advance of your move and by understanding what your new life is really<\/em> going to be like.<\/span> Forget the glossy brochures and the enviable pictures of your friends on Facebook having fun in exotic locations \u2013 they\u2019re only showing you what they want<\/em> you to see. Yes, moving overseas is an adventure, possibly the biggest one you\u2019ll ever embark upon, but it\u2019s not all lip gloss and champagne\u2026 you\u2019ll need to shop for food, go to the doctor and dentist, take the kids to school, catch buses, work, cook meals and clean your house\u2026 just like you do at home.<\/p>\n

When you arrive at your new home, no matter how well prepared you thought you were, there will<\/em> be a gap between what you were expecting and your new reality. Whether it\u2019s the heat, the noise, the dust, the smells or the people, something will not fit with your expectations.<\/p>\n

The fastest way to recover your experience and avoid hiding under the bed, is to reassess those expectations and keep moving forward \u2013 it\u2019s far easier to adjust your way of thinking than it is to make physical changes to your environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. DO sweat the small stuff \u2013 it\u2019s the little things that make or break you<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve all heard the saying \u2018Don\u2019t sweat the small stuff\u2019. In fact, it\u2019s more than a saying; it\u2019s a book, a philosophy and a brand\u2026 but on this occasion, forget it. I\u2019m not talking about going into a full meltdown about buying the right coloured suitcase, of course not. I\u2019m talking about planning! No one is ever going to tell you that relocating your entire home and family to the other side of the world is going to be an easy feat, but the fact is, the more planning you do, the more you pin down every detail\u2026 the easier it becomes.<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t think of everything so focus on your<\/em> trigger points; what could go wrong that would send you running for that gap under the bed? Have a back-up plan<\/a><\/span> for every trigger point, agonise a little bit over the details and the possible outcomes and by the time you get going, you\u2019ll find there\u2019s a lot less to worry about.<\/p>\n

For example; you know what time your airport transfer leaves your destination airport to take you to your new home\u2026 but do you know how to contact alternative transport\/taxis\/guides if you miss it or it doesn\u2019t turn up? That\u2019s a small detail because it will probably never happen, but imagine how much stress you\u2019ll avoid if it does<\/em> happen and, like G.I. Jane, you<\/em> know exactly what to do!<\/p>\n

3. Expat grief is real and it will <\/em>happen to you.<\/h3>\n

Be kind to yourself. Yes, moving is exciting and you\u2019re supposed to be happy about it\u2026 but leaving people behind is hard. It\u2019s not just people you\u2019ll miss, either. You will miss the comfortable familiarity of everything. So, if you\u2019re not expecting to feel a deep and profound sense of loss<\/a><\/span> then it can really knock you sideways.<\/p>\n

Grief is a heavy load and you need to take some action to deal with it. Make plans with loved ones so you have something to look forward to; talk to people about your sadness rather than bottling it up and recognise it for what it is\u2026 a grief process like any other that passes through several stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression) before arriving at acceptance. Expect it, run with it, don\u2019t<\/em> let it rule you and ruin your experience.<\/p>\n

4. Rigidity leads to failure<\/h3>\n

We all know people who thrive on routine and experience a mini meltdown if they can\u2019t get their favourite breakfast cereal\u2026those people are not going to make great expats. Travelling the world is all about expecting the unexpected and rolling with the punches.<\/p>\n

Be flexible about everything, from what you\u2019ll eat to where you\u2019ll live. Have a plan, yes\u2026but be prepared to change everything<\/em> on it once you arrive. If you try to control your circumstances, your environment and even the people around you, all you will do is make yourself (and them) unhappy.<\/p>\n

This goes hand in hand with reassessing your expectations; when you find something you don\u2019t love, change it. Be flexible, approach every new \u2018failure\u2019 with a smile and simply change direction because the road to success is never a straight line.<\/p>\n

5. Plans, lists\u2026ACTION<\/h3>\n

We spend a lot of time telling you to do your research. To plan everything, to risk assess, to make lists and to tick them off as you get every little task done, and we stand by our advice \u2013 these things are really <\/em>important. What we probably don\u2019t tell you enough is to GO FOR IT!<\/p>\n

If life as an expat appeals to you, then make it happen. It\u2019s such a cringe worthy clich\u00e9 to say that you only live once\u2026but seriously, we don\u2019t always get offered second chances so grab it with both hands and enjoy it.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

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Planning to move overseas? I can help you make sure this move works well for the whole family!<\/h4>\n

Learn more…<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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5 do-or-die things that every new expat needs to know OK \u2013 so \u2018die\u2019 might be a little extreme\u2026 but seriously, these 5 top expat tips will save you a lot of stress. 1. Your expectations need continuous reassessment \u2018We\u2019re going on a bear hunt, we\u2019re going to catch a big one\u2026we\u2019re not scared!\u2019 (Michael […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3174,"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":[112,93],"class_list":["post-2103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planning-and-preparation","tag-plan","tag-prepare"],"cubewp_post_meta":[],"taxonomies":["Planning and Preparation","plan","prepare"],"yoast_head":"\nExpat Directory - Expat Directory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Planning a move abroad? 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