Do you ever feel like relocating to a country that you are holidaying in? If this sounds like you, the next step should be to think about the challenges you might face if and when you decided to bring this thought into reality. There are many advantages of moving to another country, from a slower paced life to higher living standards; however, it is important to consider the potential issues you might face, even as you think of the many potential benefits you stand to gain from.
At Mathew James Removals Spain, we focus on overseas removals, and for 30 years, have been successfully helping people from the United Kingdom & Spain move to other countries.
We have compiled a guide of what we consider to be the top seven problems commonly encountered by those moving to another country – drawing from the knowledge we have accumulated over the years.
Different Language
A different language is one of the problems that you are most likely to face. You may have experienced this during a holiday, if you have never spent time in another nation. To help you get by on a daily basis, and move around, it is important that you learn the most commonly used phrases in the country’s language once you decide to move to that country.
But, for those that do not speak the native tongue, you will need more time to master local slang and humour. Try to makes sure that you can carry out a basic conversation in your new resident country’s common language by enrolling for online language classes, before you relocate to the new country.
In all honesty, English is enough to get you by in most foreign countries, making things much easier for people moving from the United Kingdom. Even with that in mind, you are likely to enjoy your new home country more if you learn the native language.
Securing Employment
Securing employment is another commonly encountered issue for those relocating to another country – especially if your move is not work related. The country that you are moving to and the nature of the work role that you may be interested in, are the main determinants of how serious this challenge is going to be.
You can find a list for acceptable occupation for immigration to various countries – for instance, Australia has the SOL (Skilled Occupations List). This means that you must specify a line of work that you have experience in from the Skilled Occupations List, and undergo assessment by an agency that has been authorised, before you qualify to use occupation points, in order for you to move to Australia under skilled migration. Afterwards, to immigrate to Australia, you will need a minimum number of points.
It is easier to migrate to some countries than others, and you should not expect each country to provide you with the level of information described in the above example. We highly recommend that you have a job lined up before relocating to another country, even though this is not strictly required for all popular immigration locations. One of the largest obstacles you are likely to encounter when moving abroad involves getting a job. However, you can secure your finances and calm your mind by simply having a job lined up.
Isolation
Moving away from your family and friends, by moving to another country, is likely to leave you feeling lonely. You should expect to feel some level of loneliness, regardless of whether you relocate with your children and partner or on your lonesome.
You can no longer rely on your loved ones to provide the level of support that they could be able to when you were living closer to you – for the most part you can only expect minimal support. Things change when you are separated by continents or countries – even if you lived some distance apart in the past. A six hour flight is nothing like a six hour drive – something that is hard to put into words. However, you will be able to piece together a support network like the one you had before, as you start getting used to your new life in another country, meeting people and establishing new friendship bonds.
Being Far From Home
This point is different from the above point on loneliness – even though they do appear similar at face value. Physical distance can bring in a variety of problems, different from the loneliness associated moving far away.
Should you or your family or friends need any sort of assistance, distance makes it harder for you to simply head over for a quick visit. This can leave you worried, because in the unfortunate event that something goes amiss back home, you are likely to struggle with dealing with the challenges posed by distance.
The world seems smaller now than it did in the past. Despite being farther from home, you might find that you are closer, simply because bar several exceptions, you can reach any corner of the world in 24 hours. For instance, you can travel to London from Barcelona in just over 2 hours, but you will need to travel for three to four hours to get to the same destination from Plymouth.
Identifying Top Shopping Establishments
Another challenge that you are likely to encounter after moving to another country revolves around finding the best shopping establishments. While you may have known where to shop back home, you are likely to do most of your shopping at convenience stores as you are unfamiliar with your new surroundings after relocating. To get better value for your money, it makes sense for you to check out other local shopping establishments. You may have to explore local stores/shops that you had previously ignored, or travel farther in your search for the best shopping establishments.
Sourcing The Food You Liked In Your Home Country
Living in a destination that is known for having dishes that are very different from what you are used back home can be quite exciting. But, you also have to deal with the issue of missing the dishes that you loved back home, and may struggle with sourcing these foods at your destination.
Luckily, e-commerce and other elements of globalisation have made it easier for people to get food items that were once hard to source. The chances of successfully sourcing your preferred food items are further aided by relocating to destinations with significantly larger communities of foreigners. Furthermore, as your exposure to new dishes grows, you are likely to discover new foods from your destination and even your previous home that you can use to enrich your preferences.
Meeting New Friends
When it comes to making it easier for you to feel comfortable after relocating, it is important to make new friends, as previously mentioned. You will be able to settle into your new life after you meet new people and start making new friends. To find people you can converse with consider exploring local parks, gyms and shops at your destination.
Final Thoughts
You are going to encounter all sorts of challenges – whether included above or not – after relocating to another country. However, be sure to remember that you can overcome them all, to great effect, as they are expected.
At Mathew James Removals, we have over three decades of experience when it comes to handling removals in Europe or Relocating Overseas. Contact us today for a free moving quote for your move abroad – we cater to all budgets.
