It’s been a while I shared my relocation stories. I have relocated twice, once from Singapore to China and once from China to Malaysia. It’s foreseeable that one day I’ll have one more move to make and that is from Malaysia to Singapore. While it is fun (and heartbreaking at the same time) to relocate, there are some things you need to do before you make the BIG move.
1. Get your accommodate sorted out I have witnessed a couple of cases where friends moved without having their future accommodation fixed. It is going to be overwhelming and taxing to your spirit, and not to mention losing focus on your work if you don’t get the most basics sorted out. If you are getting temporary housing (like staying over with a friend or a colleague), make sure you can stay for at least a full month while you search for something permanent over the weekends. Trust me, you’ll be too tired and your nerves are jumping all over the place during a work day to look at your next apartment properly. Plus you probably want to see how your place looks like in the daylight and at night.
2. Buy Insurance You might have a proper insurance back home but you should call up your provider to make sure you can add a rider to extend your policy to cover accidents and illness overseas. You don’t want to leave it until things happen where you are all alone, lying sick on a hospital bed, your family members and friends are many miles away and having to sort out medical paperwork all by yourself. Also do make sure that your insurance covers you in case, you need medical evacuation back to your home country.
3. Packing Checklist Completed I admit I am quite a worrywart and I started getting ready things on my checklist one month before I even moved. You will be busy, running around, sorting out your paperwork for your work permit during the last month so as soon as you can, buy and pack whatever needs to be pack and not leave it until the eleventh hour. It is going to cost you to have anything to be shipped over from one country to another.
4. A proper visitation If you haven’t been to the country before, do it before you move. And when you’re there, find out the necessities that you will need to make your transition as smooth as possible. It pays to meet your future coworkers as well and allow them to give as much advice as possible. Nobody can help you as much as a local does.
5. Official Documents If you’re moving to another country, please don’t leave it to chance that your work permit and documents are ready by the time you reach the airport. They should be ready one week before you leave. I have the experience where I’m supposed to start work in Shanghai but my work permit wasn’t ready and I got stuck and had to fly in and out twice before my work permit is approved.
6. Say proper Goodbyes
Everyone wants to say goodbye to you at the very end. If you’re not fond of teary goodbyes at the airport, schedule proper luncheons and dinner with every individual that you care about. Don’t rush through your goodbyes because you’ll never know when you will get to see them again. Skype, email, and FaceTime don’t have the same effect as a physical hug.
Have you had to move out of your country before? Any advice that you can add on to mine? Come and share at the comments below.
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