Let the Adventure Begin! A Week-by-Week Guide to Moving Abroad

Below are summaries of our week-by-week guide, Let the Adventure Begin!. Each week links to a full page online guide. In order to have access to all of the information and advice in our Let the Adventure Begin series, please subscribe to the e-version of Let the Adventure Begin! (free)

If you're being offered an international assignment there are often many issues involved in making the decision to move or stay. One of the most important issues for any person or family that is sent abroad by their company is the expat relocation package. This issue offers important points to cover during your benefits negotiation such as salary, moving costs, tax liability, home leave, duration of assignment and more.

Read More about Career Issues

Preparing to move abroad can be complicated. Preparing to move with kids may be much more challenging, but can prove to be the most rewarding family experience. Tell your children as soon as possible that they will be moving abroad. Don't think you will make it easier on them by waiting until a later date - they will want to feel like you included them in the process. This issue also offers advice about family dynamics and third culture kids.

Read More about Preparing Your Kids

Kelly Magowan of Six Figures advises, "The best way to begin your job search is to start with you, your skills, interests, values, abilities and motivators. Rather than trying to fit yourself into a position description, create a position description of the types of jobs you are interested in and that suit you." Issue offers advice on starting your international job search, advice for those seeking a teaching job abroad and information for entrepreneurs, freelancers and those considering self-employment abroad.

Read More about Job Search

You've probably done a great deal of research online about your destination and talked with a few expats prior to this insightful trip. Your "Look-See" trip is a great time to narrow down school and neighborhood choices, meet future colleagues and find short-term housing. Issue offers advice on the benefits of a relocation company and how to choose the right one.

Read More about A Glimpse of Your New Life Abroad

Choosing the right school for your kids is a big decision. The international school (or public school, etc.) greatly impacts your child's expat experience. This issue offers advice on researching schools, reading reviews of international schools, choosing between public and private schools and how to choose the right school. Expert advice from two well-known international education professionals.

Read More about School Selection

Unless you're very familiar with your destination, choosing the right neighborhood or town can be a difficult decision. Proximity to schools, work, grocery stores, social venues -- whatever is important to you and your family -- are all important factors to consider when choosing the right neighborhood.

Read More about Neighborhood Selection

Mary Anne Thompson offers great advice for people seeking jobs abroad, "There are no hard-and-fast rules that are 100% appropriate in every case. Best advice: do your homework - find out what is appropriate vis-a-vis the corporate culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to incorporate several different cultures into one document." In this issue Mary Anne offers detailed advice for overseas job seekers.

Read More about Resume & CV Tips

Some of the most prominent complications surrounding an expatriate assignment can be issues that arise from an international transferee's spouse. Sometimes referred to as expat spouses or trailing spouses, these significant others that agree to follow their loved ones to a foreign land often find the transistion from their old life to a new country to be daunting.

Read More about The Accompanying Spouse

To find a moving company, get referrals from other people. The company you or your spouse will be working for has likely moved other expats. Request past transferees' contact information to ask about their moving experience with the company. Before you get estimates, do everything possible to minimize the amount of items you will move.

Read More about Moving Logistics

This issue offers helpful advice for those considering international auto shipping - should you bring your car, lease one abroad or buy a car abroad? Moving insurance is also covered with advice from Colin Gordon of The MIGroup.

Read More about Moving Logistics (Part 2)

If your health insurance plan is not already selected by your employer or you're moving abroad on your own and would like to obtain private medical insurance, there are many options and coverage varies widely. Everyone moving abroad should carefully research healthcare in their new country. Issue also covers topic of medical evacuation services.

Read More about Health Insurance & Services

Frank Gillingham, M.D. with HTH Worldwide wrote and article entitled, Medical Preparation When Living Overseas, which provides a detailed checklist to cover before moving abroad. Issue also covers pregnancy abroad.

Read More about Your Health Abroad

Moving abroad with a pet can be a bit complicated -- potential quarantines, local laws, documentation and air travel safety are all considerations. We highly recommend using a pet shipper for your international relocation. We work with several great companies. Issue offers tips for moving a pet abroad.

Read More about The Family Pet

The US State Department explains, "No matter how calm things are at your post, you should not be lulled into thinking that it can't happen here as 65% of all evacuations occur in low to medium threat posts." That's very important to keep in mind. Issue covers contingency planning with detailed lists of documents and information to have on hand should an emergency arise. Also covered is corporate evacuation planning for companies of all sizes.

Read More about Security Matters

Tips on preparing your teenagers for a move abroad. Expert advice from Dina Zavrski-Makaric of Challenging Directions and Elizabeth Perelstein, President of School Choice International.

Read More about Preparing Your Teenager

We cannot stress enough the importance of learning the language of our new country. Even if English is widely spoken there, learning the native language will benefit you enormously. It will give you a chance to truly interact with locals, show respect for the local culture and engage in the expat experience.

Read More about Learning the Language

"It is important to learn about the country that you are living in. Customs are different and learning about it was an interesting experience for me. Living it you learn a lot more, but taking a class in cross-cultural training is a great beginning. This way you know what to expect and not offend anyone so you understand the culture of the people," explains one ExpatExchange member.

Read More about Understanding the Culture

Although there is a lot in the press these days about people taking "staycations" where they take their vacation at home, don't be lulled into thinking that means quicker processing of passports. There were many travelers affected a few years ago by the backups at the Passport Office who can tell you through hard experience that the sooner you apply for your passport the better.

Read More about Passport & Visa

Before you even accept the job offer and start packing up your life, discuss the work permit with the employer. Ask them what documents they will need from you and who your contact person is at the company for any questions that you have. Ask for periodic updates on the status of the permit. Issue also covers work permits for accompanying spouses and options for spouses who cannot obtain a work permit.

Read More about Work Permits

n her article, A Guide to Financial Services for Expats, Lisa R. Mitchell of Wells Fargo International Personal Banking provided an invaluable set of Questions and Answers related to international finances. Advice on foreign exchange rates, opening a bank account abroad, online banking, obtaining credit abroad and much more.

Read More about Financial Matters

Because of the complexities of expat taxes issues, we highly recommend that expats of any nationality use an expat tax professional. Issue covers topics such as tax treaties, foreign earned income exclusion and taxes for -- individuals employed by a foreign employer, for married couples, self-employed expats.

Read More about Tax Matters

Should You Buy Abroad? That's the million dollar question and the answer seems to be changing day-by-day and country-by-country. Issue offers advice for those contemplating buying overseas property.

Read More about Real Estate Matters

If you're going to be working abroad, learning about the culture is imperative. One member of ExpatExchange explained, "Be open to what your trainer has to offer. We assumed we understood the British culture since we speak the same language, and come from the same "roots" if you will.

Read More about Working Abroad

"As multinational, multicultural and multilingual organisations continue to expand with employees from all over the globe living and working in different cultures to their own, opportunities to commit social faux pas are rife!" - Think Global Recruitment. Issue offers advice on preparing for the work environment abroad.

Read More about Working Abroad (Part 2)

In many cultures there is still a stigma attached to the notion of asking for help from such a professional. This is the primary reason why many individuals or families are entrenched in a crisis when they finally are willing to seek help. Embarking upon an international assignment or any other form of international transition offers a unique opportunity to explore these types of services.

Read More about Counseling & Coaching

Technology has made a tremendous impact on expats' lives. Technologies can help you simplify your life, work for efficiently and from anywhere in the world, connect with fellow expats and stay in touch with friends and family back home.

Read More about Technology

Wouldn't it be nice to bypass trying to make friends in your new country after you arrive and instead make connections before you move? These days with technology and the Internet it's possible with a little effort.

Read More about Making Connections

We live in an age where we are attached to our "stuff", so when we find ourselves in a situation where we have to figure out how to get our stuff from one country to another, it's often a process fraught with anxiety and expense. Therefore, the more planning and preparation involved, the more smoothly the move will go.

Read More about Moving Checklist

International moves can provide incredible experiences for kids of all ages -- a new culture, new language, new foods and exotic sights can truly be life changing. It can impact their lives more than you could ever imagine -- affecting their future studies, career choices, where they decide to live as adults, their relationships and how they decide to raise their own children.

Read More about Moving with Kids

With so much information available online today, you may decide to limit the number of books you buy and bring with you about moving and living abroad. Issue covers some of our favorite books.

Read More about Recommended Reading

At some point after you've moved abroad, you will know what we mean when we say that such a move will change almost every aspect of your daily life. You will need to learn to do many things in a new way. That includes the expectations you have of the way "things" should work.

Read More about Culture Shock

Starting a new job and moving are listed among the Top Ten most stressful events. As an expat, you are dealing with both -- on top of being in a new culture and possibly with a new language. So how do you manage the stress, keep organized and get everything done? There isn't one magic answer that works for everyone, but there are different things you that can try to see what works for you.

Read More about Drowning in Details?

If you ever read about what is happening in coaching, counseling and therapy these days, one topic that you will regularly encounter is cognitive therapy (which is sometimes used interchangeably with cognitive behavioral therapy despite some differences).

Read More about The Right Mindset

Last week, we touched on the basics of Cognitive Therapy and how it might be useful on your expatriate journey. As the month of your move draws near, we want to offer you some ideas about how to think about your move.

Read More about The Right Mindset (Part 2)

One of the golden rules I use in working with children is "No surprises." Help your children adapt to the idea and realities of life abroad by keeping them in the loop. If you can make your child feel like they are part of the process, they might be able to avoid the sense that the move abroad is something about to happen to them, rather than something they are about to take part in as a member of a family.

Read More about Parenting