Mistakes I made when I first moved abroad… and what I’d do now
I recently wrote about how moving to a new country was a great way to reset your life. What I didn’t mention was how I did it WRONG when I first started out 13 years ago.
Photo by Santa Barbara on UnsplashMaybe you’ve got a new job, or enrolled in a study abroad program, or just want a change of scenery, so you plan to move to another country. It’s both exciting and intimidating!
However, don’t get too caught up in the excitement of a big move before you take the proper steps to plan. These are the things I did wrong when I moved to China 13 years ago, and I urge you not to make the same mistakes.
Navigating a new place is difficult, and you will likely struggle more if you don’t know what to expect.
Before I moved to Beijing to pursue a master’s degree, I had taken Mandarin classes in university, so I was good to go (or so I thought). I was definitely not good to go.
While I had the address of the university where I’d be studying written down and exchanged some money, there was so much I didn’t do that made the first few weeks of life difficult for me.
For example, I had no idea that I wouldn’t be able to access Facebook or Gmail when I arrived. I didn’t know how to get a local phone number. I didn’t bring an outlet adapter.
I had no idea how much food or other living supplies cost, what sort of foods and items I’d be able to get there in Beijing.
I also didn’t really understand much about local customs and typical behavior. For example, was I required to tip? Is a handshake considered polite or rude? What kinds of language or actions would be seen as offensive?
In addition to cultural norms and expectations, you will encounter a different legal system. It’s important to understand what kind of system and laws you’ll be under when you move.
If you’re moving for a job especially, it’s important to understand labor laws and contract laws. What are your rights as an employee there?
And if you’ll rent an apartment or house, what protections and rights do you have as a tenant?
I’ve seen far too many expats get into avoidable trouble because they didn’t understand their new country.
Today, I would spend more time reading up on the country via my embassy’s website, law firm sites, travel blogs, and watching documentaries.
Admittedly, these were still the early days of Facebook and Twitter, so I didn’t think to connect with other travelers or expats there. I wasn’t a big social media person anyway, so I hadn’t heard of Reddit or some other platforms either.
Today, I’d take to Facebook groups, Reddit, or even Google and ChatGPT to find out the best tips for moving to China.
I’d ask which apps are the most useful to download before arriving, and if there’s anything I would normally be able to find in my home country that wouldn’t be available in the new country (i.e., beauty products, medicines, and other personal items that you use regularly).
No matter where you’re going, I can almost guarantee you there’s a Facebook group or Reddit community where you can ask others directly for their experiences.
Learning from experience is great, but learning from the experiences of others can often save you a lot of trouble.
This is a big one. Maybe you’ve done all of your research and budgeted accordingly, notified your bank or credit card company that you’ll be using your accounts overseas.
But things go wrong.
Your cards may get lost or stolen, or eaten by an ATM.
Your new employer may not pay you on time or in full.
You may not be able to pay for some things with a card or international card in your new country.
When I first moved to China, I brought a bit of cash and had my US bank card. One of the first things I did was go to the bank to open an account because I knew I’d be receiving a living stipend from the university (for my scholarship program).
However, what I didn’t know is that the stipend wouldn’t start until September, and I had arrived in mid August to get set up and acclimated before the fall term began. I hadn’t budgeted for that, and then had a lot of issues trying to get money wired from my US account to the new Chinese account. It was a mess.
Don’t be unexpectedly cash poor like I found myself. Make sure you always budget for emergencies.
And on that note of not knowing when I’d get paid, don’t make this mistake:
This is a big one. Maybe you’ve done all of your research and budgeted accordingly, notified your bank or credit card company that you’ll be using your accounts overseas.
But things go wrong.
Your cards may get lost or stolen, or eaten by an ATM.
Your new employer may not pay you on time or in full.
You may not be able to pay for some things with a card or international card in your new country.
When I first moved to China, I brought a bit of cash and had my US bank card. One of the first things I did was go to the bank to open an account because I knew I’d be receiving a living stipend from the university (for my scholarship program).
However, what I didn’t know is that the stipend wouldn’t start until September, and I had arrived in mid August to get set up and acclimated before the fall term began. I hadn’t budgeted for that, and then had a lot of issues trying to get money wired from my US account to the new Chinese account. It was a mess.
Don’t be unexpectedly cash poor like I found myself. Make sure you always budget for emergencies.
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4. Not clarifying the details of my program
Photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash
If you have a job, has everything been clearly stated in the contract? Are you aware of any office dress codes, or the onboarding process once you arrive? Will you be arriving on the correct visa type?
If you’re joining an academic program, will you live in a dormitory or off campus? What rules will you need to follow? When are the important holidays and exam weeks?
A lot of this information should be given to you before you get on the plane or train to your new home, but it may not be. Sometimes a website doesn’t explain everything, isn’t functioning, or doesn’t exist. Maybe the language in your contract is a bit vague.
I hadn’t learned exactly when I would receive the stipend, so I ended up a bit strapped for cash for a couple weeks until I could get an international transfer.
If you have any questions or there’s some confusion, be sure to ask your organization or company as soon as possible. Make a list of everything you’re unsure about and send an email to, or ask to have a call with whoever is in charge (e.g., HR department or international student department).
At the end of the day, we’ll all make mistakes when we do something for the first time. Moving abroad is nerve-wracking and amidst the stress of preparing you’ll likely forget some things. But hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and your transition will be a lot smoother than mine was.
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