Thanks to everyone who submitted their tips/tricks to our post!
āTake some passport photos with you, youāll probably need it when applying for residence permit or whatever. Download google translator app and download the language, also google maps and offline map of your area - it saved my life. Check your bank - if your credit card works abroad, do they charge extra for currency exchange etc. Try to get local bank account and sim card as soon as you can. Save embassy number in your phone, just in case.ā - Anon
āTips for moving to a new country (part 1): The sooner you unpack, the more comfortable youāll be, honestly. Its hard enough adjusting to a new environment without being surrounded by just boxes of stuff. Get to know the area around your house on foot, even if youāre going to be driving. If youāre not in school, it can be harder to meet new people/make friends so signing up for evening classes/weekend courses can take you to a new part of town & help you make new friends at the same time.āĀ - @bluewriters
āTips for moving (part 2): If thereās a language barrier, make sure you know at least a few key phrases before you go (e.g. can you give me directions, please, thank you, sorry) and immerse yourself as much as you can once youāre settled in, cause thats the fastest way to start picking up the language. Iāve moved around a whole bunch so if thereās any questions people have Iām happy to try and help!ā - @bluewriters
āLiving abroad tip by a person who moves a lot, especially if you move for work: Go to a local grocery store/super market (not chain) in the area you wanna buy your house. See the prices on the usual stuff you buy (I always check out cereal and chicken first). Now take into account your wage and ask yourself: Can my wage pay my bills, the rent, AND give me my required amounts of food in those prices? If the answer is yes, rent the house. If not, go to a different neighborhood.ā - Anon
āSo, about moving to another country. Visit before you just up and decide to move there. That seems obvious but apparently not. You have to make sure that the other culture is going to mesh with the way you live or be willing to adapt. And if you speak English thats normally a safe bet to get around for a while depending on the country but please learn the language. You will save yourself so much trouble and you should start learning months before you go. Moving so far isnt an overnight decision.ā - @ghost-jokes
āLook up for groups/forums/chats about expats from your specific country to the one youāre moving to (there are endless possibilities but there is always at least a fb group) there people will share info and help with the most common issues you might encounter, or even look for apartment listings, they usually share tips and tricks for getting all the documents you are going to need and how to move around all that, besides getting to know someone before the move alreadyā - @noideaitdoesntmatterĀ
āYou need to keep a bit of an open mind when moving to a new country because there will be small insignificant things that people will do differently than the way youāve always done it.Ā Get a general layout of the city you are moving into. Find the popular local dining and hanging spots, shopping areas, hospital, police station, etc. This way, you wonāt ever be stuck if you canāt turn on the GPS.Ā If the place you are moving into also speaks a language other than English, get an app or take classes to learn it, even if most people speak English. This will help you get an advantage and less people will think of you as a tourist. i.e. Less scams where they charge you super high prices or convince you of something false or when they talk to each other in another language youāre sitting there dumbfounded.Ā Try to make at least one friend off the bat because at one point or another, you will need help finding a place or doing a thing because it is an unfamiliar concept to you. You can help each other out.Ā Different countries have different laws. Understand the local laws. They may not be fair or certain things were legal in your home country and illegal in your new one, but itās not worth getting arrested over because you didnāt know that it was illegal.ā - @ur-hipster-mom
āHey Iām moving to London from Poland for uni in a few days and I have a few tips! First of all donāt take all of your stuff in suitcases!! Itās much cheaper to send it in carton packages via DPD or some other company. Many people buy suitcases especially for this occasion and itās expensive, you can fit fewer things there and in most student dorm you donāt have enough space to store the suitcases, but cartons are not a problem! Just more ergonomic.ā -Ā @fragile-luxury
āAlso - figure out everything you can before arriving! Register with a doctor, apply for student funding if youāre studying, do everything your uni wants you to do!! Apply for an Oyster card or check out transportation youāll have to use, look at bank offers and choose the best one (you can apply for some of the account online and just verify it once youāre there), check out different cell phone providers. Itāll make the transition less stressful if you come prepared.ā - @fragile-luxury
āHi! I moved from Ireland to the Netherlands, so it was pretty easy for me (thank you EU!) For moving between two EU countries the main things are: get a national number (NI, BSN, depends on country), get a work permit if you need one, get a bank account. Things you definitely need to do these things: birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport/ID. Hope this helps!ā- @ninebeanrowsĀ