If you ask me, moving abroad is always a good idea! Simply because sometimes the grass truly is greener on the other side. I would know, I’m an expert in starting my life from scratch in a new country.
How come, you ask? Well, I was only 15 when I flew off to Brighton, England to spend a Summer there on my own. When I got back to Finland I knew that my lot in life was NOT to stay there. And I didn’t! By the age of 19 I had accumulated enough savings for the Ultimate Adventure: moving abroad.
A quick recap of where I’ve lived so far and what moving abroad meant practically each time:
- 2010 → Aberdeen, Scotland. Went to study in Uni, which meant that all I had to take care of was finding accommodation. This was before Brexit, so no Visa or other paperwork was required.
- 2011 → London, England. My dream since I was 11 was to work in London, and that dream came true when I got an internship there. Again, all I had to take care of was finding accommodation. But that was more challenging than I could have ever imagined!
- 2015 → Bratislava, Slovakia. I got a job there and found a shared apartment before flying in. Once there I found a private apartment closer to the office. This time I had to register as a resident and open a bank account.
- 2017 → Tallinn, Estonia. Moved there to work in market research, and had to start everything from scratch. That meant finding accommodation, registering as a resident, opening a bank account, finding friends, dealing with cultural shock, etc.
- 2022 → Becoming a Digital Nomad. My business is still in Estonia, but I currently have no place to stay. I live wherever I please for now, until I find a place that feels like Home again :)
From all of these moves London and Tallinn where the most challenging. That means they were also the most educating! I made loads of rookie mistakes, and in case you’d like a closer look at some of the biggest ones:
Read also: Moving Abroad – The Mistakes I made
If you’re considering a move to the UK, it’s worth exploring some of the best companies to work for in London to get inspired. Now, let’s look at the main things to consider when moving abroad:
Moving Abroad – Your Ultimate Check List For the Big Adventure
Obviously the very first thing to do when even considering moving to another country, is to do a wee bit of research. If you don’t yet know where you’d like to go, you could look for countries where they speak a specific language. Or you could compare countries according to cost of living, climate, work opportunities, etc. The options are endless nowadays because the world is open for us!
After you’ve chosen a destination, you’ll want to make sure you’re allowed to enter the country. Check what documentation you might potentially need. For EU citizens life is easy in Europe, because we don’t need Visas or permits to move to other EU countries. Just head there, register as a resident, and voilá!
But for anyone outside of the EU to enter Europe, or for Europeans to move elsewhere around the world, you will need to figure out which kind of a Visa to apply for. There is a plethora of options, which depend on where you’re moving from and to. For over 90-day stays you will need more than a tourist Visa everywhere.
Once you’re set on your destination, it’s time to book flights! But before you book flights, make sure you’ve ticked off all of these must-dos:
1. Sort out work and housing
Whenever moving abroad, I urge you to take care of 2 things before booking flights: paid work and accommodation.
The only way to ensure that your move abroad will be successful is to ensure that you are financially stable. You may have a big chunk of money saved along the years, but don’t rely on that alone. Moving abroad can easily blow a massive hole in those saving in just a few months. I would know, I blew up 8 000€ in just 4 months living in Scotland.
You’ll want to enjoy yourself when living abroad! And the easiest way to ensure that is to make sure you earn enough to make ends meet. So, step number 1: find a job at your destination country.
Once you have a job, step number 2 can sort itself out on the same go: finding accommodation. You can ask to be put in touch with your future colleagues or a Team Leader. They can then direct you towards forums or websites with available apartments in the city.
Here’s an example of what NOT to do. When I moved to London I had a job, but I didn’t have accommodation when I arrived. I ended up living in hostels for the first 2 weeks while looking for a home. And because I had blown up all of my savings in Scotland already, they were not nice hostels! I have never vacated a hostel since…
2. Assemble a ‘Moving Abroad Budget’
Assembling a budget for moving abroad will bring you peace of mind, and also makes the move more efficient. In order to assemble a moving budget, you should first google what basic things in your destination country cost.
This will give you an idea of how much money you need on a daily or monthly basis to get by comfortably. But you should also be aware of how much the moving abroad itself costs on top of flights. Take these into consideration:
- flights + potential extra luggage (I moved out from Scotland with 3 suitcases)
- cost of transportation from the airport to your new home
- monthly rent + deposit payment when moving in
- cost of public transportation (Oyster card in London vs. free public transportation in Tallinn)
- basic living costs per month: internet, electricity, water, gas, etc.
- cost of food: you can check prices in local grocery stores online + it doesn’t hurt to check some local restaurants’ websites to get an idea of the cost of eating out.
Your budget doesn’t need to be anything elaborate. The point is to just give you an idea of how much your life will cost per month in a new country. This will make moving abroad a lot easier and more fluent for you.
Another example of what NOT to do. I moved to Tallinn with minimal research. This resulted in me requesting a salary that was way below what I actually needed to live comfortably in Tallinn. After 3 months my savings ran out even though I was working full time, and I accumulated thousands of euros worth of debt in just couple years.
3. Check your health care options
Now, this is again something that EU citizens don’t need to worry about. Just make sure you have the European Health Insurance Card, and you’re eligible for all health care services everywhere in Europe. My best friend even gave birth in another EU country with no extra cost due to the Insurance Card.
For everybody else, and EU citizens moving outside of the EU, you must check the requirements of your destination country. There are some international health insurance schemes, but be careful to not fall for any scams!
The 2 safest ways to ensure you’re covered in terms of health is to
1) get a good travel insurance that includes health care and accidents while traveling,
2) get in touch with local Immigration Authorities or your Embassy in the destination country to enquire about the local health insurance options as a resident in that country. This is compulsory if you stay in another country for over 6 months!
I have personally been beyond fortunate for not needing health care services while living abroad. But I sure have used local health care for check-ups and such. And when your health care paperwork is in check, a visit to the doctor can cost you as little as 5€.
4. Assemble a packing list
Ah, my favourite! Since I’ve moved abroad so many times I’ve developed a great affection for packing. Packing means an adventure is about start, and that always makes me happy!
So, let’s make sure that your packing endeavours are as exhilarating as mine, shall we? The idea of packing your entire life up can seem like a nightmare at first. But when we approach it one step at a time, you’ll notice it’ll be quick, painless and you won’t even forget anything.
A packing list used to be an essential part of my packing process. And I would recommend that you make one too! So, let’s assume you’re moving abroad for a full year, or even more. You will need 1 big suitcase, 1 big travel bag (cabin bag) and 1 smaller bag for travel documents and essentials.
Here’s a general packing list for moving abroad:
Small bag
☐ passport, Visa papers
☐ wallet, keys, phone, camera
☐ jewellery
☐ chewing gum (for the flights), small mirror, tissues (you’ll thank me!)
Cabin bag
I always thought of the cabin bag as an insurance for the possibility of my suitcase going missing. It happens! Thus I would pack enough stuff for at least 3 days in my cabin bag:
☐ zip-loc bag including deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, essential make-up items, sanitary products
☐ travel adapter (if necessary)
☐ 2 shirts / tops / blouses
☐ pair of trousers / shorts (depending how hot it is at your destination)
☐ 3 days’ worth of underwear and socks
☐ 1 pair of shoes (in addition to the ones you’re wearing)
Big suitcase
☐ couple pairs of trousers / leggings
☐ blouses, shirts and tops
☐ shorts / skirts
☐ shoes: trainers, ankle boots, flip flops, “going out”-shoes, etc.
☐ a jacket (could be a sports jacket or a warm one for cold evenings or Winter)
☐ underwear and socks
☐ swimsuit (no matter where you go, there will at least be a spa!)
☐ pajamas
☐ sportwear
☐ toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shaver, hairbrush, perfume, make-up + remover, nail clippers, scissors, etc.
☐ medicine + prescriptions
There’s the never ending debate whether rolling or folding ones clothes enables on to pack more. Personally I’ve done a lot of research on this, and I can fit 1/3 more stuff when I roll my clothes. Try and see for yourself!
5. Sort out a travel insurance
Depending on how long you’re moving abroad for, you may be able to get a travel insurance from your home country (less than 6 months). Make sure the insurance covers all of your stuff, transport cancellations, and medical costs up to a point.
If you are moving abroad for more than a year, your home country may not be able to offer you an insurance. But in this case you can get an insurance in the new country once you register there as a resident. Insurance is one of those things that we may not think about before it’s too late. But it’s a small cost to pay once you actually need it.
6. Hire a Moving Abroad Consultant
As mentioned, I have moved abroad and started my life from scratch many times! Sometimes successfully and other times less successfully. Which makes me an expert on it all!
And since I have all of this knowledge I would love to share it. That’s why I started offering consultation for people who are thinking about, in the process of, or already moving abroad.
No matter if you’re only considering whether moving abroad is worth the bother, or made the decision and now feel unsure, let me be your support system. I can help you with
- doing research on the country you’re interested in or moving to
- making sure all the paperwork is taken care of
- helping you find work and accommodation in a new country
- getting a bank account
- figuring out the public transport options at the destination
- helping you find places to meet people and friends in
- supporting you while you settle in a strange new place, maybe even suffer from cultural shock.
I’ve been through it all, so I know exactly what you’re going through. With me you can count on getting genuine answers to your questions, correct information and expert tips to make your move a success.
Moving abroad has been the best thing I ever did! And I want to ensure that you get as much out of your move as I have done! Let’s get to work: Send me an email at theteresamaria(at)proton.me and allow me to help you make the most out of this opportunity of a lifetime ♥
