| Let the Adventure Begin! A Week-by-Week Guide to Settling In Abroad
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1 Week After Arrival: So here you go (Abroad)! - And the Adventure Begins!
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This is the part where we start to sound like a coach in a locker room that needs to get his or her players geared up for the big game.
You are about to embark on what could be the adventure of a lifetime. How are you going to frame this new experience? Perhaps you are like a reporter going out "into the field" for your company, family or friends. Or maybe you are an author doing research for a new adventure novel. Are you going to bring a video camera? Maybe there is a documentary in you just waiting to bust out - it could be about travel, culture, business, science, or anything else that gets you excited.
As a psychotherapist, one of the themes I constantly talk about with my clients is that perception is critical. Some expats view any anxiety about their life abroad as a sign of how exciting their new life is, and thus thrive upon it. Others, however, feel their worry is a tell tale sign that they have made a mistake, and start to panic. How you interpret not only your new environment, but your reactions to it, is critical.
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Manage your paper mail just like your email with Mailbox Forwarding. Have all of your mail sent to a unique street address box number. When a piece of mail arrives, our staff will automatically scan the envelope, then allow you to manage it through your online control panel, where you can request that we open and scan the contents, shred and recycle the item, or forward it to your home address.
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Before you move overseas, remember that you must have a support system. Make a list of resources you have at your disposal now that you will be abroad. Tell your family and close friends that you'll rely on them and need quick replies to your e-mails. If you are being sent by a company or other organization, don't dismiss the supports they offer or suggest. At the very least, make arrangements so you have access to them if you do find you need assistance.
If you went to college, do you remember how open and outgoing most of the freshmen were when you got there? They knew that they were going to need new friends in order to make a successful transition. So will you when you get there! Don't wait - talk about this with your family if they'll be with you.
If you are going to work and your spouse is not, remember that you are going to have colleagues to potentially connect with on a daily basis. Your expat spouse will not have that opportunity, so take the time to help him/her find new friends. Be generous with each other and communicate.
Most importantly, remember that ExpatExchange.com will be there when you arrive! Once you have an internet connection, check in and let everyone know on the country forum that your journey has begun. Remember that you don't need to invent the wheel - get advice as problems arise.
The internet should not be seen as a replacement for real human contact, but it is always helpful to exchange ideas online. Realize that you are not the only one to experience the challenges you'll encounter, and you'll quickly develop the outlook that other people out there have already conquered them and now love their life abroad. Be another one of them!
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| This Issue Written by joshua Wood
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Joshua Wood is one of the owners of ExpatExchange.com. In addition to expatriates and international relocation, he has written about numerous other topics over the last 15 years. He is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist, and one of his primary areas of interest is the psychological impact of international relocation.
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SETTLING IN GUIDE
