5 Things to know before moving overseas

There comes a day when your world isn't big enough for you. When you look at your friends and family and think pssh, you're all replaceable. When you decide financial security is overrated and awesome stories for future children are far more important than finding someone to settle down with and make these future children. It's on that day that you make the decision to uproot your life and relocate half way round the world. 

Or, you know, maybe you have other reasons to move like work or study or an internet boyfriend. All totally valid reasons and I truly support you! Sort of. 

As some of you may know, I just moved back to Australia again. I've lived in the UK for a couple of years, but it was well and truly time to return. Moving to Australia was outrageously complicated but given that I've now done this kind of move twice, I think I'm in a unique position to share some wisdom. So here are the top five things you need to know before you move overseas. 

1. Visas are essential. Whoever told you that you'd find work there without one or you could overstay without consequence and other such bullshit was lying to you. If you do this, you'll be working for below minimum wage and as soon as you try to leave again you'll get slapped with a ban on re-entering the country. And that will then effect applications to live in different countries. Just fork out for the damn visa. 

2. New friends are not as easy to acquire as you'd think. You might be great and making new friends in hostels but if you're hoping to replace your group of gal pals from back home immediately; prepare for a struggle. Half the reason it's so easy to make friends in hostels is because you're usually not stuck hanging out with someone for more than a few days.  Meaning you never have to find out if they hate indy music, steal compulsively or voted for Tony Abbott. 

Longer term friends are harder to find. Lean on any existing connections and new flatmates, befriend your coworkers, find an expat group and try and hang out in areas where folks speak the same language as you (and I mean that both literally and figuratively). 

3. Moving overseas is no reason to give up on a real job. Yeah, yeah, bar work is easy and fun and gives you plenty of time to explore your new environment, but you know what also helps with travel plans? Money. Find a real job based off your real experience. Save up, apply for unpaid leave (or give notice if you're confident you could find a new job with ease) and then travel your new country. Bar work is for backpackers, not expats. Unless your new country is going through the recession still in which case take what you can get and suck it up. 

4. Utilize social media. Yeah, yeah, you're too cool for facebook these days and twitter is for tweens, but social media is hands down the best way to keep up to date on people's lives back home. And keep them up to date (and jealous) of yours. Face it, you are going to be desperately lonely and depressed. Make yourself feel better by looking at all the lame-arses with their home-owning and families and happiness. 

Losers. 

5. Be prepared to feel very, very conflicted. Some days you will long desperately for home. Some days you will never want to return. You will hate your new country and its shit weather. You will love the atmosphere and how different it is. One day you will kind of make up your mind and either move back (like I've just done) or apply for a longer visa/residency. You will never, ever be 100% convinced of whatever decision you've made. Life's tricky. Just try to remember, you've got it better than most.