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Turning your Expat Dream into a Reality
By John Marcarian, Founder, Expatland Global Network
Have you dreamt about living abroad at some point in your life? Maybe you want to experience a different lifestyle, raise your family in a new place or work in a foreign environment. There are many reasons people dream of relocating, but it doesnât have to be a dream. This year could be the year you make it happen.
For many, the dream of relocation wonât come true. The amount of work required to move country and the technicalities related to setting up a new home can be overwhelming. However, if you approach turning your dream into a reality with the right frame of mind, you can make it happen. The question is; are you brave enough to do it? If you are, help is at hand.
The Expatland Global Network is a resource that supports people all over the world who are embarking on an expat journey, joining a vast, dynamic community. Our mission is to make expatâs lives easier at home and abroad and we will assist every step of the way. Â
We do this by providing Expatland Teams or E-Teams. The E-Teams bring together vetted professionals on the ground in a wide range of international locations. E-Team members deliver the types of services needed by expats moving to a new location. They have essential local knowledge and insight allowing them to cut through complexity and drill down to the issues that are relevant to specific locations.
Since launching in 2018, E-Teams have gone live inLondon, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Budapest and Prague.
Many more cities are currently under development and by the end of 2019 a total of 22 E-Teams are expected to be live worldwide.
We also have a wide range of useful articles that offer practical advice and insight on our website, www.expatland.com, but to get you ready to take the next step, here are my top tips on the factors to consider when becoming a citizen of Expatland.
Do your homework
Having a holiday in a country is very different to living there. Make sure you research the area, visit forums and join an expat community like Expatland for advice. These resources will give you a bit more of an understanding of your chosen destination as a home, not just a place to visit.
Try before you buy
Take your time to visit the area and properties. I would suggest renting in the area you like before you purchase anywhere. Summer and winter months can differ so much and locations can also be very different if youâre in a touristy area in non-peak seasons.
Local laws
Every country has different laws and protocols. Make sure you take time to read up on local regulations and customs and seek advice from trusted service professionals to get you up and running.
Plan for your health
Once you permanently leave your country and move to a new one, you wonât be entitled to any healthcare, so itâs vital you take out medical insurance that will cover you and your family from the moment you arrive in your new destination.
Tax regulations
You will no doubt need to pay taxes when you move. Ensure you read up on what will be applicable to you. Again, make sure you seek advice from the professionals. It will save you time and money.
Learn the language
Get to grips with the lingo if you can. Try to integrate with the local community and avoid isolating yourself. Learning just a few words of the language, or local slang if they speak your native tongue, will help you to build relationships and discover more about the areaâs culture.
Financial requirements
Each country will have different exchange rates that you need to take into consideration. Have you thought about what you will do for work? Will this impact your entry into the country? Understand what your living costs will be as they are likely to differ from your current expenses. Donât assume costs will be the same.
Have I managed to whet your appetite? Are you hungry to find out more? Your first step might be to talk to an expat, find out what issues they came up against and what their top tips for success are.
If you would like further information on the Expatland Global Network get in touch here: www.expatland.com/contact.
[Photograph by Simon Matzinger, courtesy of Pexels.com]
About Expatland Global Network â www.expatland.com
The Expatland Global Network is a resource that supports people all over the globe who are embarking on an expat journey, joining a vast, dynamic community.
In fact, if you were to group expats together to form a country, it would be the 5th largest country in the world, inhabited by more than 244 million people, and growing fast.
This âcountryâ is thriving, attracting global executives, business people, educators, medical professionals, students and other professionals who are highly driven, socially aware and âglobalâ in their outlook.
Expatland began as a book, written in 2015 by John Marcarian, as a result of Johnâs personal expat journey. Its focus was to help expats plan their move overseas.
The Expatland book was just the start.
To solve the problem of lack of support for would-be expats, John has launched the Expatland Global Network.
The network is made up of Expatland Teams (âE -Teams).
The concept, developed based on research using data from the World Bank, the OECD and the International Labour Organisation, is to provide a proactive solution to the problems faced by âunsupported expatsâ on the move. Through one point of contact, expats can access help anywhere.
E-Teams bring together vetted professionals on the ground in a wide range of international locations, who can deliver the types of services needed by expats. Operating at a city level, they have essential local knowledge and insight. They cut through complexity and drill down to the issues that are relevant to specific locations.
E-Teams are lending their specialist knowledge to help create special Expatland books for major cities around the world. The E-Teams are now writing free-to-download chapters packed with locally-focused advice, tips and case studies.
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