Preparing to Move Abroad
Not all career breakers dream of traveling around the world during their break away. Many prefer to utilize their time, no matter how long, based in one place, much like Abby Tegnelia did in Costa Rica. But unlike Abby, where a planned one-month stay turned into 12 months, the idea of moving abroad, even temporarily, can create some anxiety.
Coley Hudgins understands this after making the decision to move his family to Panama. Here he offers 5 risk-free strategies to get out of the “Inertia Zone” and on the move.
For many of us anxiety breeds inertia. When we’re outside our comfort zone, productivity stops. We surf the Internet, read, sit on the couch in our underwear eating cheese doodles, anything to avoid pushing through the anxiety.
And what could be more anxiety-inducing than quitting or taking an extended break from your comfie job and catapulting yourself into a foreign country where you don’t know anyone, don’t know the customs, and where you may not even speak the language?
For families, the inertia zone is even more profound. It’s one thing to be single and make the decision to move abroad, but it’s something else entirely to make that decision when you have a job, a house, a mortgage and little mouths to feed.
If your dream is to get out of the rat race (temporarily or permanently) but you can’t seem to get out of the inertia zone, here’s a big secret: You can trick yourself into action by taking small, manageable steps that you should be taking anyway, regardless of whether or not you ultimately decide to make the move. The 5 strategies below worked for me because I had a specific landing spot in mind. If your plan is to wander the globe, obviously not all of these will apply.
Get your family documents in order
Does everyone in your family have a passport? Are they up-to-date? Other documents you should keep handy include original birth certificates, FBI criminal background clearances, bank letters of reference, 3 years of notarized or official tax returns, marriage certificates, Social Security cards and drivers licenses. Having these docs handy will allow you to open a bank account, get a mortgage, or a driver’s license more easily in your new country.
Open a foreign bank account
Regardless of whether you ultimately make the move, a foreign bank account in the country you’re considering is a good thing to have. It’s also a smart hedge against economic and currency risk. With skyrocketing deficits, record national debt, and growing inflation (at least in the U.S.), opening a foreign bank account — or even a foreign currency account in an offshore bank — and parking a little money there should be part of your investment strategy regardless of whether you make the move.
Start learning the language
In today’s world, everyone should have familiarity with a second language anyway right? What worked best for me was to broadly “diversify” my language study: Skype language courses, reading Spanish newspapers, watching English movies with Spanish subtitles… and most importantly, conversing with native Spanish speakers. Don’t worry about making mistakes. I’ve made plenty. While mountain biking some years back, I had a conversation with a Panamanian about how much I enjoyed swimming (nadando) with my mountain bike. I meant riding (montando). On another occasion, I expressed my embarrassment about mangling a Spanish phrase to a group of Panamanian women by announcing I was pregnant (embarazada).
Take a “recon” vacation
Before you make the big decision, take a vacation to the country you’re considering…but this is a “vacation” in name only. The real purpose is to get “boots on the ground” intel about your future home. How is the phone and Internet service? What’s the local real estate market like? Where do you want to live? The goal here is to get a general sense of whether or not this is a country you’d actually enjoy living in. There will be plenty of time to swing lazily in a hammock on the beach drinking Pina Coladas after you make the move.
Time for the “big talk” with your employer
If all checks out so far, you’re probably chomping at the bit to get going. The last step is the dreaded talk with your employer about your plans. And don’t think it’s an all or nothing proposition. You’d be surprised how many companies these days are flexible about employees taking extended breaks, working from abroad, or even continuing to work from overseas on a consulting basis. Think about it from their point of view: Full-time employees equal huge overhead — insurance, benefits, matching 401K contributions, etc. Employers are increasingly finding it more cost-effective to outsource labor to consultants. See if you can be one of those consultants. You might be pleasantly surprised by the answer.
Remember, all five of these strategies are things you should be doing regardless of whether you ultimately decide to pull the trigger and move abroad. But each one also sets a strong foundation for making the move. If you want out of the rat race, get started today. You’ll be surprised how quickly inertia turns into momentum.
Coley Hudgins is a professional wanderer who enjoys surfing, mountain biking, playing guitar and exploring Panama’s many waterfalls and rain forests. His hobbies include some consulting and other business stuff. Coley lives in Panama with his wife and 2 (soon to be 3) offspring. He blogs about Panama’s best top secret travel spots at Panama Vacation Tips.
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
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G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.