How to Prepare for Working Abroad
It is crucial to be 100% (okay, maybe 99%) organized before jetsetting out for opportunities working abroad. Once you’re overseas, things will become even more complicated: paperwork will give you grief, everything will be very expensive, and unplanned events will unfold at just the wrong moments. To be on the safe side…BE PREPARED!
1) Make Sure You Have ALL of Your Documents
When traveling having all of your documents in a row is crucial. Not only that, but you need to make sure you have extra copies of just about everything. Before you head out of the country, make sure that your passport is in first-class condition and that you have a bunch of blank pages at the back. Now, make copies of everything: passport, drivers license, bank statements, travel itineraries, insurance policies and anything else you just might need. Keep a set with you at all times and leave one set at home with friends or family.
2) Get Covered by Travelers Insurance
Some jobs provide travel insurance, others don’t. Either way, make sure you get covered. There are just about a zillion different travelers insurance companies out there so do some Googling and figure out which one will work the best for your lifestyle abroad. If you get into a situation where your travelers insurance won’t pay, try and contact a company like First4Lawyers.com, to get maximum compensation for medical services abroad. Don’t skimp on your health!
3) Research Where You Are Headed
This may seem like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised to find out how many people up and leave their home country without properly planning for where you’re going. Make sure you know the weather, the prices, some useful phrases and how you’re going to be getting around. Bottom line: the more you know about your future home, the more comfortable the transition is going to be.
4) Take a Trip to the Doctor’s Office
Regardless of how affluent your destination is, it’s a good idea to make time for a doctors visit before you head out to work abroad. Get a full physical to make sure you’re in tip-top shape, get vaccinations and get refills of all of your necessary prescriptions. It’ll be a hassle to deal with doctor’s offices abroad, so get the visit out of the way beforehand.
5) Have a Money Plan
Dealing with conversions and withdrawal fees abroad is a huge pain in the neck, so make a plan beforehand so that you don’t end up spending money to spend money. Most people prefer to get an international-friendly debit card or credit card to take care of overseas transactions. There are a ton of choices out there, so research to your heart’s content and pick the one that is best for you.
