Do
You Have What It Takes to Live and Work Abroad?
How To Know If You
Can Live And Work Abroad ~ Page One
By Celeste
Heiter
|
|
| Are
you tired of the status quo? Bored with the daily grind? Sick of the rat
race?
Do you picture
yourself breaking free of earth’s gravity for awhile, and soaring off to
live and work in some far-flung destination, perhaps for a year, or even
for good?
Maybe you imagine
yourself teaching English in Bangkok by day, enjoying the sizzle of the
city by night, and basking in the laid-back beach scene on the weekends.
Or perhaps you’re an IT expert who dreams of consulting for an up-and-coming
dot.com in Beijing while perfecting your tai chi forms with a wushu master.
Maybe you’re a post-graduate archaeology student with an urge to dig, or
a statuesque beauty seeking the allure of international fashion runways,
a fluent Spanish translator who wants to run with the bulls, or a wannabe
chef (have knives, will travel).
Whatever your
dream, now may be the time to go for it, but not without first taking a
good, long look at yourself to see if you have what it takes to live and
work abroad.
Making the
decision to relocate to a foreign country is a monumental leap, and having
the 'right stuff' is crucial. Lots of people dream of doing it, but a significant
percentage of them get where they're going and bomb in the first month
or two because they didn't realize their own shortcomings and weren't aware
of the kinds of obstacles and pitfalls that awaited them.
Unless you’re
already a gypsy at heart with a lifestyle to match, the process will undoubtedly
require an enormous expenditure of time, energy, effort and money; not
to mention the fact that your adventure comes with no guarantee. And although
your chosen destination may be a quaint, charming, simple environment,
or it may be one of the safest, most sophisticated nations in the world;
its culture, language and climate may present unforeseen difficulties for
a foreigner in the course of everyday life. |
| Often the
first six to eight months in your new home can be confusing and scary.
You need to think about what it is that you expect from your new home and
whether or not you will be able to achieve those expectations. |
|
|
|
|
.
Therefore,
it is crucial that you take a thorough personal inventory to ensure that
you have what it takes before embarking upon such a daring venture. The
following questionnaire will help you evaluate your assets and attributes
to determine if you are up to the challenge.
Questionnaire:
1. My level
of education is:
a) Post Graduate
Degree and/or TEFL Certificate
b) College
Graduate
c) Some College
d) High School
graduate
2. I have:
a) More than
$5000 in savings
b) $3500-5000
in savings
c) $1000-3500
in savings
d) Less than
$1000 in savings
3. My physical
condition is:
a) Excellent
in both stamina and overall physical health
b) A little
out of shape but basically good
c) Fairly
good but with a few troublesome health conditions
d) Lacking
stamina and in need of regular medical attention
.
| Be sure
to find out what modes of public transportation are available to you in
your new home, as it is very important for you to explore as much as possible
as soon as possible. Exploring will help you learn about languages,
people and customs. (Photo: Madagascar) |
|
|
|
|
4.
I am someone who
a) Can face
any challenge without fear
b) Can get
by on my own in most challenging situations
c) Functions
best with a companion
d) Is easily
frightened by unfamiliar settings or unexpected events
5. I am
a person who
a) Adapts
easily to new situations
b) Enjoys
the unfamiliar, but prefers my routine
c) Avoids
unfamiliar situations whenever possible
d) Must adhere
to a strict and familiar routine
6. When
faced with a challenge
a) I never
give up until I succeed
b) I work
very hard and usually succeed
c) I work
at things that come easily and produce immediate rewards
d) I give
up at the first obstacle
7. When
it comes to solving problems
a) I use my
own resources, logic, intuition and imagination until I find a solution
b) I research
the problem and usually arrive at a solution
c) I seek
the help of others for solutions
d) I’m not
very good at solving problems
8. I’m someone
who
a) Finds lots
in common with strangers and makes friends easily
b) Gets along
well with most everyone but is slow to form friendships
c) Works well
with other people but keep to myself
d) Is shy
or prefers to remain a loner
9. In my
relationship with my family, I am
a) Very independent
b) Closely
connected but not on a daily basis
c) Very closely
connected and rely upon them for support
d) Still living
with my parents and rely on my family for everything
10.Where
food is concerned
a.) I love
to try new foods and will eat most anything
b.) I enjoy
a wide variety of foods and am not too picky
c.) I am very
conservative and stick to the basics
d.) I am on
a strict diet |
.
11. When
I take a trip
a.) I travel
well and enjoy all kinds of transportation
b.) I prefer
comfort and luxury but can tolerate most any type of vehicle
c.) I am a
little claustrophobic and prone to motion sickness
d.) I hate
to travel
12. Where
honesty and integrity are concerned:
a) I uphold
both at all costs
b) I use my
judgment and try to be the best person I can whenever possible
c) I frequently
bend the rules and compromise my integrity
d) I don’t
really have a code of behavior for myself
13. When
I find myself in a less than ideal situation
a) I am always
willing to compromise to make the best of a situation
b) I hold
on to my ideals until I see that a compromise is the only way
c) I find
it hard to compromise and do so reluctantly
d) I do not
compromise under any circumstances
14. When
life becomes difficult
a) I try to
see the humor in it and keep a balanced perspective
b) I try to
solve my problem but not always with the best attitude
c) I sink
into a bad mood for a while but usually manage to overcome the problem
d) I get depressed
and discouraged and usually give up
15. When
I look back on my life experiences
a) I feel
that I have lived a rich and rewarding life so far
b) Whether
good or bad, I learned something from all of them
c) I’ve had
ups and downs but am still basically optimistic
d) Nothing
ever seems to work out for me
To score yourself
to see if you have what it takes to live and work abroad, give yourself
3 points for every a), 2 points for every b), 1 point for every c), and
zero for every d).
Bonus Points:
a) I already
have a job awaiting me in my destination: 10 points
b) I speak
the local language: 10 points
c) I have
relatives or friends living there: 5 points
d) I have
traveled extensively in other foreign countries: 3 points
If you scored:
More than 35
– GO FOR IT! You have what it takes!
25-34 – You
may encounter some difficulty, but you will probably succeed
15-24 – Take
a look at your weak areas and get yourself prepared for the challenge
Less than
15 – Don’t even think about it.
The Basic
Criteria:
At a minimum,
the following fifteen assets and attributes are essential for a successful
and rewarding experience abroad: a college education, adequate finances,
good physical health, courage, adaptability, perseverance, resourcefulness,
congeniality, independence, an adventurous palate, a love of travel, a
code of integrity, a willingness to compromise, a sense of humor and a
genuine desire to live life to its fullest. Each attribute plays a crucial
role in your ability to thrive and succeed in unfamiliar and challenging
surroundings.
.
.
|
Copyright 1996-2003 EscapeArtist Inc. All Rights Reserved