Are You Ready to Live in a Foreign Country? (Part 2)
Are You Ready to Live in a Foreign Country? (Part 2).
The prospect of moving overseas to a foreign country can be a very exciting one. All the new changes in daily life, brought on by a relocation to a foreign country, can be so exhilarating that we form what I call “Adventure Eyes.” This is where we stay focused on all the new stimulating changes and how great our new life will be once we move. It’s a completely natural reaction to such an exciting opportunity.
But before you start asking questions about which country might be the best for you, what kind of home you will own, and how much time you will spend golfing, fishing, reading, hiking, or relaxing on the beach, start by asking yourself questions to determine if you are, in fact, ready to live abroad. Taking time to consider how you will adapt to new challenges and a new landscape is really the first step in the moving process and will provide a quick handle on how easy the process will be.
Are You a Self-Starter Who Does Not Wait to Get Things Done?
This is a big one and may seem like a contradiction to the question preceding it. The first step is simply moving to and living in a foreign country. This is a major decision and a detail-oriented, lengthy process. If you are someone that constantly puts off making big decisions and following through on your plans, living abroad may not be for you. To make the big move to another country, one should be proactive throughout the entire process. Making a move to another country and being happy starts with you: Knowing what you want and following through to make sure things get done to get you to your new home.
Once you are there, getting things done will remain a challenge. Pushing things forward, like getting a hot water heater repaired, will be a lesson in patience. There’s a great saying about life in the region for expats, “If you come with no patience, you’ll learn it. If you come with patience, you’ll lose it.”
Yes, all parts of life (except driving in a traffic circle) move at a slower pace. But getting things done is important, especially after the 3rd morning of a very cold shower. The secret, well one of them anyways, to moving, living, and investing overseas is to learn “acceptance without acquiescence.” This is a razor’s edge of difference, an extremely subtle nuance, but one that makes all the difference in the world.
Are You Willing to Learn the Basic Phrases of a New Language?
Even though many of your friends and contacts overseas may speak English, most of the population may not. It is important to realize that you are entering into a new community, someone else’s country; and, no matter how many of your friends speak English, you’ll want and need to make an effort to connect with the local community. This includes learning some simple phrases of the native language. Don’t worry if you think you sound like an idiot…you do. That said, just know that people will sincerely appreciate your effort as much as anything. A smile, too, is perhaps the world’s best translator, so keep it handy and use it often.
Helpful phrases that allow you to order at a restaurant, buy groceries, and ask for or give directions should be the minimum requirement. Or, you could also take it as an opportunity to become fluent in another language. Either way, most locals are appreciative if you at least make the effort to communicate in the local language.
For a funny video of Amanda getting one over on her dad, click the link below. Amanda was on a panel at the Live and Invest Overseas Conference in Nashville a few years back, with a couple hundred people in the audience. Her comment in the video below was retribution for me “making her” sit on a panel of expats and tell her story. The audience got a good laugh at it, and so did I. I also received a new name tag at the conference and have been called “Señor Si” by several since then. Ahhhh, kids. They certainly keep us humble for sure.
Final question for the panel:
“What is the one thing you should do when you move overseas?”
Click Here to See Amanda Make Fun of Her Dad
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Amanda and Señor Si
Do You Make New Friends Easily?
The community of people that you will encounter abroad is equally, if not more, important than your climate and surroundings. Simply put, the people make the place, and it’s the peer relationships that create meaning in life. How will you tie in?
Rotary membership in Panama, a great way to connect with new friends.
Therefore, it is important to determine if you are the type of person who makes friends easily, or if you prefer to keep a small set of close friends that rarely changes. People are the community, and how easily you fit into new places and meet new people is a very important factor in how satisfied and happy you will be in a new country.
Are You an Optimistic/Glass-Half-Full Kind of Person?
Having a positive outlook on life is very important when undergoing major changes, whether moving someplace new, starting a new job, or maybe even picking up a new hobby. The point is, whenever starting something new, having a positive outlook and fundamentally believing that change is good will only help to overcome later challenges down the road.
Stuck in traffic. But, hey, there are always fresh organic cashews for pennies.
When moving to a foreign country, the type of change and the pace of change increases dramatically. You will likely encounter dozens of major changes in the first few weeks. If you fundamentally believe that change is good, fun, and an adventure, adapting to a new lifestyle will be much easier.
Are You Financially Secure Enough that You Do Not Need to Work?
When moving to a foreign country, it is important to be completely honest with yourself regarding your finances. Affordability is one of the biggest reasons people move to foreign countries to retire, but you will not enjoy your time spent abroad if you are constantly concerned about money.
Note, in most countries a retirement or “pensionado” visa does not entitle you to work. If you move abroad and must work to sustain your lifestyle, consider the type of work and income it can produce. Generally, it is forbidden to take a job that a local can perform. On the other hand, “consulting” back home via internet, phone, and a few trips is okay; so is starting a business that hires locals. But these require pre-planning before you arrive, and details should be worked out before you move.
Are You Open to New Adventures and New Activities?
Part of the fun of living in a foreign country is embracing the new culture, activities, and relationships you’ll discover in that country. Once you arrive in a foreign country, look for the many new things to try and opportunities to explore. Seek out the odd, different, and strange…and embrace them. Try new foods, meet new people, and go find that butterfly farm in the mountains at the end of a long dirt road. There’s a new world waiting to be explored.
Getting stuck, just another part of the adventure on the way to the Butterfly Farm.
Was this guy the poster child for the 1960s?
At first, all of these are easy because everything is an adventure. Then, unfortunately, the honeymoon can wear off, and the exact same things you initially found cute, charming, adorable, and funny, can become annoying, bothersome, inefficient, and stupid.
When this happens, please understand that the only thing that changed was between your ears. Externally, in reality, nothing changed at all. Only your perception of it, how you view it, and how you judge it has been altered. The solution is to maintain a spirit of adventure, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to wonder. This alone will keep you in the best frame of mind to enjoy the experience and new home that you’ve chosen.
If you are the type of person that likes to stick to what you already know and do what you already do regularly, or are someone that slips into negativity easily, you may be squandering the vast, wonderful, and exciting opportunities offered to you by your new home overseas. Using “Adventure Eyes” to engage in all the varied experiences that exist in your new home is a sure-fire way to make the most out of your time living in a foreign country.
Now What?
After you have taken the quiz, think about your answers. What answer did you give most often: Yes or No? If most of your answers were yes, then you are clearly in a position to highly consider moving abroad. If they were emphatically yes, then what the heck are you still doing here? Move already! If you were on the fence for most of the questions, or answered yes with reservations (or answered mostly no), then perhaps moving abroad is not for you – or at least it would be wise to dig a little deeper and know why you want to move and if the challenges of change are worth it for you.
The purpose of this quiz is to ask yourself these questions before you start looking at the beaches, the beautiful affordable houses, and the golf courses that might turn your head before you have thoroughly thought through whether you are ready to live in a foreign country. These questions are the essence of how well you will cope with the exciting new challenges of life abroad. Being honest with yourself about whether or not you are ready to live in a foreign country is the first step on your way to a new life overseas.
Here is probably the most extensive ebook on Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Eliminating Your Taxes, Protecting Your Assets And Regaining Privacy Over Your Life And Investments. It is called The Ultimate Guide To Going Offshore.
Here are a few additional articles that I know you’ll love!
The 3 Things You Need to Know When Retiring Abroad
Invest like a Billionaire Without Being One
Michael K. Cobb is the CEO and co-founder of ECI Developments which has properties throughout Latin America. He speaks all over the world on international real estate and is a board member of the National Association of Realtors.
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