I still remember the day we arrived in Sydney like it was yesterday. After months of planning our big move overseas, we finally arrived after a 24-hour flight. We did it! We moved to the other side of the world, to a country we never visited before. 

It was scary and exciting at the same time. 

The first weeks living abroad were an emotional roller coaster. We experienced some setbacks and some really high highs. Even though we experienced all these mixed emotions and learned many new things along the way, we had an incredible time.

Today, I want to share some of my personal tips combined with helpful insights from fellow expats. These tips will make your first weeks living abroad a time to remember and help you prepare for your new life abroad. Are you ready?

Prepare yourself, emotionally

Moving to another country is exciting and overwhelming. A new culture, different language, other food options, different customs – a lot will come your way in those first weeks.

But don’t worry, you can prepare yourself for all of it!

• Mentally prepare yourself for ups and downs – Although the first few weeks can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, embrace change, good and bad. Cherish everything as a learning experience. Yes, you might one day be terribly homesick, and other days you might feel guilty for not feeling homesick at all – but hey, that’s ok!
• Communicate – Acknowledge your feelings and be honest with yourself. Talk with yourself, set small goals, keep a diary, whatever works for you. If you are in a relationship, make sure to check in with each other regularly. Talk about each others’ experiences, feelings, and maybe even doubts or uncertainties. Communication is crucial and will help you tremendously, especially when you experience setbacks.
• Get out of your comfort zone – Get ready to say “yes” to the unknown or the less comfortable. Eat that odd-looking local dish, go to a cafe by yourself, meet new people, and embrace the differences and adjustments you might have to make. With the right mindset, you’ll very quickly adjust to your new life. Trust me; you’ll enjoy it!

Get ready for a lot of paperwork.

Once you’ve arrived, you’ll need to focus on getting all your paperwork and life admin sorted.

Apart from finalizing your visa documents, you’ll need to organize other things like opening a bank account, applying for a tax/ID number, and getting a local phone number. 

These tasks can be tedious and take up a lot of time. Here I’ve shared my top 3 tips. If you want to know more about organizing and managing your life admin, check out the “Managing personal admin when living abroad” article. 

• Know what paperwork is required: The right preparation is key, so make sure you do your research and find out what kind of documentation, signatures, and stamps are required for you to get the necessary paperwork and approvals. 
• Have copies of the most important personal documents: Make sure to have off- and online copies of your most important documents, like your passport, birth and marriage certificates, and your academic records. A set of new passport photos is also helpful – make sure you have them taken in the right format, as photo formats can vary per institute (check out this nifty site to help you create the right passport and visa photos). 
• Be patient: Even if you have everything prepared, you might still be asked to organize additional documents. Sometimes you’ll have to go back two or three times to sort out everything. That’s bureaucracy for you! Be patient; you’ll get there in the end!

Settling in

When moving abroad, you want to feel at home as quickly as possible. Feeling at home in a new country can take time – but there are things you can do that will help you settle in no time.

• Tour the city – There is nothing better than to start your adventure by fully immersing yourself in the city. Visit the major tourist sites, drink coffee in a local coffee house, wander around, and get lost. 
• Become a local – Once you have all your tourist-jiggles out, it is time to start behaving like a local. Observe the local routines and lifestyles. Familiarize yourself with the local shops, eat where the locals eat, and visit the places locals go. One thing we really love doing is going to a popular sports event. It immediately gives you a great sense of the local passions and gives you something to talk about at an interview or your first day at work. 
• Make your home a home – Make an effort to make it feel like your home, whether you live in a furnished apartment or not. Add small personal touches, like pictures, candles, and other unique objects. This way, you can quickly make any place feel like home. 

So there you have it, nine tips for your first weeks living abroad. Whether your first weeks will be a breeze or an emotional rollercoaster, it doesn’t matter – because you will gain a fantastic life experience regardless. Embrace the new, the change, the uncertainty. These unique experiences (good and bad) will be experiences you’ll cherish many years from now. So, don’t worry too much about your first weeks living abroad. Take it day by day and enjoy it as much as you can!

Are you planning a move abroad? Pick up a copy of the Let’s Move Abroad book.