Tips For Moving Abroad: Mistakes To Avoid When Relocating To A New Country (Part one)

Moving to a new country has never been easy. I still remember my struggles the first day I arrived in Finland, especially the circumstances surrounding my missing luggage, missed flight, entering the wrong bus to the train station, entering the wrong train car, and so on. Oh boy! It was a day to remember!

Before we start listing the 10 mistakes, let me quickly point out something important. Apart from moving and arriving in the new country, there are other very essential things to note and take care of. Some of these things are best done way before moving to the new country. And others are things you must do immediately you arrive in the new country.

As an expat living in Finland for several years, I have been documenting my experiences as well as how to make Moving and settling into Finland way easier for new students and foreigners. On my YouTube channel I shared two very significant videos focusing on Things you need to do before, and after you arrive in Finland. Definitely check them out below:

Okay, having gotten that out of the way, here are 5 mistakes to avoid when relocating to any country. And I mean it, ANY COUNTRY. Here we go:

1. Not doing your homework: One of the best things you can do for yourself to help your transition into a new country easier is to learn all you can about the country that is about to become your new home. So definitely do your research. Learn about the weather, people, culture, way of life, food, work life, transport system, medical care, and so on. This way you will have enough information about these areas of life that would definitely affect you one way or the other and prepare yourself accordingly.

For example, get information about the medical care, what is available to you, what you need to pay for, if you need insurance for certain things, etc. And while you are in the learning mood, learn about the Law. You need to know what is legal, what is ‘strangely illegal’ and what would most definitely send you to the prison. I bet you don’t want that. So do your research.

Below is a video I made detailing some of the Things that are Illegal in Finland even if they may be totally acceptable in your own home country. Definitely go watch it.

2. Failing to Prepare Financially: Now this is a common thing amongst newcomers from countries where the money value is way smaller than that of the new country. When saving for the new country and preparing for life in a new place, it is very important to factor in the exchange rate or money value into your savings.

Personally for me, when I was preparing to move to Finland, I was saving according to Euro (Finnish) value not Naira (Nigerian) value. So this would mean saving at least 50% of my salary every month. I really wanted the Masters degree so I knew I’ve got to save for that to happen. In terms of saving for the big move, it is also important to remember that you may not get a job the moment you arrive. So save some money so you don’t get stranded after a couple of months in the new country with no job. But I am rooting for you that you will not stay too long without a job. Good luck!

Nevertheless, keep that at the back of your mind when you are saving, so you don’t run out of money quickly. Preparing yourself financially will give you the peace of mind you need to settle down, observe the new place, and map out your next plan of action. This may definitely take time as you are still trying to get a hang of a new and different culture. So make sure you have your own money.  Oh yes!

3. Going on a Spending spree: Hey, you just arrived in a new country. It is exciting. There is so much to see and taste and explore. Okay. We get it. You get it. Your bank account? Probably not. I know how tempting it could be. Trust me. There are items that whisper your name as they try to tantalize your brain with a million reasons why you should bring out your wallet.

Remember, you are not on a vacation. Put that wallet back. Falling to the temptation of buying every item that calls out to you is not such a good idea especially if you are coming from a country where the monetary value is less. It’s totally okay to go window shopping, but you can do that with eyes closed and music on. :D. Not possible? Okay set a spend limit on your card.

You can easily do this with your bank. If you haven’t opened a bank account yet then you can take a little money with you so you don’t spend more than intended. No you can’t promise that? Okay forget it. Go sit by the lake and enjoy the Finnish nature. Finland is well known for its beautiful nature. I am sure that you will love the experience.

4. Not preparing your mind for New things: One major mistake that many incoming foreigners or students make is that they arrive in a new country  with the expectations that things will be the same as in their own home country. This could be in terms of the job market, making friends, ways of communication, and so on.

The truth remains that no two countries are the exactly the same. They may share a couple of similarities, but there are always some notable differences. To even complicate matters further, you will notice that even the cities within a country are not the same. They differ in numerous ways.

 Below is the link to a Blog post where I shared more about this, using Finnish cities as a case study:

Moving To A New City In Finland; Life Between Two Finnish Cities.

So definitely prepare your mind for new things, challenges and culture shocks. That way you won’t be thrown off guard when they come knocking.

5. Not having a detailed Plan: Okay seriously, I don’t think anyone would shut everything down, say goodbye to family and friends, and travel miles to a new country far away, without a plan. Come on, there is always a plan. But the real question here is this; How detailed is your plan? How much projection into the future did you cover?

And most importantly how relevant is that plan to your life in general? For example, let’s say you are moving to Lapland, the northern part of Finland. I am certain that top on the list would be to visit Santa Claus Village and meet Rudolf the red nose reindeer (pardon me, I love Rudolf). That is totally fine. It is awesome that you are including all the fun things like exploring Lapland, hanging out with new friends, getting a job, and meeting the love of your life. :D.

But, it is very important that you also remember to plan how you would build a career in Finland, or start your own business. These are long term goals and it is good to have those ready so you know right from the start which country to move to and which one to avoid. Seriously, map out your fun goals and serious goals way ahead of time and take the right steps towards finding the perfect country that fits into both categories of your goals.

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