QLD Migration Heritage- Invest and Migrate in Brisbane QLD MIGRATION HERITAGE - Things You Should Know Ab | Page 4

register your phone number with Twitter, there is the added benefit of receiving Twitter updates
through text messaging, even if you don't have internet access.
2. Dress the part. Before moving to any country, I was given lots of advice on clothing. Some people said
I should only bring high heels and stylish dresses, as Lebanese women are always dressed to the nines.
Others advised buying a whole new wardrobe of baggy, unflattering clothes, since I was moving to the
Middle East. It left me feeling overwhelmed. Ultimately that meant no short skirts, tight tops, tank tops
or low cut shirts. I figured if I couldn’t wear it to the office, I shouldn’t pack it. So far, her advice has been
spot on and I would recommend reaching out to a trusted source that is currently living in your
destination country. For any country you are visiting, the “don’t dress too American” guideline is a good
rule of thumb. The United States tends to have a much more relaxed dress code and what Americans
might think of as appropriate (sweatpants) can often be seen as being under dressed. With all of this
advice, it is important to remember that most items are going to be available in your country of choice
so don’t sweat the small stuff. We live in a globalized world.
3. Visit the doctor. It is important to get all your necessary vaccinations once your plans are finalized.
Some immunizations take awhile to kick in and you want to be 100% covered when you hit the ground.
Although I was lucky to escape the doctor's office with only a few shots, be sure to check the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention website for all mandatory vaccines. Even if your destination does not
require any new vaccines, ask your doctor to fill out an International Certificate of Vaccination or
Prophylaxis booklet. This is an international record of all your immunizations and can come in handy
when applying for a visa. Some countries will not let you visit without one. It can also come in handy in
case of an epidemic — for example, if there's a cholera outbreak and you can show you've been
immunized against it.
4. Research visa requirements. Visa requirements vary widely from country to country but a quick
Google search will usually point you in the right direction. Although you can apply for a visa before
traveling to Lebanon, if you are American the easiest (and cheapest) thing to do is get a one-month
tourist visa at the airport. If you want to stay longer than one month, you can visit the General Security
office in Beirut and apply for a one-month extension.
5. Learn the language It made my first few days much more manageable and I would highly recommend
taking some language classes before moving abroad. Relocating abroad for work can broaden your life
experience and career prospects. It’s common for early career researchers to consider relocation, as it
may offer increased possibilities for academic posts, beyond their home country. Many global
companies, including those in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, oil, gas, engineering and
software fields, also recruit worldwide to find the right candidate. As part of our "Crossing Continent"
series of articles, we’ve come up with a checklist of the top ten things you need to take into account if
you’re currently considering taking up a post abroad.
4.1 Common Struggles of Moving To a Different Country