QLD Migration Heritage- Invest and Migrate in Brisbane QLD MIGRATION HERITAGE - Things You Should Know Ab | Page 8

Exchanging your existing life for a brand-new life, in another country, is a really big deal. For many,
moving overseas provides a grand and wonderful adventure while significantly reducing living expenses
and offering an overall improvement in lifestyle. But, there will be challenges along the way and it’s best
to be prepared. Where Should You Go? What Country and What City? Figuring out where to go is the
most important challenge faced by those considering retiring or moving overseas. The list of places is
almost endless. Future expats often spend months and sometimes years researching numbers of
countries, corresponding with expats who have already made the move, subscribing to relevant
publications and blogs, using the Google thing, and perhaps spending thousands of dollars visiting one
or more countries. In the end, however, regardless of the research you have done, the only sure way to
determine if a country is right for you is to actually live there for an extended period of time, beyond a
few months. A two-week visit is nothing more than a vacation and living somewhere, full-time, is much
different from vacationing there. The first thing to recognize is that any choice you make will not be
perfect because nothing is perfect. Second, there is no singular, correct way to become an expat. You
can do it your way. If you move abroad and discover that you aren’t happy, you can move again. Moving
abroad is not necessarily a lifetime commitment. It can be a chapter in your life, if you wish. You may
even elect to become a “half-pat,” spending about half your time in your adopted country. Or you may
decide to try more than one country. Certainly, do all the research you need to do to feel comfortable,
understanding that you cannot possibly know all the answers before you go. Moving overseas is the
perfect example of jumping off a bridge and learning to fly on the way down. The greatest asset you can
have is confidence in yourself, knowing that you will be able to handle whatever challenges you face. In
an ironic twist, it is often in our later years, when change becomes more difficult to accept, that we
decide to move abroad. If you are making the move with a partner, their support is crucial. This isn’t the
time to drag someone along who is pushing back against such an adventure. Regardless of which
country or region of a country you select, you are the key to your success. It is not the country that will
present the challenges; it is your ability to adapt to change that will color your experiences. But then,
after about six months, you may learn that the power goes out when it rains and the internet service is
not always stable. You discover that most of these problems don’t exist in another town, about two
hours away. Maybe that’s the town where you should live. Real estate agents and developers and even
some expat friends will encourage you to buy real estate soon after arriving because, “you know, it’s a
great investment and the price will only go up.” In fact, owning real estate is often a very good