Tips for an Oversease Move
By Diane Schmidt, About.com Guide
I recently received an email from a reader whose family is moving overseas. She was concerned with the adjustment and how to cope with leaving her friends, teachers and other family members so far behind. She also said that there are very few online resources to help kids and teens when they're moving to another country. From my own experience and compiled from other people I know, I've come up with some tips and suggestions to help you through the move. This is good for parents to read, too.
First, take a look at the article: How to Cope with a Move - Tips for Teens. You'll find some suggestions on how to deal with the stress of moving. These tips apply to anyone who is moving regardless of location.
Moving overseas has its own particular issues and requires some different coping strategies. It's going to be harder to visit friends, plus you may be moving to a country whose residents don't speak the same language and whose culture you don't share. Nevertheless, there are ways you can prepare for these changes before you leave:
Sign up for a language course. Most community centers have courses that you can take after school. It's a great way to learn some basics before you move and to meet new people with similar interests.
Buy a phrasebook. Travel stores, bookstores and your local library will have phrase books that you can purchase or borrow. Find out how to say common phrases and to get a start on how the language looks and pronunciation tips. Often, phrase books will also talk about the culture and what to expect when you arrive.
Research the country. Go online and check out some travel sites about the country you're moving to. Try to think like a tourist. Make a list of the things you'd like to see and do. Maybe you're into museums or galleries or you want to know where the libraries are or the closest skate park. Doing some research will help you map out where things are and what you can do on the weekends. If you need detailed information that you can't find online, buy a guidebook from your local bookstore or travel shop. Guidebooks are a great way to find out about the local culture and sites you might want to see.
Try some local food. Whenever I'm moving to another country, I always try to find some local food at home first. Most large cities offer great ethnic cuisine no matter which country you're moving to. Search online for a local restaurant then take your family and friends out for a night to check out the new fare.
Find a way to stay in touch. There's always Facebook, but blogs are also a great way to stay in touch with family and friends back home. Plus, by writing about your new experience you may just discover the excitement and the great opportunities available in your new host country. You can even start the blog before you move to have an outlet for how you're feeling.
Source: http://moving.about.com/od/internationalmoves/a/overseas_child.htm
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