Living abroad can be difficult, especially for expatriates who need to learn a new language. Over 25% of Britons living overseas have few or no friends other than other British expats, according to a survey from relocation company Robinsons.
“I remember not being able to sleep well for days when I arrived in the West Indies. It was not the suffocating heat but the unexpected and scary sight of lizards chasing fireflies across the bedroom ceiling. I was also kept awake by thinking about the tarantula I saw scurrying over the garage floor before I came to bed and there was the incessant noise of frogs, cicadas and packs of barking stray dogs chasing bitches on heat. No guide book had prepared me for that.” Murray Watson reckons that no matter how much research they do, prospective expats are always going to be surprised by something in their new home…
Are you seriously thinking about a permanent move to an exotic location? BBC2 is making a new series about Brits planning to relocate to places like the Caribbean, the Seychelles, South and Central America or other ‘paradise’ destinations. They’d like you to be part of it.
“Relocating is always a tough task and settling in to a new culture/environment can be extremely problematic. No matter how many expert guides you read, the fact is that there is nobody better qualified to give you advice than somebody who’s had to do it themselves!” Jamie Waddell has compiled a list of useful hints to smooth the path for new expat arrivals.
“Off we went, and in the first week of November we arrived in Malta to our little two-bedroom temporary apartment. Everything was easy, plain sailing – apart from…The Bank Account!” Talmaone and her husband make the move – though not without the odd bureaucratic hiccup after their arrival…
How to cope with a life-changing move of going overseas.