8 Lessons I've Learned After Quitting My Full-Time Job Twice to Move Abroad

Are you planning to move abroad and wonder: “What do I need to get ready before leaving?”

Whether you’re moving to another country permanently or planning to travel the world, here, you will find some useful tips I came up with after a couple of experiences where I left everything to transfer to another country.

1. Money Is Never Enough.

Both times I left my full-time job to move abroad, I had some money to use in emergencies. Lucky me, I had those savings when I crushed my phone on a sidewalk in New Orleans!

I thought that my new job would have helped me cover rent, food expenses, and even allowed me to travel around. Silly me! As my paycheck depended on the number of hours worked, and I was doing less hour than expected, my income was way lower than what I needed.

Before leaving, make sure you have the money necessary to cover at least two months without income. You won’t worry about food and rent in case you lose the job suddenly.

2. Get Yourself a Private Health Insurance

A friend of mine moved to the U.S. and didn’t make health insurance because it was expensive. After some time, he ended up in the hospital with no money to cover his bills. His employer paid his hospital expenses and saved him from some real trouble.

Every country has its health system rules, and you have to be aware of the agreement between your state of origin and the one where you are moving or traveling.

Who will cover your clinic bills if you end up hospitalized? As much as health insurance can seem very expensive, it can save your life! Make sure it covers dental surgery, too, just in case.

3. Don’t Look for Permanent Work if You Are Planning to Travel.

Working abroad can be great for meeting new people and earn some extra cash, but it might interfere with your travel plans.

Seasonal jobs usually imply that workers are willing to do extra shifts to make as much money as possible in a short time. This might means your employer will ask you to work more hours than expected, and you’ll end up spending your only day free doing the laundry.

When I left to visit the U.K., I’ve decided to opt for a volunteering experience with flexibles hours of working and the chance to take as much time off as I wanted.

Getting a job might keep you stuck in the same place for months, be aware of that if you’re planning to travel often changing location.

4. Make Friends With Locals.

No matter how long you’re going to stay in a place, try to make friends with locals should be one of your top priorities.

Knowing people who have been living in the same place for years has many benefits:

• locals can show you hidden gems of the city you’re staying;
• they can point you to cheap restaurants;
• they can help you in case of need.

5. Stay in Hostels When Looking for a Flat

Moving for good requires a proper home, and it can be chosen only by looking at some pictures on the computer.

While looking for a new home, you can stay in hostels for cheap.

Hostels aren’t only for broken teenagers; some offer high-standard rooms and extra comforts on request.

Staying in a shared bedroom for a few nights will give you the time you need to decide without worrying about spending a lot of money for a temporary stay.

6. Get for the Right Visa and Be Aware of Its Limits.

Every country has its rules about visas. Some permits need to be ready before the travel starts and have limitations.

Entry a country like the United States with an Esta or a tourist visa and start looking for a job is against the rules. You can get in serious trouble with the law.

Ask a travel agency or the embassy about the right visa based on what you plan to do abroad.

7. Learn the Local Language and Traditions

It’s not a must but will help you understand locals, ask for directions, and don’t look bad.

I survived my solo trip to Prague, not knowing a Czech word, and my English was way worse than now.

A common mistake English speaker tourists often make is to take for granted everybody can speak their language no matter where they are in the world.

In Italy, you will hardly find someone who can speak English fluently, and bilingual street signs are available only in the main cities in Italy.

Traditions are also essential in some cultures. Respect the local traditions, and take part in it if invited.

8. Have a Plan B

Sometimes, no matter how hard and well you are prepared to move abroad, things can go wrong, and you need to have a reliable plan B.

Suppose you’re seriously planning to live in another country and not only take a gap year. In that case, you should consider having someone who can back you up in the destination country.

My plan B has always been to keep enough money to buy a return ticket, so I did.

Twice I left my adventure abroad because it turned out to be not what I thought despite my hard work planning everything.

I don’t see it as a failure but as a great experience to share with others.