10 Things to Check before Moving to Another Country with the Family

Relocating to another country is a big step for any family. Parents have to consider many concerns such as cost of living, finding a job, scouting for a house, and schools to enroll their kids into. You will need to make major adjustments, no doubt, and here are ten important matters you should take note of prior to moving.

Climate
Are you or your children used to cold weather? There are varying degrees of that – some places never snow but are so cold you’d think it would. There’s a difference between cold and wet and cold and dry (the latter may be freezing but will still allow clothes to dry on a line if it’s not raining or snowing). There are places where temperature variations happen within 15-20 degrees in both directions in a single afternoon. In tropical countries, most people take the weather changes for granted but everywhere else, sudden temperature drops can run the risk of pneumonia on the walk back home. Are your children allergic to pollen? In Japan, pollen allergies are such an issue that many people wear surgical masks in the spring to reduce irritation. Do your research and prepare by getting the right clothes and gear, and know that you will need to buy more stuff once you arrive.

Housekeeping and babysitting
Perhaps one of the biggest things Filipinos take for granted is how easy it is to get people to clean their homes and care for their children back home. Abroad, these services are at a premium and can cost hundreds of dollars, euros or dirhams. Having relatives and good friends you can rely on for these tasks is a godsend, but there will be days when they can’t be there for you. More often than not, you will have to find ways for you and your spouse (and your children if they’re old enough) to help out. However, it sometimes can’t be helped that you’ll need these services so study the family budget carefully to know when you absolutely must hire a babysitter or a cleaning lady.

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Day and night
Filipinos who have never been abroad usually get shocked when they discover that in some areas, the sun sets as late as 9pm in the summer, while other countries see pitch-black nights before 5pm during winter. That’s not even taking into account places like Norway and Finland where day and night cycles occur over month-long stretches. Many of these countries observe Daylight Saving Time to make the most of sunlight and thus save more electricity. Find ways to get you and your family used to these rhythms. At night, keeping your bedrooms as dark as possible will help you get more sleep. Having sunlight enter your room in the morning also makes for a healthier way to wake up, thus regulating your biological clock.  

Medicines and health plans
Are your kids’ vaccines complete? Make sure that they have all their shots long before flying out. Also, knowing the generic names of medicines you and your family use is crucial to travel, e.g., Orahex Antiseptic Mouthwash is very hard to find outside of the Philippines and India and although Benadryl Cough Syrup has three variants in Philippine pharmacies. In the U.K. it has as many as ten different variants (which taste VERY different from the local Benadryl). Get your prescriptions and medications in order. Also, make sure you know how much you are covered, insurance-wise. Some countries have medical assistants whose sole job is to coordinate between health insurance companies and patients, so they know to what extent they will be covered and how much is out of their pockets.

That said, take note that some countries have hospitalization and medical treatment fees that border on the astronomical. This is why Hawaiians visit the Philippines on medical tourism trips – they fly to Manila and get hotel accommodations and have everything done from a tooth extraction to a nose job to a hysterectomy and fly back out, and it all comes out cheaper than if they do it back home.

Essential documents
Renewing your passport won’t be as easy anymore. Neither will getting a new driver’s license. It will be tricky acquiring copies of your birth certificate, your marriage license and other documents. For local documents, it’s important to know which government agencies source these papers and what requirements they have for them. For documents you’ll need from the Philippines, you have to know the process of how to acquire them and how they can be sent over to you. It’s usually best to have copies of all these papers with you and make digital scans of them for future use.

Driver’s licenses are an interesting example of acquiring local documents. Some countries allow visitors to use a driver’s license from their country of origin, but only for a certain period (30 days in most cases). After that, you will definitely need to acquire a local or internationally valid license and you will realize that compared to the driving tests and courses available abroad, the LTO testing requirements are for toddlers.  

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Logistics
Whether Filipinos live in big cities or developing provincial areas, one thing is true – people are used to having things under one roof. Malls dominate the country’s commercial face and everything from clothing to hardware to PC repair can be found in one building, whether it’s Mandaluyong City or Macabebe, Pampanga. Things aren’t so easily available abroad, unless you live at the center of a major city like New York or Tokyo. You may have to drive for half an hour to get your tires replaced and another hour in the other direction to visit the supermarket. Also be aware that the more suburban or rural the setting you’re moving to, the earlier the shops will close  (Australian suburban shops close at 5pm daily and 9pm on Thursdays while Spanish businesses close between 1pm and 3pm for siesta). Get an idea of where everything is with Google Maps. Most First World countries have maps all over the place and they give them away for free.  

Accessibility
This is the partner of logistics – now that you know where everything is, you’ll need to know how to get there. Transportation is a complex thing in other countries. Vietnam and Indonesia have xichlos, tuk-tuks and scooters in abundance while the Dutch and Canadians love bicycles. Train and bus routes have schedules and may require changes in order to get to certain locations but even certain First World areas can be so remote that you can only get there by taxi. Some parts of Houston are so far from the main cities that only people with cars can get around. Knowing these things, as well as how much they cost (a London cab ride can cost you P560 for a six minute ride) is a fundamental element of living in another country.

In addition, some cities are so complex that driving around without a GPS is only recommended for native residents. If you drive, get one, learn how to use it and don’t fight with it if you disagree with where it leads you. Use your common sense with these things, especially if the GPS leads you to cross a river with no bridge (which has been known to happen).
 
Basic laws
Singapore does not allow people to chew gum or spit on the sidewalk. Many First World countries have very, very strict laws about driving, hefty penalties for road violations and unbribable policemen. Primary schools in certain U.S. states will require your child to appear before juvenile court for offenses such as fighting in school and shoplifting. The Middle East has Shari’ah Law that requires headscarves for women and limits the areas non-Muslims can go to. Get a basic understanding for the laws of the country you’re headed to so you and your family can stay out of trouble. You’ll soon discover how much you take the Philippine legal system for granted.

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Local customs and practices
It isn’t just about knowing a few phrases in French or German, it’s also about knowing how things work in a foreign country. The Japanese and Australians will frown on tipping after a meal but in the U.S., it’s almost always required (and it should be 10% of your bill). Most Parisians mock people who speak any language other than French, while the Japanese are courteous to foreigners as long as they don’t attempt to speak in straight Japanese (Nihongo has subtle nuances that differ by age, gender and social class that take years to master). Variances on English also apply, especially in places where they say “lift” instead of “elevator” and WC (water closet) instead of comfort room.  

Knowing how things work also involves figuring out the local tech such as parking meters, train ticket dispensers, supermarket cash registers and (oh the shock!) pumping gas in your own vehicle as many of these services are fully automated. So spend some time to research on how things work and immerse yourselves in the culture as best as you can once you arrive.

Food and local brands
Be prepared to get used to local food. You may be ready to say goodbye to adobo, bagnet and sinigang, but you should also be aware that it can be hard to get Sky Flakes, Choc-Nut and Boy Bawang in certain countries. Although many areas in the U.S. and Canada have Filipino and Asian specialty stores, their prices are more expensive than regular grocery items. It is possible to cook adobo using local ingredients but acquiring pig’s blood for dinuguan in Houston will get you weird looks unless your butcher supplies the Filipino community. Take our advice and learn to eat what everyone else eats. Even the locals of other places excel in certain other cuisines - for example, Chinese and Vietnamese food is very good in Canada while Australia boasts great Thai, Malaysian, Turkish and Lebanese cuisine.

Keep the same attitude when looking for other goods. CDR King doesn’t have branches abroad yet and you will find Colgate and Palmolive products that are only available in the country you’re in. Also be aware that many countries rely heavily on the Metric system so pounds, feet and inches are things you may have to set aside. Most cellphones have converter apps so keep them handy while shopping.

 

Photo by griffhome from flickr creative commons