‘What I wish I’d known before I moved abroad’

Moving is never easy but upping sticks for a new life abroad is even tougher. The Local caught up with two expats to find out about what they wish they’d known before the big move.

Published: Mon 1 Oct 2018 15:41 CEST
‘What I wish I’d known before I moved abroad’
Photo: Jax Jacobsen

American journalist Jax Jacobsen is used to moving around. The New Yorker has previously lived in Montreal, Washington DC and London. But nothing could have prepared her for the relatively short move across the British channel to France and, in particular, the vagaries of the French housing market.

“As a freelance journalist, I’m used to moving and I have never had any problems. You check the classifieds and typically get some viewings quite quickly. France is a bit different as people tend to stay put. It was a bit of a shock to the system as was being told we had to pay two months’ rent up front,” she says.

Be assertive in getting what you want

After spending two weeks on the telephone chasing real estate agents who weren’t returning her calls, Jax, her partner and their one-year-old son were left living in an Airbnb. That was until she decided to take the direct approach with a property firm.

“I barged in and in my best French demanded to know why they weren’t answering my calls. We immediately were taken to see an apartment,” says the journalist.

Jax adds, “It is good to be polite but you need to be assertive. It worked out great as we got the apartment and that is where we live now.”

Barging into a real estate office isn’t for everyone though, especially if you can’t speak the local language. Fortunately, international moving service Crown Relocations offers a dedicated home search service to help you get your foot in the door at your new destination.

With offices in over 200 locations around the world, including Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Norway, Crown will be there for you on packing day all the way through to when it’s time to settle in to your new home. Or if like Jax you find yourself struggling to find the right home on arrival,  they can also store your items until you do.

Find out more about the services provided by Crown Relocations

Now firmly established in the Paris area, Jacobsen’s move has paid off but she has some words of advice for anyone following a similar path.

“Do your research and talk to people who have also made the move. It’s useful to know practical things like how much money you need for a deposit.”

Joining a Facebook group for expats in your destination country is a good place to start your research. Often the members are very active and willing to help each other out, so pose a question and wait for the replies to roll in.

‘Know what you’re getting yourself into’

Brit Simon Woodsell followed his heart and moved from England to Sweden with his Swedish partner in 2014.

“We visited my partner’s family in 2014 and pretty much, on a whim, decided to move to Sweden. We didn’t have any jobs lined up and only a few thousand pounds in savings,” recalls Woodsell.

Photo: Simon Woodsell and his family.

After moving in with his partner’s family while they searched for a place of their own, Woodsell had to brace himself for a battle with Sweden’s famously efficient but bureaucratic public services, namely the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), in order to secure the all- important Swedish personal number.

“It took me six months as the Tax Agency initially said I didn’t have means to support myself. Without a personal number, you can’t do anything in Sweden but I got there eventually,” he says.

Having previously worked as a buyer in the UK, Woodsell was unemployed for his first nine months in Sweden. He used this time to learn Swedish and was able to network himself into a part-time job with a local brewery and as a teaching assistant in Västervik, southern Sweden. He has since returned to work as a senior buyer for a major international firm.

Four years on from the big move, Woodsell is settled in Sweden with his partner and their two young daughters. He admits though that he could have prepared better for the move, and being a so-called ‘love refugee’ brings with it a new set of challenges.

Woodsell concludes, “I did a bit of research before the move but I wish that I had done more in advance. You should make sure that you know what you are getting yourself into but I definitely have no regrets about making the move.”

Crown can manage the entire moving process allowing more time for you to prepare yourself and your family for the changes ahead.

Planning an international move? Find out more about how Crown Relocations can help here.

This article was produced by The Local Creative Studio and sponsored by Crown Relocations

 

 


 

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