What it Takes to Live
and Work Abroad
A Comprehensive
Questionnaire
By Celeste Heiter
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A street scene
in Europe. |
Are you tired of the status quo? Bored
with the daily grind? Sick of the rat race? Fed up with your national politics? Seek a better or more interesting life for yourself or your kids?
Do you picture yourself breaking free
of earth’s gravity for a while, and soaring off to
live and work in some far-flung destination, perhaps for
a year, or even for good?
Maybe you imagine yourself teaching
English in Bangkok by day, enjoying the sizzle of the city
by night, and basking in the laid-back beach scene on the
weekends. Or perhaps you’re an IT expert who dreams
of consulting for an up-and-coming dot.com in Beijing while
perfecting your tai chi forms with a wushu master.
Maybe you’re a post-graduate archaeology student with
an urge to dig, or a statuesque beauty seeking the allure
of international fashion runways, a fluent Spanish translator
who wants to run with the bulls, or a wannabe chef (have
knives, will travel).
Whatever your dream, now may be the
time to go for it, but not without first taking a good,
long look at yourself to see if you have what it takes to
live and work abroad.
Making the decision to relocate to
a foreign country is a monumental leap, and having the "right
stuff" is crucial. Lots of people dream of doing it, but
a significant percentage of them get where they're going
and hit a wall in the first month or two because they didn't realize
their own shortcomings and weren't aware of the kinds of
obstacles and pitfalls that awaited them.
Unless you’re already a gypsy
at heart with a lifestyle to match, which is more and more common, the process will undoubtedly
require an enormous expenditure of time, energy, effort,
and money; not to mention the fact that your adventure comes
with no guarantee. And although your chosen destination
may be a quaint, charming, simple environment, or it may
be one of the safest, most sophisticated nations in the
world; its culture, language, and climate may present unforeseen
difficulties for a foreigner in the course of everyday life.
So it is crucial that you make an honest and thorough personal evaluation to ensure that you have what
it takes before embarking upon such a daring venture. The
following questionnaire will help you evaluate your assets
and attributes to determine if you are up to meeting the challenge successfully.
Living and Working Abroad
Questionnaire
1. My
level of education is:
- Post Graduate Degree and/or
TEFL Certificate
- College Graduate
- Some College
- High School graduate
2. I
have:
- More than $5000 in savings
- $3500-5000 in savings
- $1000-3500 in savings
- Less than $1000 in savings
3. My
physical condition is:
- Excellent in both stamina
and overall physical health
- A little out of shape
but basically good
- Fairly good but with a
few troublesome health conditions
- Lacking stamina and in
need of regular medical attention
4. I
am someone who
- Can face any challenge
without fear
- Can get by on my own in
most challenging situations
- Functions best with a
companion
- Is easily frightened by
unfamiliar settings or unexpected events
5. I
am a person who
- Adapts easily to new situations
- Enjoys the unfamiliar,
but prefers my routine
- Avoids unfamiliar situations
whenever possible
- Must adhere to a strict
and familiar routine
6. When
faced with a challenge
- I never give up until
I succeed
- I work very hard and usually
succeed
- I work at things that
come easily and produce immediate rewards
- I give up at the first
obstacle
7. When
it comes to solving problems
- I use my own resources,
logic, intuition and imagination until I find
a solution
- I research the problem
and usually arrive at a solution
- I seek the help of others
for solutions
- I’m not very good
at solving problems
8. I’m
someone who
- Finds lots in common with
strangers and makes friends easily
- Gets along well with most
everyone but is slow to form friendships
- Works well with other
people but keep to myself
- Is shy or prefers to remain
a loner
9. In
my relationship with my family, I am
- Very independent
- Closely connected but
not on a daily basis
- Very closely connected
and rely upon them for support
- Still living with my parents
and rely on my family for everything
10. Where
food is concerned
- I love to try new foods
and will eat most anything
- I enjoy a wide variety
of foods and am not too picky
- I am very conservative
and stick to the basics
- I am on a strict diet
11. When
I take a trip
- I travel well and enjoy
all kinds of transportation
- I prefer comfort and luxury
but can tolerate most any type of vehicle
- I am a little claustrophobic
and prone to motion sickness
- I hate to travel
12. Where
honesty and integrity are concerned:
- I uphold both at all costs
- I use my judgment and
try to be the best person I can whenever possible
- I frequently bend the
rules and compromise my integrity
- I don’t really have
a code of behavior for myself
13. When
I find myself in a less than ideal situation
- I am always willing to
compromise to make the best of a situation
- I hold on to my ideals
until I see that a compromise is the only way
- I find it hard to compromise
and do so reluctantly
- I do not compromise under
any circumstances
14. When
life becomes difficult
- I try to see the humor
in it and keep a balanced perspective
- I try to solve my problem
but not always with the best attitude
- I sink into a bad mood
for a while but usually manage to overcome the
problem
- I get depressed and discouraged
and usually give up
15. When
I look back on my life experiences
- I feel that I have lived
a rich and rewarding life so far
Whether good or bad,
I learned something from all of them
- I’ve had ups and
downs but am still basically optimistic
- Nothing ever seems to
work out for me
To score yourself to see if
you have what it takes to live and work abroad,
give yourself:
3 points
for every a,
2 points for every b,
1 point for every c,
0 for every d.
Bonus Points:
- I already have a job awaiting
me in my destination: 10 points
- I speak the local language:
10 points
- I have relatives or friends
living there: 5 points
- I have traveled extensively
in other foreign countries: 3 points
If you scored:
More than 35 — GO
FOR IT! You have what it takes!
25-34 — You
may encounter some difficulty, but you will
probably succeed
15-24 — Take
a look at your weak areas and get yourself prepared
for the challenge
Less than 15 — Don’t
even think about it
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15 Key Criteria to Successfully
Live and Work Abroad
At a minimum, the following 15
assets and attributes are essential for a successful and
rewarding experience abroad: a college education, adequate
finances, good physical health, courage, adaptability, perseverance,
resourcefulness, congeniality, independence, an adventurous
palate, a love of travel, a code of integrity, a willingness
to compromise, a sense of humor and a genuine desire to
live life to its fullest. Each attribute plays a crucial
role in your ability to thrive and succeed in unfamiliar
and challenging surroundings.
- College
Education. Although it is possible to find
employment abroad without a college degree, your probabilities
increase exponentially if you have one. A degree of
any kind is better than none at all, and for teaching
English, the best credential is a BA or better in
English with an ESL certificate. Many employers specifically
require that a job candidate meet certain criteria,
and those employers who do not insist upon it are
still more likely to hire those individuals who do.
Of course, many individuals without college degrees
earn a perfectly good living as freelancers, but they
are the exception to the rule, and they typically
have some other means of staying in the country, such
as a spouse with a work visa. In general, however,
freelancing may not meet the country’s government
standards for procuring and maintaining a work visa.
The bottom line is: If you want to get hired by a
reputable establishment, stay in school yourself and
get your diploma before you head off on your adventure.
- Adequate
Finances. For some adventuresome spirits,
the idea of relocating to an underdeveloped nation
is a tempting way to escape the struggles of making
ends meet here at home. A place where a month’s
rent for a house with a servant costs less than dinner
and a movie in the U.S. But remember that underdeveloped
economies are commensurate with underdeveloped salaries.
So it’s important to set aside some financial
reserves for extracurricular travel, or for when your
paycheck falls short of your monthly bills, and for
your return airfare when you’re ready to head
home.
And for those sojourners headed for cosmopolitan destinations,
remember that the cost of living in a large city can
be equal to or higher than that of most U.S. cities.
So, if your dream job awaits you in someplace like Tokyo,
Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin, Florence, Cairo, Hong
Kong, or Sydney, you’ll need to bring along enough
money to sustain yourself until you find work, and to
set yourself up in a modest apartment until the paychecks
start rolling in.
Of course, in a perfect world, you’d have a job,
an apartment, and a company car awaiting you when you
get there. Actually, it’s not unheard of.
- Good
Health and Stamina. Unless your job includes
a company car, you will probably have to rely on public
transportation for the daily task of looking for work
and for traveling from home to your new job and back.
This often requires a great deal of walking to and
from the train stations or bus stops in all kinds
of weather. Many countries are hot, humid and rainy
in the summer, and depending on where you are, it
is cold and may even snow in the winter. So, unless
you have a generous salary for an apartment in an
ideal location, an expense account for taxi fare
or the use of a personal car, you’d best be
in good physical shape for walking or bicycling at
least part of the way wherever you go. Bicycles are
usually quite common and affordable, and provide good
basic transportation for errands and commuting to
and from the train station. Therefore, the ability
to walk or bicycle to and from your local destinations
is a minimum requirement. And, of course, if you hope
to enjoy any amount of recreational travel, good physical
stamina and vigor are a must.
Many countries also have excellent health care systems,
with fairly adequate social and cultural support for
foreigners. Be advised, however, when it comes to health,
the local ideology may differ significantly from western
medical practices, and the challenge of explaining one’s
symptoms and figuring out exactly what ailment you have
and what kind of drugs a doctor has prescribed can be
somewhat bewildering. There are often a limited number
of clinics in the metropolitan areas with native English-speaking
doctors who specialize in treating foreigners, but they
are few and far between. And those individuals with ongoing
health conditions that require medications such as insulin,
thyroid supplements, antidepressants, and even women
who take oral contraceptives, would be well advised to
make special arrangements for them in advance.
- Courage. Your
chosen destination may be one of the safest and most
culturally advanced civilizations on earth, and English
speakers may be common. Or it may be a quaint little
town where everybody knows each other. But for a first-time
visitor, any foreign destination may also be like nothing
you ever imagined. Even the most innocuous and commonplace
occurrences can be profoundly disturbing if you’re
unprepared for the experience.
- Adaptability. Most
countries have unique lifestyles and customs. And undoubtedly,
you will want to familiarize yourself with them before
you go. But it doesn’t end there. Once you arrive,
you will discover that there are subtleties and protocol
that will make it not only possible but highly likely
that an unwitting foreigner will commit a faux pas at
almost every turn. Over time, however, with an eye for
nuance and an ability to adapt, you can learn how to
behave appropriately in most every situation.
And then there are the furnishings and paraphernalia
of everyday life. Things like bedding, appliances, and
cooking utensils. In public places, there may be unusual
telephones, mailboxes, and vending machines. Not to mention
that most of the signs will be written in the local language
with no English translations.
But, if you maintain an open mind and a willingness to
adapt to your surroundings, chances are you’ll
survive quite nicely.
- Perseverance. After
a long day of trudging from interview to interview, and
looking at one apartment after another, you may find
yourself flagging, if not ready to turn tail and flee
back to the comfort and familiarity of home. Here is
where perseverance pays off and is perhaps the most important
element of your quest. In order to succeed, it is imperative
that you do your research, talk to the locals, make your
phone calls, buy your newspapers, and follow every
single lead, no matter how remote or how small. Do
this every day, without fail. Keep detailed notes, make
yourself a list of all the possibilities you discovered
throughout the day: every job opportunity, every agency,
every reference, and every available apartment. At the
end of each day, take some quiet time to relax and develop
a game plan for how you’re going to follow up on
them all tomorrow. And then get up the next day and do
it all over again until you succeed.
- Resourcefulness. Finding
a job and a place to live in a foreign country requires
a well-rounded repertoire of resources. This may include
the prospects you turned up in your research before you
left home, as well as any opportunities you may have
discovered once you arrive. The best resources are personal
contacts and references, guidebooks, newspapers, local
residents, and especially the Internet. The secret lies
in how fully you explore and utilize those resources.
Therefore, it is essential that you do your homework,
keep very thorough and organized notes, follow up on
every lead, and don’t overlook any possibility.
- Congeniality. The
best way to thrive in a foreign destination is to develop
a strong network of friends and acquaintances. Not only
will they provide you with companionship, but also with
information on the city and the culture, valuable survival
tips, and emotional support through difficult times.
And the friendships you form on your travels will last
you a lifetime.
- Independence. There’s
nothing more reassuring than the comfort and support
of a close-knit family. But once you’re at large
in the world, you’ll need to become more self-reliant.
You’ll need to be able to make your own decisions
without seeking the advice of your parents or siblings,
you’ll need to learn to solve your own problems,
and you’ll have to get used to taking care of life’s
basic necessities on your own.
- An Adventurous
Palate. Chances are that once you leave the
cocoon of comfort that is the U.S., you’re not
very likely to find Skippy Peanut Butter, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
or Campbell’s Tomato Soup. What you will find
is lots of new and unusual spices, noodles prepared
a thousand different ways, and strange sea creatures
you’ve never even heard of, much less imagined
yourself eating. But be intrepid. Take the plunge.
Try everything…at least once. And remember
that every culture has its own version of “bland” food.
- A Love
of Travel. Unless you’ve chosen Canada
or Mexico, chances are you’re going to have
to fly to your destination on a commercial airline.
And unless you’ve chosen a major international
city, you’ll probably have to take some kind
of secondary transportation to get where you’re
going, such as a smaller domestic airline, a transit
train, a shuttle, a ferry, a bus, or a private car.
The trip may take more than a day to go from your
home to your destination. It may require extensive
layovers and involve transit lines that do not intersect.
So you may have to be prepared to arrive jet-lagged
and exhausted.
And depending on where you choose to live, once you’ve
settled into your new surroundings, any recreational
trips you take to local destinations may require travel
on aging vehicles that may be less than punctual, routinely
overcrowded, and some may even allow domestic animals
to ride in the passenger area.
Remember, you have to endure the trip to get to the destination.
- Integrity. One
of the most important characteristics of living abroad
is integrity. Qualities such as a strong work ethic,
pride in workmanship, and team effort are imperative.
And on a personal level, in everyday life, honor and
integrity are the gold standard. Therefore, it is recommended
that you conduct yourself with the highest code of behavior
and ethics at all times. It will serve you well and keep
you out of trouble.
- Willingness
To Compromise. While you’re planning
your move, it’s easy to dream in Technicolor:
the perfect job, the perfect apartment, the perfect
experience. Yet, no matter how carefully you plan
and prepare, there will always be those elements that
don’t meet your expectations. Early on, before
you’ve assimilated the culture and explored
the opportunities that await you there, it may be
tempting to hold on to that unwavering paragon. However,
if you are lucky enough to be offered a pleasant job
that meets your basic living expenses with a little
disposable income left over for fun, by all means,
take it. If you find an affordable apartment that
feels homey and livable, go for it. Remember, once
you’re settled and employed, you can always
trade up.
- A
Sense of Humor. Despite its sophistication
and refinement, or its pastoral beauty and rustic
charm, any culture can also be exhausting, bewildering,
infuriating, overwhelming, and downright absurd
at times. And when the travails and tribulations
of your day frazzle your last nerve, sometimes
the only antidote is a sense of humor. So, if you
didn’t travel with a companion, find yourself
a buddy to swap stories with and have a laugh at
day’s end. It will help to put the whole
crazy circus into perspective, and will provide
an outlet for your frustrations, as well as a high-five
for your triumphs. English-speaking ex-pats are
everywhere, and most are more than happy to meet
up with a kindred spirit. In the beginning, or
anytime thereafter for that matter, don’t
hesitate to strike up a conversation on the train,
in a pub, a shop, or even on the street. You have
nothing to lose and may gain a mentor and compatriot
for the effort.
- A Desire
to Live Life to Its Fullest. Living abroad
can be one of the most personally enlightening and
enriching experiences that life has to offer. But
to thrive in a new and unfamiliar culture, and to
get the full benefit from the time you spend there,
you must have a broad sense of perspective and an
unconditional willingness to let go of your expectations
and immerse yourself in the experience. Live the lifestyle,
eat the food, get to know the people, their history,
their language and their culture. Make friends, make
money, and yes, make mistakes. But whatever you do,
make the most of it!
Celeste Heiter,
freelance writer and graphic artist, spent two years
living, working, and traveling in Japan. Celeste
is the author of Ganbatte Means Go For It! Or How to
Become an English Teacher in Japan.
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