ADVICES

How do you Prepare to Live in a Foreign City?

Moving to a foreign city - whether for work, study, lifestyle change or just for fun can be a daunting experience. However, to ensure that it reaps the greatest rewards and to make the transition as smooth as possible here are some tips and advice to help out from my own experience which I hope will be useful.

  1. Accept invitations
  2. Get a local sim card for use in an unlocked phone
  3. Have a debit / credit card that doesn’t charge for getting money out and get a local bank account if you will be around for a while
  4. Take someone local with you to look for accommodation to tell the best places and to avoid getting overcharged
  5. Get on the local Couchsurfing (or alternative) meeting to meet locals who are open to meeting foreigns - there are many local city Facebook groups for a variety of purposes to that can lead to making helpful connections and friendships
  6. Try and get as much exposure to the local language as possible by hanging out with locals
  7. Take a backup battery for your phone
  8. Check with taxi drivers the fare before getting in the taxi
  9. Be aware of visa rules - e.g. how long you can stay on a tourist visa and what are the conditions for working if you plan to work
  10. Get out of the city and see some of village life.
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