DON'T GET LOST IN TRANSLATION!

"My trip was amazing! I loved the country.".

First time we step into a foreign soil as tourists, we welcome the excitement and adventure that go with it.

Whether you are travelling to the exotic picturesque Ipanema Beach or shopping in the midst of Manhattan´s high rising skyscrapers . You always say, that´s it. I like it here. I want to live here for good!

True, you like it where you are treated as valued guests. You get to see places viewed at its best, hopping from one bar to another, engaging in a shopping marathon, picture taking here and there.

But how about imagining yourself packing your bags and emigrating in that country for good as in going through the daily grind of life 24/7- Would you still say the same?

We all think that grass is always greener on the other side of the fence (not necessarily true) which is why most of us frantically and impulsively dash off without knowing what´s in store for us on the other side . Little do we know that there might be some wolves ready to devour us any time or maybe the pieces of bread we left to help us find our way were eaten by birds leaving us lost in the middle of the forest.

Making a monumental decision to leave your home country to trek and rediscover yourself, whether it´s for work, or live permanently, or for any reason, still poses a huge risk. If you have thought or presently contemplating on the idea of trying your luck abroad, Congratulations ! You have just made the first step. It is a given fact that surviving the first year on your dream land is the hardest . Having lived all my life in an Asian country with few long trips abroad then plunging into the European environment and culture (totally different from mine) is bold and chancy.

" You are so brave", that´s what they always say about my bold decision when I emigrated to Europe. In retrospect, I asked myself, was I really? To friends who often ask me I always retort without batting an eyelash, "Well, that´s a calculated risk", How?

Here´s how. Are you ready for some tips and tricks that could possibly make your survival and transition easy, smooth and successful .However, they may have worked for me but that doesn´t necessarily mean that they will work for you ( sorry folks no money back guarantee here .)

Decide now or never: You have heard that living in the US, Hongkong , Canada or in Europe is a lot better than your home country. Yes, could be…. after seeing interesting pictures on the net and brochures or you must have heard amazing stories from friends about your desired destination. Ok it´s beautiful so what now? Start imagining yourself in that country surviving the four seasons- heat wave during summer, allergies in spring, wearing 3 layered clothes during winter and heavy colds during autumn. Look back and see how comfortable you are in your home country. Then ask yourself, are you willing to give up what you have got? If the answer is a resounding yes, then go for it. Decide now because if you dilly dally and make a dilatory decision about it, then chances of leaving is slim. But if you are not sure about your decision or a small voice is speaking to you ( hope the voice is clear enough and not muffled) that you are not ready yet, then don´t. Let´s just put it this way, deciding whether you want to leave your country for good is akin to bungee jumping, once you have made a decision, you climb up on the platform and if you have reached the point of getting yourself strapped up, you might as well…. Jump off.

Research about your place of destination: Don´t say what is there to research? Yes, there are lot of things to know about that place before you finally take a plunge. Know their culture, traditions, beliefs, history and geographical locations. Wait…I know that you might say duh, ofcourse we know that. But check out the names of the streets, local names of the offices that issue required legal papers. You wouldn´t want to get caught undocumented would you?

Use every possible resources: A friend of mine visited Denmark for a month. During her brief visit, she brought home local magazines, tourist guide books that contain more information regarding list of companies, school, clinics, hotels and other important information. Consequently, her savvy plans resulted into scheduled job interviews abroad. Therefore, when upon reaching the country abroad,

lo and behold, there was a job waiting for her.

Explore the land: Just like Moses when he asked the spies to explore the land of Canaan. You too could learn from that. Go to the place of your choice for a short visit as tourist and discover the what the country could offer you. Check out if your skills and expertise could be useful in that area. Does the country need English teachers? Computer analysts or medical practitioners? If yes, and you happen to be an expert in any of those fields then therefore the move could be considered beneficial for you (by landing into the right job instantly not to mention the financial rewards) which could also work both ways as the country would be glad to use your expertise.

After exploring the land, then go back home and finalize your decision to leave. Don´t forget to establish contacts once you are there so as not to start from scratch.

Immerse yourself with the local culture (When in Rome, do as the Romans do):

Once you have made your decision and living your first year abroad, consider yourself like one of locals . Don´t think that you are given special privilege just because you are a foreigner. Go out and mingle with them. Talk to them and socialize with the locals in coffee bars, market, bakery shops and beauty parlors. If English is not their Ist language, much as I hate to advise this, but it counts a lot to know the country´s local language. Enroll yourself in a language center or ask a local (your husband or friend) to talk to you consistently in their language so you can pick up colloquial terms (bad words included). Native residents of your host country will certainly show how much they appreciate your efforts in learning their language as this indicates that you want to become one of them. Word of caution: Brace yourself for more misadventures in your daily foreign language practice. I have experienced it several times (and still up to now) I end up begging the ground to split apart where I could suddenly hide myself in embarrassment due to wrong choice of words using a foreign language.

Stay connected: Support groups are God´s gift to those who are new in a foreign place. You can join groups that will provide guidance, help, friendships and camaderie which will keep your mind off home sickness. Bible study group, women´s club, professional groups , bookclubs and (even alcohol anonymous) will expand your social circle and connection.

When honeymoon is over: The first year of your stay is still a time of romance. You still see the bright side of things even when they look ugly. You will always mutter that life here is like a bed of roses. But hold on my friend, not for long, reality bites the moment honeymoon is over. You will start to see endless bureaucracies, cultural differences, difficulty of coping up with language barrier, strange style of living not according to your standards . Remember that each country has its own uniqueness ,distinct beauty ,cultural differences and way of life. Accept the country as it is.

So stop comparing! You can not compare your own to the country where you are planning to settle in. Having said this, I understand that this must be hard for you. However, bear in mind that "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going."

A year after the romance period, you are now a full pledge survivor far much better than winners of Survivor reality show. Assuming that you landed into a job, have a small circle of friends and established few contacts that got you by, knew more people and blended into the culture. Allow me to congratulate you once again. You have now moved forward in leaps and bounds.

However, if inspite of this, and you still feel that things do not work out the way it should, remember that nobody is stopping you to go back home. But before deciding on that, just take time to listen to this, " When the world says give up, hope whispers, try it one more time."