Moving!!  Ok ok so not 100 steps!  Because let’s be honest if you anything like me (blonde, a little ditsy at times, and easily distracted by 2 little boys) you’ve already forgotten step 1 when you start reading step 2!

I’ve been moving for most my life:

To give you some background, I’ve had a few significant moves in my life. Boarding school at 6, university at 18, living abroad alone at 22, Europe to Asia with my entire family at 33 and my most recent move, India to Frankfurt (think I may skip disclosing my age this time)

One thing I’ve learned is that no move is easy, hell if it was, wouldn’t everyone be doing it?

Of course some were easier than others, for example, moving countries single and with only one bag is significantly less complicated than with a husband, 2 kids, 300 boxes, 20 suitcases and a sore head!

I wrote a similar post when I moved to India, the premise for moving country remains the same ie get there.  Saying this each move is very different and you learn something new each time.  Here are a few moving tips that I’ve learned to date that you may or may not find useful

Moving Tips Before you move

  1. Get a moving company that packs your stuff (pay the extra – throw your money at this one). I cleaned out 2 ‘man draws’ (if you’ve never watched Michael McIntyres ‘the man draw’ do yourself a favour and watch it ) in the time it took them to pack up my entire house…
  2. If you moving to Europe try make sure it’s in the summer months (ignore this at your own peril)
  3. If you moving to Asia buy all your ‘home comforts’ (and I mean a years worth) and pack them into your container before going.  To clarify, when I say home comforts I mean everything from dishwashing tablets to your favourite bubblebath and shampoo.  Of course you may find it on the other side but you’ll have to remortgage your house in order to buy it!
  4. Embrace 99% scream 1% (often it’s a choice – the move I mean, is often a choice)
  5. Wine! Always have wine on hand!

Moving Tips After you’ve moved:

  1. Embrace it (needs to be said again – it’s important!)
  2. Organise a relocation agent or make sure the company moving you has.  You need someone who can help with things from finding an apartment, translating the rental agreement, talking to local tradesman to giving you advice on which internet package is best!
  3. Be positive.  Nobody wants to be stuck with ‘whining Winni’ at every party (people have enough of that with their kids at home). Saying that, everyone has bad days, so whilst you may be her once in a while don’t remain her
  4. Remember your kids are only human.  Whilst people will often offer up ‘kids are so resilient’ (and they are) they are only human and need kindness, patience and love.  Because whilst you were involved with the decision and had a choice they often didn’t
  5. Everything takes time.  Take a step back, breathe and be kind to yourself
  6. Localising\culture. Take time if not to ‘localise’ then to appreciate your new found country. I stress the word appreciate here and not tolerate, you may think there is a only a subtle difference but they are miles apart.  Learn the language, go to the local festivals, try the food and definitely definitely try the local tipple (my German definitely gets better ????!)
  7. Loneliness is a killer. I really learnt this with our with our most recent move.  Those dreaded Facebook groups and meet ups may be worth a shot
  8. Wine! Always have wine on hand!!

Biggest Lesson to date

My biggest lesson was from our most recent move when I realised how poignant point 7 is.  Loneliness is\was a killer. From the moment I reached India (well 2 days after) I met one of my very best friends and from then on we navigated our way through the Indian streets together! Frankfurt on the other hand took me a lot longer (I only met Kelly 2 months later) and therefor I found it a lot more challenging. I’m definitely considering starting a “Fresh off the boat” support group!

So, if you feel like you battling when you get here feel free to contact us. Both Kelly and I have moving countries for some time so we are happy to give you a few pointers and tips!

These may all seem like common sense, and they are – I’m no genius.  Sometimes though you suddenly find yourself miles away from home immersed in a culture foreign to your own and you have no idea where to buy bread, do they even eat bread here??  You May need a little reminding!

Janice Henry

A little insight through a few labels life has ‘given’ me! Also, no one label is more important than another I might add. So here it goes, boy mum, wife, friend, yogi, photographer, banker, coffee addict, global citizen, travel enthusiast, entrepreneur and writer!