It’s believed that over eight million Americans are living abroadat the moment. For many of these expats, the reason for the move is work-related: when a great job offer comes up abroad, sometimes you simply can’t refuse. Taking the family with you, however, is easier said than done. Moving abroad is a tough task for even one person to do, but the logistical nightmare of taking everybody can seem even scarier. Luckily, there are ways to plan ahead and ensure that the move is as smooth and rewarding as possible for the whole family.
Practical aspects
Depending on where you’re moving to, it’s likely that you’ll need to plan ahead in order to make sure you don’t miss out on any crucial practical steps associated with your move. You should ensure, for example, that you organize visas for your whole family well in advance, and you should also consider booking some temporary accommodation – perhaps through a site such as Airbnb – for the first month while you firm up your long-term living arrangements.
Remember the benefits
With a move as significant as this, it’s likely that you’ll experience some self-doubt at some stages along the way. This is normal, however, and it’s simply a sign that you’re looking out for your family’s best interests. If you begin to feel anxious about moving your family, though, just remind yourself of the benefits. They’ll get to learn all about another culture, for example, and there’ll be plenty of amazing and unusual days out, family meals and more that they’ll remember forever.
Focus on schooling
After housing, the item that’s likely to be at the top of your family’s to-do list when a foreign move is on the cards is probably education. You have two main options as a parent when it comes to international schooling, and neither of them are necessarily the best – it’s simply a matter of what works well for you. Enrolling your kids in the local school in your new country is one choice: this gives them the chance to see first-hand what life is like in their new country, and it’s also likely to provide them with the sort of character-building challenges – such as language learning and assimilation – that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.
An alternative option, however, is to send your child to an international school. These schools operate western curriculums and tend to have English as the main in-school language, which makes it much easier for your children to integrate. International schools in Singapore have many of the sports, leisure and arts facilities you’d expect from an American school, so there won’t be any risk of a sub-standard student experience. They do, however, attract a diverse student body from across the globe, so your kids would certainly come away from the experience with an open-minded, international perspective on life.
Living abroad is an amazing opportunity both for you and for your family, and it’s one that you should grasp with both hands. From the educational opportunities it will provide your kids with to the amazing memories you’re going to make, the transformative experience you’ll have will make all of the practical planning and stressful logistical decisions worthwhile.