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Once In A Lifetime Journey
  • Destinations
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      • Somaliland
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      • Sudan
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
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      • Andorra
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      • Denmark
      • France
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      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Montenegro
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • North & Central America
      • American Samoa
      • El Salvador
      • Guam
      • Guatemala
      • Hawaii
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Peru
    • Middle East
      • Oman
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Sudan
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Pacific
      • American Samoa
      • Australia
      • Cook Islands
      • Fiji
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Kiribati
      • Micronesia
      • Nauru
      • New Zealand
      • Palau
      • Samoa
      • Solomon Islands
      • Tonga
      • Tuvalu
      • Vanuatu
    • Southeast Asia
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • Indonesia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Myanmar
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Central & North Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Bangladesh
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Macau
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      • Mongolia
      • Nepal
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      • Pakistan
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Tibet
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      Simple steps to controling pre-flight anxiety

      January 23, 2021

      Inspiration

      How to combat the fear of flying (Aerophobia)

      January 23, 2021

      Inspiration

      Top tips for family travel stress

      January 21, 2021

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      How to mentally prepare for a solo trip

      January 21, 2021

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      Is El Salvador safe to visit for tourists…

      December 9, 2020

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Things to buy when moving to a new country

by Cal Wienburg December 9, 2020
Written by Cal Wienburg
Moving to a new country feature
Moving to a new country main

As long term expats, we know a thing or two about moving to another. All the members of our team have traveled extensively and lived in all parts of this great globe from Singapore to Spain to South Africa. If you’re wondering what are the things to buy when moving to a new country, we’ve gathered our combined experiences and created this brief but useful list. 

Moving to a new country is both terrifying and exciting at the same time, and doing the admin can be a daunting experience while dealing with all the emotions. So sit back, relax and let us do the heavy thinking for you. Here are some ideas of things to buy when moving to a new country. 

Contents

  • Furniture for your new place
  • Voltage converters & outlet adapters
  • Must-have electronics 
  • Quality Luggage
  • Prescriptions & VPN services
  • All the Insurance
  • Bring something from your hometown
  • Modes of transport

Furniture for your new place

Kit your new place out with essential furniture, build the rest up over time
Kit your new place out with essential furniture, build the rest up over time

No doubt one of the first things to organize when living abroad is your accommodation. You may want to rent an apartment or buy a house in your new country, but no matter which option you choose, the first of the things to buy when moving to a new country is some furniture. This could be a gradual process as you start collecting appliances after your arrival but there are a few must-haves to get before you move in if they don’t come with the property. You’ll most likely need a bed, refrigerator and some form of desk, table and chair combination.

 See if there are any second hand sites in your new country or even Facebook groups. This is a great way to save money and you never know what treasures you might find. There could even be items of furniture that were bought and never used. If you don’t like the idea of second hand goods, do some research on the best furniture stores in your area. Are there international brands like Ikea or Muji or are there some awesome local stores that you can shop at. Find out how long delivery takes and what the fees are so that it can arrive the same day as you. 

Voltage converters & outlet adapters

Small but extremely useful
Small but extremely useful

This may seem like a no-brainer, but with everything else going on these are very simple items that are easily forgotten and very much needed. It can be such a nuisance to arrive in your new country and get out your charger for your laptop, only to discover that the plug doesn’t fit in the socket. A true face-palm moment many of us have experienced. 

To save yourself some pain, make sure you purchase a reliable voltage converter, as well as outlet adapter. In fact, buy a few as they don’t take up much space or weight. It’s always best to buy them locally and not at the airport, as prices are hiked up quite a bit at airport stores. You also may not find the correct convertor you need for your destination. Multi converters are better so that you don’t have to worry if you purchased the correct voltage or plug fitting. You could choose to buy these in your new country, but trust us when we say it’s a nuisance to try and hunt for an electronics store when you don’t even know how the new transportation system works. 

Must-have electronics 

Decide which electronics you’ll bring with you
Decide which electronics you’ll bring with you

Speaking about adapters, you should also gather all of the must-have electronic items you’ll need before you go. You will actually need to decide what to bring with and what to let go of as traveling with bulky electronic items can be extremely expensive, oftentimes more so than just purchasing a new one. You absolutely need your cellphone, laptop and curling iron, but do you really need to bring the washing machine? 

One of my friends immigrated from Dubai to Seoul and brought her 50” Samsung TV with her only to find out that a new one was cheaper in South Korea as it is the home of Samsung after all. You never know, you may even be able to get rid of electronic items you don’t need by donating it to a charity or making some additional cash for your move. For computing, you could always try to find online stores that have so many choices of laptops and desktops for sale where you could find some really cool deals.

Quality Luggage

Get some good quality luggage for long term use
Get some good quality luggage for long term use

We would highly recommend spending a bit extra on premium luggage that purchasing a single item carrier. The reason for this is that you’re probably going to be doing a whole lot of traveling after you arrive. You’ll be exploring your new found home whenever you get the chance and you’ll be making trips back home to see family and friends at least once a year. So forking out a bit more cash can really make a big difference. 

Expensive luggage also helps to protect your goods from being damaged or stolen while in transit. We’ve traveled even short distances from Seoul to Jeju and during this brief journey the contents of the bag on top of ours broke and leaked stinky kimchi juice all over our luggage. Lucky we had a hard shell and none of our clothing or electronics were destroyed. We recommend Tumi, American Tourister, Samsonite or Victorinox.

Prescriptions & VPN services

Cover your physical and mental health when moving to a new country
Cover your physical and mental health when moving to a new country

Some things in your new country may be a little bit different. If you’re moving to Shanghai for example, you may be shocked to find that a lot of your social media accounts are blocked due to government restrictions. Even many of the apps we take for granted like Skype or Whatsapp could be disabled, as we found out in Dubai when we tried to call our parents. Finding a good VPN that works well is essential to keep up with your life back home, so that you can relax in comfort as you’ll be able to Netflix, keeping you mentally healthy. 

You’ll also need to get all your prescriptions ahead of time, as well as coming up with a game plan for how to get refills. Your health is the most important thing, so find this out early on and do not leave it till the last minute. Find some expat groups on Facebook and ask them how to get certain medicine or if it’s even available in your new country. People are super friendly in these groups as they’re all in the same boat as you and have been through it all before. 

All the Insurance

Make sure you’re covered with the right insurance
Make sure you’re covered with the right insurance

Make sure you’re covered with the right insurance

Make sure to know if there is essential health insurance you will need when you arrive in your new country. It’s also good to see if your current insurance works abroad and how long it will last. My South African health insurance, for example, only worked for three months after leaving the country, so I needed to find alternative travel insurance when I did my 6-month Southeast Asia trip. Lucky I did as I got very sick both in Bali and Siem Reap.  

If you are moving due to work, see if your company will contribute toward insurance. If you are traveling out of your new country, remember to check if your local insurance provider covers you while on your travels. If not, we highly recommend World Nomads or long term insurance from Safety Wing.

Bring something from your hometown

Always a few personal items with you for comfort like condiments or a teddy bear
Always a few personal items with you for comfort like condiments or a teddy bear

Culture shock and missing home are two big factors of living abroad. The biggest advice is to first and foremost learn how to let go of things you are attached to. Holding anger and resentment because you can’t get your favorite hot sauce will only create more stress and anger, which you will not need. 

That being said, if there are a few very personal items that make you truly happy, bring enough of it with you when you move as this can be very comforting when you miss home. Of all the things you need to buy when moving to a new country, these are the most important as everything else can be purchased at your new home. I bring a few invaluable items with me like some framed photos of my family, a small teddy bear and a few items of South African food with me which I savor for a miserable day. Remember to make sure the items from home are allowed into your new country before to avoid disappointment. 

Modes of transport

Understand what kind of transportation you’ll need in your new country
Understand what kind of transportation you’ll need in your new country

Understand the transportation system in your new country and if you’ll need to buy a car or motorbike to get around. The public transportation in Seoul, for example, is brilliant and there is no need for a car. But when we lived in Los Angeles, it was almost impossible to get around without an automobile. We also learned about the insurance and driver’s license we needed in order to make the purchase in our new home. 

Find out where the local DMV is and all the documents you need in order to take your driver’s license exams and purchase your new vehicle. Also learn how to avoid scams from shady used car salesmen by using rating apps like Yelp. Also learn the laws of being a vehicle owner, for example, in the United States you have a period where you can return the vehicle after it is purchased if there is something clearly wrong with it. Dig deep into the law and make sure you know your rights as they may differ from your country of origin. 

  • Check if you need a visa, get help processing it at iVisa.
  • Never ever leave without travel insurance. Get affordable coverage from World Nomads or long term insurance from Safety Wing.
  • I find all of my flights on KAYAK. Check their Deals section too.
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DREAMING OF TRAVEL AGAIN - I have finally booked a DREAMING OF TRAVEL AGAIN - I have finally booked a flight again, not to an exciting place but to one that I'm very excited about: home.
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This photo was taken at Bill Bensley @shintamani_wild at the @natgeo tent hence the many magazines, the tent was full of them some of the issues were 50+ years old, it was fascinating to read the first issues that covered Dian Fossey or some of really remote tribes. It was hard to peel my eyes off the stunning photos and enjoy the remote and beautiful destination, the piece of wild forest where the camp is.
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A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS - have you ever slept unde A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS - have you ever slept under the stars? Where?
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I did in Tanzania and in the Maldives at @gili.lankanfushi but I am sometimes worried about the mosquitoes 😂 thankfully, @shintamani.angkor.bensley sorted this with nets!
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CELEBRATING - Today we're out of official lockdown CELEBRATING - Today we're out of official lockdown in Singapore though actually not much has changed. We still work from home, shops are still closed. How is it where you are?
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So I'm reminiscing of my last trip, 4 months ago, to Cambodia and the weekend at our beautiful pool villa at @shintamani.angkor.bensley - bliss ❤
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This is one of two Bill Bensley Collection luxury properties, only 10 pool villas that are uber private and luxurious. @billbensley interior design details are fabulous.
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3 MONTHS WITHOUT TRAVELING - One last view at the 3 MONTHS WITHOUT TRAVELING - One last view at the dreamy Private Reserve overwater villa at @gili.lankanfushi - wish I was there!
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This is the longest I've been without traveling in 15 years. And I must say time has passed really fast because of how busy I've been. When was the last time you stayed put for this long?
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HAVING A MARILYN MONROE MOMENT at the beautiful ne HAVING A MARILYN MONROE MOMENT at the beautiful new pool villas at @gili.lankanfushi.
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I feel like I've certainly become many things in this pandemic times, from best friend to chef, videographer, interviewer, podcast host, presenter, mentor, coach...I'm definitely not letting this crisis go to waste!
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What are you up to these days? Have you taken up a new hobby? Got in touch with long lost friends? Started to meditate or do yoga?
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Inspire me!
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"NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE" Winston Chur "NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE" Winston Churchill once said at the end of WWII.
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What are you doing now to make the most of this?
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I'm a firm believer that one needs to always stay positive and productive, always looking ahead no matter what, now more than ever.
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Working in the travel industry, I have lost pretty much all of my income since this started, 6y of work all wiped out practically overnight.
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I won't lie, it's tough to stay optimistic, to see the light at the end of the tunnel and to keep going ahead despite everything, knowing it's at least 6 more months before things really improve. If that wasn't enough, after 2.5 months of suffering the effects of the virus in Asia, Singapore declared a lockdown, so now we're home isolated and the numbers don't look good.
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But I'm trying to stay true to myself, to be the eternal optimist that I am, so here is what I'm doing:
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- Looking at images of my best trips to relive the experience. Like this absolutely beautiful shot from @Gililankanfushi my favorite place in the #Maldives
- I started a new blog about breakfast bowls and I'm loving it! I can implement all the things I learned in 6y and avoid all the mistakes. I eat super healthy home made food every day and I find caring about myself and my significant other through food, and cooking itself, highly meditative and therapeutic. So win-win-win, and hopefully I'll add a new income stream that is anti cyclical and not travel related.
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- Taking a variety of online courses, on SEO, blogging, happiness, etc.
- Trying to exercise everyday at home even if it's just 10min. Since I also eat healthily, by the end of this I'll be super hot 😜 Haha #WishfulThinking
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DREAMING - I stopped planning trips or thinking ab DREAMING - I stopped planning trips or thinking about when or where my next trip will be.
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But I have not stopped thinking of the great trips I've taken this year. Even in two months, I already made amazing memories.
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This picture is so perfect it looks like a painting.
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