The vast majority of the time, expats relocate to a foreigncountry for work purposes. But why would an expat accept such a challengingtask, especially if the whole family is included?
Professional advancement is one of the most motivatingfactors for expats and apart from that the whole travel/relocation journey is aappealing on both personal and social level. This can be attractive for boththe assignee and their family.
Curiosity, the urge for an adventure and the opportunity ofworking abroad is often too good to reject.
Top reason for failure – Unhappiness in new country
This can be due to several matters. If the expat is carelessor doesn’t plan the relocation well, it very easy not to be able to fulfil yourgoals. Furthermore, if your family is not happy in the new country, yourprofessional life becomes even more difficult. In order to make sure thatexpats and their families are happy when relocation, we highlighted 5 keyhappiness factors that need to be considered.
By applying the following happiness factors, you are more likely to succeedwith your journey and professional outcome.
Happiness Factor #1 – Be Prepared
Venturing into the unknown is no easy task, however, canalso be exciting and ample fun! In order to minimise your ‘shock’ factor asmuch as possible, get well prepared and be aware of the new changes you have toundergo.
- Research – This is a crucial step. Research asmuch as you can about the new destination. Get to know the traditions, culture,work ethic and language. Learning the native tongue is proved to extremely helpexpats with their relocation. You can start with learning the basic greetings.
- Family preparation – Don’t forget that therelocation is an adventure for your spouse and children too. If they areinvolved speak with them and prepare them well in advance.
- Goody bye – This is a great way to close that chapterin your life and move on, onto the next one. Decide which are the things youwish to remove or sell and which items you want to keep. Close all loose ends.
Happiness Factor #2 – Be Organised
This goes hand in hand with the previous tip, beingprepared. There are many things that need to be organised before yourdeparture. Organise everything in order to avoid stressful and negativesituations.
Some of the things to think about are;
- Finances: Ensure you have enough money to venturethrough your journey until you start earning a suitable income. Consider the costof living before you agree on your income.
- Residency: Ensure that you have all the necessarydocuments to live in the new country. If you need to register with localauthorities, set up insurance or any other processes are wise to consider beforehand.
- Research well the company you will be working itto avoid unwanted surprises. Look into the company’s history and check whetheryou can speak to any employees currently working there. This will give you a goodidea of what to expect.
Happiness Factor #3 – Adaptation & Acceptance stage
Expat alienation is one of the biggest reasons why individualsstruggle with their relocation. This means when the expat struggles to adaptand feel at home in the new country. To overcome this, we have the followingtips;
- Join an expat community: This can be extremely helpful at any stage of your relocation. This is a great way to build friends and meet individuals that experienced or are currently experiencing a similar process to yourself.
- Explore as much as you can: Do not allow yourself to feel down or stay back. Motivate yourself to be out going, join events and attend activities where you have the opportunity to meet new people and network. This will have a positive impact both on a social and professional perspective.
Still not convinced about relocating to Malta? Read our 16 reasons why you should!
