Preparing to Move Abroad

(So let's talk about moving abroad. Years ago, in 2010, I had studied abroad in the bonny country of Caledonia (ie Scotland). I am glad I could get a working visa there, by a certain age, because I really need to go back, it;s great there!

Great online example of
Moving Abroad Checklist
https://meetthewards.com/checklistformovingabroad/

So what to start with prepping for moving abroad...finding information from other lovely people who have done the same is a good starting point, including my awesome sister who taught English in Korea for 3 years.

Certain aspects of this were easier for me, I didn't have a car, house, partner, pets. You can still do it if you do though, you'll just have to prioritize and focus.

So for moving abroad I focused on what should be done, chronologically.

I started with some simple things, such as making COLOR copies of important paperwork, such as passport, birth certificate etc, having those on hand, and saving them electronically. That way if something happens to my passport, as long as a I have a good color copy, in case of an emergency that'll help.

Next I made sure I had everything I needed to apply for my working holiday visa. For New Zealand specifically see here, , https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas , otherwise, you can google immigration _insert country name here__. After that, I started working tons, saving for the trip, and paying off lots of school loans (thank you failed American education system). Overall I hit a majority of my goals very well before I was off to New Zealand--which was a relief--because traveling with lots of loans was a scary thought to me.

Working on Preping for the Move... tea, scone and passport with paperwork

*Side note: I think I forgot to mention, but another major reason why I wanted to move abroad, in general, was to have a better way of life. A majority of countries, even 3rd world ones, have free excellent universal health care, free education (including university), good public spaces and transportation, paid required parental leave, better work life balance...to name a few.

Besides these major above points, I have listed a lot of the things I went through on my list, and further sources and examples are at the bottom.

List...

.Final Doctor's appointments

-travel clinic, need shots?

-make copies (color for IDs) of: passport, visa, shots, Rx letter from dr, traveler's insurance (have with you, online and with family back home).

-Passport, when does it expire? needs to be good for at least 6 months after you plan to leave a country
-research visa options: I was doing a working holiday visa

-what do I want to keep?

-Sell/donate the rest
-Final Doctor, Dentist and eye appointments

-8 weeks prior...apply for working holiday visa (age limit)

-6 weeks prior give part time job notice

Awesome Gregory 35L pack
that I got for my Birthday

-book travelers insurance (thanks www.worldnomads.com )

-4 weeks prior 1 month notice for moving out

-4 weeks prior, give 2 weeks notice to primary job

-mail forwarded

-book accommodation in first city, Auckland , NZ.

-practice packing...it's trickier when you're going somewhere with lots of weather extremes, vs SE Asia, where it is almost always nice and warm

-get up to a 3 month supply on all needed prescriptions

Other Great Sources:
- great checklist of what to do, and what to pack

https://www.tourleader.nz/new-zealand-travel-planner/new-zealand-travel-checklist

-helpful check list from the New Zealand immigration website itself
https://www.new-zealand-immigration.com/migrate-to-new-zealand/immigrating-to-new-zealand/moving-checklist/

-http://www.workingin-australia.com/move/moving-checklist#.UyJ0SvmwJcQ
used this as an idea, but only could find the Australia one again

Coming Up...
My Adventures in New Zealand

The Traveling Herbalist

So it has certainly been a long time since I've written.

Lots has happened. I was working multiple jobs at a time, to pay off a lot of school loans (yay American school system--you fail), and save for my major trip. I am currently on a working holiday visa in the gorgeous country of -- New Zealand! I have already been here almost 6 months, and am absolutely loving it! The people are super friendly, the food is amazing, delicious local wine and cider, and every landscape is stupid pretty. I was just about to start another hostel job, in Fox glacier, in the south island, when the lovely NZ prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced a lockdown starting on Wednesday, March 25th, 2020. At the time this was announced, it was Monday and my boss and I were trying to figure out how many hours I could get, since the borders were closed , or what to do. Even thought they were listed as an essential business, and needed to stay open, they closed since the PM said businesses must close (go figure).
So currently I am doing my best to find a remote job, in customer service, as a virtual assistant or something along those lines...till than, I have a lot of free time, and figured why not write --since I love it.

Where to start...guess the beginning...

Almost 6 years ago now, I saw this incredible picture of someone on some mountain hike. I found that location was Mt Aspiring, on the south island in New Zealand. So that, plus my sister wanting to help me go in the right direction, sent me an article about a famous blog couple living and working in New Zealand. I decided to print the hike picture out, and on the sides drew lines, to represent my trip savings.

Mt Aspiring National Park Hike.

 https://youngadventuress.com/2020/01/hikes-in-mt-aspiring.html

Only thing was, my income wasn't that great. Paying off loans was hardly feasible at the time, let alone saving for a international trip to an expensive country. As luck would have it I was working at a food co op, great place, pay was ok...eventually I was laid off, budget issues (facepalm). Eventually I would learn this was a good thing. I got a job at a local gym, also not the best place to work...but I was desperate. Eventually, through a friend recommending me, I got a job at the Minneapolis airport (interesting and exhausting place to work in general).

I worked multiple jobs at a time...saved tons of money, wrote up a paid off goal sheet, time line for trip...etc. This helped me keep track of money goals; I had a lovely sheet written in black, that I'd mark off in red once I paid off a loan, credit card etc. Once I got into a good rhythm, of working, and paying things off, it felt very good to pay in full loans--oh man! Repeat this for almost 3 years. Friends, and family, including my sister asked me, "how do you do it?". Well I am very very driven to reach goals, I ate well, had not much of a life outside of work, and when I worked at the airport, they had a lot of registered therapy dogs. Instant de-stresser!

A lovely dog at my Airport

I was on very good track with saving for my New Zealand trip, and paying off loans--woot!
Through lots of more hard work, quitting one bad job at the airport, I got hired with a temp agency to work for a health insurance company--very hard job but quite rewarding --helping people. I was hired on in the spring, since I started working for them via  employment agency.
Start the countdown---T minus 6 months to New Zealand! Now it get's fun, and even a bit more challenging. Work two jobs, minimize, sell, and pack up … what I was keeping, or taking with me abroad. I've gotta say, I need to move more often again, to minimize some things I have...one reason I miss college.

This Blog's Summary:
-keep on working towards your goals, even if it takes a while
-never give up
-stay focused
-Do it even if it sounds crazy to some

Coming Up:
- prepping for living and working abroad