If you had told me five years ago that come 2016, I would be permanently swapping the wet and windy streets of my hometown Manchester in the UK for the sunshine and everyday stunning sunset views in magical Mauritius, I probably would have laughed in your face. Yet here we are, and here I am — an official expatriate now living on this glorious island, right in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Now, the phrase ‘testing the waters' is quite apt when it comes to Mauritius, with its gorgeous white, sandy beaches and crystal clear seas – and let me tell you, I have tested those waters and I do not exaggerate when I say they are magnificent! But all jokes aside, if you are considering moving abroad, I cannot stress the importance of visiting your country of choice for an adequate amount of time and taking a good trial run — after all, this could be one of the biggest decisions of your entire life.
Here are my top 5 tips for those potential expats-to-be that are about to embark on said journey.
1. Rent a house/apartment
It's all well and dandy booking yourself into a fancy hotel and living the high life, but let's face it, if you move abroad you're not going to be living in a posh hotel 100% of the time. That's why you need to rent the type of accommodation that you would want to be living in, in your desired area, whether it be a house with three bedrooms for yourself, your partner and your children or a one-bed-apartment with your dog as you enjoy your single years. Take your time to get to know the area, the neighbours, and spruce up the place a little — it is crucial to feel like you're not just on holiday, but at home.
2. Rent a car
For many, it may not be feasible or affordable to ship your car over to the country to which you may be moving, which is why renting a car during your trial period is an excellent idea. Not only will this give you the chance to experience driving in a whole new country and adjust accordingly, but if getting a new car on finance is an option you are considering, renting for this period could help to make you more financially aware of the responsibilities that this brings.
3. Do your weekly shop and cook!
As easy as it can be just to pop along to a different takeaway or restaurant everyday, this is not good for your health and your pocket in the long run. This is why doing your weekly shop and cooking your food is so important when you're testing out life in a whole new country. It will help you to familiarise yourself with the supermarkets, the local produce, and the prices of food and ingredients, and also give you the opportunity to test out your language skills when asking for someone to point you in the direction of the tomatoes!
4. Find work
Finding work was high on my list of priorities; would companies in Mauritius require my skills? What would they pay? How easy would it be to work as a freelancer?
Finding work during my ‘testing the waters' period was so valuable to me. It taught me how to communicate with business people here, and how companies work in Mauritius — giving me the experience and knowledge that I would need beforehand, without allowing it to be too much of a shock to the system when I did end up eventually taking the plunge.
5. Make friends
Start conversations with people while you're out and about! Smile! Say hello to your neighbours! These are all great ways to start new friendships and make some ties in your trial country before you do decide to move permanently. However, sometimes you just want to meet people in the same situation as you and one tool that was extremely useful to me for making expat friends was the https://www.expat.com forum, which to this day I still use regularly. Not only can it help you make new friends, but it is also really helpful in getting to know your new country better. All you have to do is pop a post in the forum, and you never know who you might meet!
