November 30th, 2009 
cbrodzky Leaving to live in another country causes so much anxiety it’s not even funny. Just so everyone knows, this type of emotion is perfectly normal and means you care. The only thought that crossed my mind when moving to Vietnam was the movie Brokedown Palace when Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale got locked up abroad. I was terrified of being set up and going to prison to be someone’s girlfriend where they would love me long time. It also didn’t help that I’m a major hypochondriac and feared the food, the bugs, the isolation, malaria, etc.
Here are some tips on moving to another country to hopefully alleviate some of the anxiety:
- Do your research – Go ahead and read about the place you’ll be moving to, the people, the culture, everything that you feel is necessary.
- Square everything away – Make sure you leave knowing that there isn’t any unfinished business. Handle your affairs ahead of time, such as getting a visa, paying bills, saying goodbye to family, etc.
- Start a blog – Writing my experiences has helped me relate to others who have been in similar situations and give advice to those that not only teach English in another country, but travel to Southeast Asia.
At the end of the day, you’ll never be fully prepared until you actually arrive to your destination, but if you’re like me, you’ll appreciate being completely afraid to do something and doing it anyways.
