Moving to a new country may be the realization of a great professional and personal dream. This moment may mean the discovery of new tastes, world views, opinions, and several other issues in the life of an expat. This is what makes an international move such an important moment for people.
However, the whole process also has a price. The people involved in relocation such as this go through a process of cultural and social adaptation when they arrive in a new country. And, depending on their personality, this may be more, or less, complex.
Normally, families that move abroad do it for a job opportunity or the studies of one of them. The other members of the nucleus go too, but cannot find, in the short term, an objective of their own. This is a great mistake that causes instabilities in the family relationships of expatriates.
Planning a life for everyone moving with the family group is essential. Not only for the possibility of using their time in another country to learn something new, or to work, but also for the need we all have for not standing still.
For adults that are accompanying a spouse in the move, it’s important to try to find an occupation, either as professionals in their area of specialization, or as volunteers. In European countries and in the USA, for instance, museums and libraries always need people who can help in organization or management.
As for the children, who naturally go to school, they need care and attention from their parents. Such an abrupt change in childhood has pros and cons in their formation. It’s important to pay attention to their adaptation at school, always keeping in touch with teachers and principals, in order to understand their behavior and socialization. Language can be an initial barrier, and it’s essential to maintain positive communication, showing that adaptation takes time, and that soon everything will be all right.
The good side of this process for children is that, in childhood, one is more apt to assimilate new cultures, habits and even languages. Surely they are the ones who will most benefit from this process.
Finally, counting on relocation and moving professionals with experience and capacity for planning these developments in the process of moving is highly advantageous. FINK has great experience in this area, and its team is always ready to manage, in an integrated and multidisciplinary way, all the aspects of this process.
