Your best advice when moving to a new state/country

[Josie]

Mine is to NOT try to replicate your former "life." Be open to the new environment you are in and utilize the good that is there instead of lamenting about what you had that you don't have in the new place.

[Janet in WA]

Don't wait for others to reach out to you with invitations, etc. Take the initiative yourselves and do the reaching out.

[1bassoon]

By experience?

 

RENT FIRST!!!!

 

OK, we love where we are, but we would never do it again!

 

(But I like your advice too, Josie!)

[WTMCassandra]

Don't compare. Actively appreciate your new climate/geography for what it is, not what it lacks compared to the old one. This was a biggie for us when moving from tree-filled Virginia to an arid climate. We *love* our new area, but it's verrrry different from where we used to live.

[Mrs Mungo]

Great advice, so far! In addition to the above comments-play tourist the first year. You'll learn so much about the area!

[Once]

My best advice is to sell everything. Do not pack it up. It is expensive to move to another country and I shutter to think of all the old stuff I have that could be new today if I had just left it behind.

 

JMHO!

[Josie]

My best advice is to sell everything. Do not pack it up. It is expensive to move to another country and I shutter to think of all the old stuff I have that could be new today if I had just left it behind.

 

JMHO!

 

 

Would you sell your clothes or just take what you can pack for the plane? I would have a VERY difficult time selling my books, DVDs, CDs, and games. Everything else could go.

 

I REALLY like this idea, but I fear someone would have to rip my favorite books out of my hands!

[Wendi]

We moved from Florida to Arizona four years ago. We got out and hiked, read books, went to educational programs at the park/library, etc. We did things we couldn't do "back home". We thought it was a great adventure! We learned to really love living here.

 

We also got very involved with a church quickly, and joined a homeschool co-op that sponsored a lot of field trips and activities. That helped us make friends quickly.

 

Wendi

[Tracey in TX]

Make friends quickly! If possible, establish acquaintances prior to arrival.

 

Focus on the highlights of the relo, instead of what you just left behind.

 

Simplify life, and keep newbie necessaries handy (phone book, maps/GPS, translator (if moving overseas))

 

Research new community. Any historical buildings? Great restaurants, etc?

 

DON'T COMPARE!

 

We used to move so often that our families wrote addresses in pencil :)

[Kate in Arabia]

I'm the opposite of Once, take everything you can! We shipped a 40 ft container that had our old car and everything we owned in the world -- books, furniture, paper towels I had bought in bulk, shelves, everything. It was so nice to have all that already, even though it was a pain to unpack ;) We were given a one-time moving-in allowance from dh's employer, but we needed that to buy all new appliances and a few pieces of furniture.. how could we have afforded to buy a new car or the myriad of smaller items needed?

 

Plus it made me feel happier to have my "own things", and I think it helped the kids adjust as well to have familiarity inside the home when outside it was so different.

 

Kate

[HSMom2One]

 

1. Find a good church right away. We did and it made all the difference in the world. Our family's faith kept in that primary spot helped us realize that we share a common thread with others, and that God is with us wherever we go. We also made friends right away and had instant events to feel welcome to take part in because of the church connection.
   
2. Go out and meet your neighbors instead of waiting for someone else to make the first move. We found that people were very kind and outgoing to us after we did that.
   
3. Get hooked up with the library! Books are unconditional friends that keep us company, help us be brave, make us laugh and give us hope...all good things when you relocate with little ones. Also a good source to find other homeschool families in the new area.

Hope this helps.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Deb in NZ]

if ds played soccer before the move & soccer is available, sign him up. Same for scouts, music, other sports, etc. This gives dc something in common with the local kids & makes settling in easier for dc IMHO.

 

Don't expect foods to taste the same as "back home" when in a new country. I was very disappointed when we first came to NZ to get Pepperoni Pizza at Pizza Hut here & find that the pepperoni they used (at that time) wasn't what I knew as pepperoni. Pizzas in coffee shops were worse. They had a scone-like base with canned spaggetti as a topping!!! I quickly learned to make homemade versions of our old favorites.

 

Make a family day jar. Write activites you want to do or places you want to visit on slips of paper & put into a jar. Each friday choose one to do together as a family that weekend.

 

Blessings,

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

1: Take everything you and the kids need to make it feel like home. For some that is a good pillow, maybe books, favorite toys etc. You'd be surprised at how important this can be. Just picture Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man insisting to John Wayne that she just "needs her things about her" no matter how lovely his home.

 

2: Be sure to pack for the season you are moving too! No fun having only shorts in December in a cold climate.

 

3: Be open minded, the new town/state/country won't be like the last one. If you spend all your time moaning to yourself how much you miss xxx from the last place you will never learn to appreciate all there is in the new place. If you moan like that to everyone you meet you will still be unhappy and they (who may like where they live) will at best be turned off spending time with you and at worst highly insulted by your low opinion of their home. Put the positive spin-not "This place stinks-there's no Borders here." but rather "I miss being able to drop by Borders and their great selection of books. Where do you recommend I try shopping here?"

 

4: TV/Video systems and electricity changes around the world. If it is a new country-be prepared.

 

5: If you have a cell phone/laptop keep them with you. Kids can watch dvds, you have an emergency phone, you can keep surfing and posting on the board! These may be your short term links to home.

 

6: Get to know your new home. Find your new community (church, homeschool group, clubs, gym, library etc.), play tourist, explore your options.

 

7: Everyone, kids included, must always try a bite (not a nibble) of the new foods available. If you don't like it that is ok but you do need to learn to hide your opinion so as not to insult the restaurant/host/etc. This is especially true in foreign countries where the food is not like "home" and your favorites might not be available. I have heard many say put a jar of peanut butter in your suitcase-it may get the kids through the first week while you sort out what they like. I'm sure there are many variations on this as per individual taste. Best advice I had was buy it, try it, if its awful throw it in the trash and start over, don't mourn the loss of money on that meal-eventually you'll find something you love.

 

8: Have fun!! You are on a great new adventure!! But don't forget the family and friends you leave behind. They miss you and may even be a bit envious of your new life.

[Jenny in Atl]

Don't forget the family and friends you leave behind. They miss you and may even be a bit envious of your new life.

 

In that case you better bring us along! :auto:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Mine is to NOT try to replicate your former "life." Be open to the new environment you are in and utilize the good that is there instead of lamenting about what you had that you don't have in the new place.

 

It almost doesn't matter if they are children's books or fiction or travelogues. They will give you a feeling of recognition when you run across something that you first met in the books.

 

We start out with desserts. It gives everyone something that they know they like. Then we can branch out from there.

[Once]

I would get rid of alot more than what was comfortable. A few favorite books fine but alot of what I kept I wish I had ditched. The books just sit there and collect dust....and I paid $2.50 a pound of my own money to move them three times!!! I am the type of person that will always have a favorite new book and very few do I revisit (except for the bare minimum of kids school books and my Bible and journals). I could have bought a whole lot of new books at that rate.

 

As far as clothes, I have mostly second hand so I wouldn't take any more than what I could pack in a suit case.

 

I would keep my pots and pans but then again they are very special to me. I have copper that would be hard to replace. I hate my disware...some is chipped from moving and some is missing from being broken.

 

I would not take furniture. It is very heavy and styles change so much. But I do not have any family heirlooms so that gives you some perspective.

 

I have been teased by my friends for a long time for being very spartan. I do not have lot of extra unused stuff in my house as it is and I tend to not attach to stuff (We have few pictures and scrapbooks). I understand that I maybe unusual that way.

 

I have moved alot in my married life and had to pack and unpack all by myself. We paid for three moves across the country and one across a border. We left alot behind each time but I never regretted it.

 

Go light is my advice. Life is too short to dwell on the stuff. God provides!

[Carol in Cal.]

Make sur eyou have your favorite books where you can get at them immediately. They are like old friends!

 

Explore like crazy. Buy tourist guides to the area, and spend at least one half day each weekend and one entire weekend per month checking out something new and nearby.

 

Keep a journal.

 

Make a list of your interests before you go, and look for clubs that meet those, such as knitting groups, Renn Faire groups, etc.

 

Look for a farmer's market pretty early in the game. Try something new and local to eat every week.

[lovemyboys]

Mine is to NOT try to replicate your former "life." Be open to the new environment you are in and utilize the good that is there instead of lamenting about what you had that you don't have in the new place.

 

We've always try to feel blessed with the people, places, houses and adventures that we've had and be thankful for those, rather than lamenting them, like you say, once we've had to move on. "Better to have loved and lost..."

 

The one tip I'd add to all the ones I've seen mentioned is:

Think about what you really like to do. Think about things you like for when you're not out exploring and figuring out the new area. There will be days when you want the comfort of the familiar, especially if you move overseas, and really especially, if the culture, cuisine and language are new and different.

 

If it's jogging, be sure to invest in a few pairs of your favorite sneakers (sometimes co. won't ship overseas or shipping is hefty). If it's reading, then buy that series you've always wanted to read, or pack a few of your old favorites. Photography, projects, art, needlecrafts, whatever - stock up on a few things that will get you through the early weeks and months of getting adjusted. Try to do that for dc as well, if you can. Splurge on a couple things that are new and still wrapped that you can give yourself as a treat -- for those moments when the new neighbor isn't nice, or the dmv window closes and you're next in line. Just something that may not cost much, but will lift your spirits.

 

Oh, here's another one, find the parks early on so you can get out from under boxes and take a break with the kids. Some times you might just want to sit in the shade and relax without trying to learn the local history or go to a museum.

 

Simplify if you can, if you're going overseas and can put things in storage, it'll feel so much lighter to live with less. I wish I'd done more of this!