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How to move overseas with your pets

Moving abroad with pets can be done; it’s not really difficult, but you need to think this through this very carefully for both you, your family and your pets’ well-being. Pet relocation is not a cheap undertaking, and the paperwork can be an absolute nightmare. 

And it’s not something that can be planned at the last minute. Some countries have a process as long as six months in advance of the move, sometimes more if you haven’t kept up to date with certain vaccines.

Moving overseas with your pets isn’t as difficult as you might think. Unless there are concrete reasons why your pet can’t move with you, it’s something you should really consider. Children who have pets settle into their new home quicker if their beloved pet comes too.

It's well worth serious consideration.

In this episode, I’m joined – as usual – by Sumi, my expat cat who has a lot to say on this matter!

• Want independent advice about your move overseas? For a one-to-one chat, please check my calendar for dates and options here  
• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 

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Tips for starting a new school, returning to school after the COVID lockdown interruption and advice for helping your child start school after home education.

Starting a new school is very daunting. Starting a new school in another country can be even more overwhelming. Sharing tips to help make the first day of school a less stressful event for your child AND you!

Also, taking a look at how you can help your home-schooled child move smoothly into formal education.

My book, ‘Expat Education - An Expat's Guide to Choosing a School Overseas’ - the definitive guide for all expat families. Helping take the stress out of choosing a school overseas. Get your copy on Amazon

A short, eBook version is available here: get the ‘need to know’ answers to your questions instantly.

• Want independent advice about your move overseas? For a one-to-one chat, please check my calendar for dates and options here  
• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 

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The key to success from the start of your expat life is to prepare before you leave your current home.

With insider tips on what to pack in your suitcases to make sure your entire family settle quickly to expert advice on what to do in the first day or so after arriving at your destination.

The tips and tricks in this episode will ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running in your new home country, and help you and your family’s smooth transition to expat life.

• For a one to one chat about your move abroad, please check my calendar for dates and options here  
• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 

For more detail and lists to download, check out these links:

• Arrivals eBook  10 pages of invaluable tips, advice and information
• Packing Lists 3 sets of packing lists to help you plan your big move

Hand Luggage Packing Lists 

• Packing list – hand luggage plus items for babies 
• Packing list – hand luggage plus items for toddlers 
• Packing list – hand luggage plus items for older kids 
• Packing list – hand luggage plus items for teenagers 
• Free Moving Overseas Checklist to download

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This episode is dedicated to everyone who is feeling isolated right now – expat or not.

I’ve been hearing from many expats recently that this topic - isolation - is particularly poignant right now. And this goes for recent repats, and non-expats too, of course.

When you move overseas, you’re expecting a fabulous new life. Moving overseas is exciting. It heralds great change; perhaps the hope of a better future. To most families it represents a new start in their lives both professionally and personally.

But it’s quite often that you’ll hit a period of feeling isolated and lonely as hell. Of course, now, in 2020, the isolation is even more pronounced.

This sense of isolation, loneliness and boredom is a common problem – even outside of COVID. 

Here are some tips to help...

• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 
• To book an hour's call with me, please check out my diary, here: Expat Espresso Hour

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Before you say yes to a move overseas. 

Conversations to have with your partner before going for an international assignment. 

Most problems arise from assumptions and unfounded expectations. So deal with those before you agree to move. 

Maybe you're not completely 100% sure about this massive decision just yet. Maybe you’re not sure if expat life is right for you?

Maybe you have concerns about the destination? Perhaps it’s a timing issue? Have you discussed the future? What happens once the assignment is finished, or if one of you wants to stay and the other wants to leave?

There are numerous aspects of expat life that need thinking and talking about before you leap off into the wild blue yonder. 

Even if you're raring to go, there are still some discussions you need to have with yourself and with your partner. Even if you've said yes already, there’s still time to clear up some of the following issues.

• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 
• Want independent advice about your move overseas? For a one-to-one chat, please check my calendar for dates and options here  
• My book, ‘Expat Education: An Expat’s Guide to Choosing a School Overseas’ can be found on your local Amazon: 

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Exploring the culture shock of COVID19, lockdown and comfort zones.

In the past few months, life around the globe has changed beyond recognition as an invisible and deadly enemy has forced us all into varying degrees of lockdown. The dramatic changes to our daily lives caused by the COVID19 pandemic happened so fast that we didn’t have much time to contemplate the effect it would have on us, leaving us feeling shaken, afraid, and disoriented.

Nothing could have prepared most people for the culture shock of lockdown. And yes, I do mean culture shock.

Now we are moving out of lockdown. This is creating new issues, the main one of which is the matter of comfort zones. When we become anxious, we create a comfort zone. During lockdown, this comfort zone was forced upon us and now lockdown is easing, it's becoming hard to move out of our bubble.

• Want independent advice about your move overseas? For a one-to-one chat, please check my calendar for dates and options here  
• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 

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“Every goodbye calls for preparation, but most times, life takes us by surprise.”
- Elisabetta Gnone

Repatriation after an expat assignment is hard for everyone. It's even more difficult when your move back home is unexpected, unplanned, and unwanted.

This time of year (June/July) is traditionally the time expat families move on. 
But this year, the COVID19 pandemic has forced many expats to move back home suddenly, without notice and with little time to plan. 

So, this first Expatability Chat episode is all about repatriating and therefore, I'm starting at the end of expat life!

Lots of sympathy, advice, information, and insights so you’re realistically prepared for expat, and ex-expat life. 

• Get expat life support at every stage of your expat journey - from home to away and back again!  Join The Expatability Club: the one-stop-shop for everything expat. 
• To book a 1 hour, one-to-one call with me, please check out my diary, here: Expat Espresso Hour

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