Is 2018 The Time To Get A Move On?
Christmas and New Year tends to be a time when we take a moment to sit back and take stock of our lives.
Of course we know having family round and enjoying a few glasses of mulled wine can lead to a little sentimentality – either about how things are right now or how they used to be; and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But, as well as the inevitable nostalgia, it’s also a time when we look to the future and make promises to ourselves and, for some, that may be a whole new start in life, perhaps even in a different country.
A Time To Dream
Of course, new-year resolutions are frequently broken – some within days or weeks – and uprooting the family and moving to a different part of the world is perhaps one of the scariest or most ambitious targets we can set ourselves.
But it’s by no means impossible; many actually achieve it every year. But it’s also easy to have your dreams trampled all over, not necessarily by cold hard facts but often by well-meaning family and friends who have a tendency to present obstacles rather than offer encouragement.
After all, to them, it may seem somehow wrong to actively encourage someone to move thousands of miles away.
But, if you’re determined, methodical and thorough in your preparation, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever why you can’t make your dreams of a new life somewhere sunny come true. All we would recommend is that you make sure you know the difference between facts and hearsay.
Facts Or Fiction
If someone begins to relate something about the country you’ve chosen to consider as a new home and begins with “I’ve heard …” or “someone was telling me …” remember these things may not be fact. Check them out.
If you have your own concerns – perhaps about the options for schooling the children, relocating the dog or finding work – research them and establish the realities not the imagined setbacks (a quick look at our previous blogs could be a starting point).
If you don’t feel you know enough about the culture or the cost of living in your chosen country, consider a research trip. If that’s out of the question, you can always do a Google search for public forums for expats already living there.
Again, though, remember not everyone’s experience of making the jump will be the same. Some may rile against your apparent naivety while others will perhaps over-simplify the complexities involved in emigration.
But before you do any of that, why not start the year by making a simple list of the advantages and disadvantages of a new life abroad? Be honest, take your time and include everything and, by the time you’ve finished, we’re pretty sure you’ll know where your heart really lies – and, as a result, what you have to do next.
We sell properties in Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Please contact us if you have any questions and we’re always happy to help you to take the next step. For non EU citizens, we also facilitate the Golden Visa Investment Program in Portugal, Spain and Greece. Please contact us for any information regarding this.