Every year, many people decide to up sticks and move to Greece, and I really don’t blame them. Greece is a particularly beautiful part of the world, and many of us would love to wake up somewhere really special every morning. Chances are if you’re reading this article you’re thinking about moving to Greece. Perhaps you’ve stayed in a villa in crete and got a real taste for the country, or you’ve stayed in a hotel somewhere else in Greece and decided to live here permanently.
But how can you make your move so much easier on yourself? We all know that moving to another house can be quite stressful, so moving to a whole new country could be even more stressful than you imagined! Fear not! Below you will find a few tips that could make your move to Greece so much easier:
Visit the Country One More Time
One of the best things you can do before you really commit to moving to Greece is to visit the country one more time. Spend at least one week there and take a good walk around. Does the area offer you everything you need? Is there anything that you need but would struggle to find here? What is it that you’re looking for, and can you find it here? Please note that if you decide to move to Greece or anywhere else, after a while reality will hit, and you’ll have to live with your decision. This is why it pays to visit the country at least one more time so that you can make a proper decision about this life-changing move.
Have a Job to Walk Into
Unless you’re planning to retire to Greece, you may want to think about having a job to walk into. This may mean that you’ll have to travel to Greece for a job interview, or it may mean that you ask your boss to transfer you to Greece. Don’t assume that you will get a job just because you have a job back home, nothing is guaranteed, and you could find yourself with not much money in the bank and no job in sight.
Think about what kind of job you are looking for, and see if there is anything available. If you plan on living in an area that’s popular with tourists you could always take a job in a restaurant or hotel. Any job is better than none, so make sure you don’t set the bar too high, and accept any job you’re offered.
Have Time to Settle in
One of the best things you can do when moving to a new country is to give yourself time to settle in. it’s likely that you’re going to find the transition quite overwhelming, especially if you’ve moved to an area that has a different culture from yours. Relax, observe the differences around you, and try to concentrate on the good aspects of your new life. Don’t worry if you don’t feel at home right away, it will take at least three months for you to settle in properly.
Start to Learn the Language
Unless you’re already fluent in Greek, you may want to think about learning the language. While many people do speak English, not everyone does, and you may be faced with situations that would just be so much easier if you knew what was being said. You’ll also find that people are a lot more open and friendlier if they know you’re learning the language. Start learning the basics before you leave for Greece, and continue to learn the language while you’re there, you’ll feel better for it.
Make Sure you have Somewhere to Live
You may think that I’m stating the obvious, but not everyone has a place to live when they arrive in their chosen country. Some people assume that they can happily live out of a hotel room for a few years, but this isn’t always the case. Living out of a small room can make life hard, especially if you have a lot of things. The best thing you can do is rent a villa, apartment, or a home, and live there until you get your own place. Depending on where you’ve moved to, you may be unable to buy a property, so you’ll have to get used to renting your accommodation.
Learn what the local property market is like, see what you can afford, and make arrangements to live somewhere for at least a year. After a year has passed you should feel more settled and have a better idea of where you would like to live.
Work Out What you need to Take with you
Before you set sail for a new life somewhere, you may want to work out what you need to take with you. For example, your new home may already be kitted out with all the furniture you need, and it would be a shame if you paid to transport everything when you don’t really need to. You may plan to stay in a villa for a year, unable to bring everything with you as you may not have the room. In cases such as these, it would pay for you to find out what you need, and what you don’t need. This means you can take everything that you need with you, and leave everything else behind.
Moving to Greece, or any other country for that matter can be quite daunting. Use the above tips to help your move to be easier, and less of a culture shock. The more prepared you are for your new life, the easier it will be for you to make the transition.