Connections

I am talking about the human kind, not electrical, telephone and such. This may be the single most important thing to get done and it may also be the hardest.

There is no single ideal person or group of people that will address your needs. Here are some reasons why.

• Someone who has only lived in one place/country is unlikely to understand what is important to you and what you are used to.
• Someone who is new to the place you are evaluating is not going to really understand how things work there or have the necessary connections.
• An ex-pat living in the place you are considering will not necessarily be looking for the same lifestyle you are. They also may wish to build up their ex-pat community in order to live less like a local.
• Someone with something to sell (a house, a car, ...) is more likely to be looking out for their interest than yours.

If this move is to where you will be speaking a new language, this gets harder yet. There are lots of social networks around these days but people lurking on them may have any number of the problems I offer here. I am looking for some positive possibilities but I have yet to find them.

In the mean time, your best approach is to remain as flexible as possible. For example, find a place to rent while you get adjusted to the new environment. While many people fear that they will lose out on good real estate prices, it is more likely you will make some connections which will help you find better deals than you could have before the move.

Make some low-impact connections. If there is a language change involved, see if you can enroll in an intensive language class with a home-stay option. If labor costs are low, hire a maid. Go to local social events. If you have a hobby, see if there are locals with the same hobby. Generally, just start participating. The potential payoff is huge.