by Louise Lee

Created on: March 01, 2009   Last Updated: March 14, 2011

Are you considering making a move from one country to another? If you are, I do have some first-hand experience to share with you. Making a long-distance move is a tough decision especially when it involves leaving a comfortable environment to an unknown territory. My first and toughest move was when I declared my independence, leaving Hong Kong to Singapore alone. Second was an intentional short one-year mission in Vanuatu with a team of ten people, leaving my job of ten years. My experience of moving has taught me great lessons, that include those things that I did right and those I was ignorant of. I would like to share this with people like you who are contemplating making a long distance move.

A long distance moving involves leaving and entering. If you leave well, you will enter well. Ask yourself significant questions before you decide on making a move: Why am I considering this option? Do I have a choice not to? Will I regret if I do not make this move? Is this the right time? Who are involved in this decision? Will this move affect my relationship? Do I have enough information of my destination? How long should this move be? Am I coming back? Should I make a move?
If you have well considered all the above questions, you are ready to take the step of faith. This is a step of faith because you are stepping into an unknown future that affects everything in your life. I ranked this the second most important decision other than choosing a spouse. You can't afford to take this lightly.
Reason for Leaving
"Why are you making this move?" "Why am I considering this now? Not later, not earlier?" Many reasons for move are positive ones and many are negative ones, answer the question honestly. If your negative answers outnumber your positive ones, it is better that you hold on to this decision, you should not make the move. You should resolve the negatives first, until your positive reasons have become your strongest motivation to move on to another town or city or even country.

Reason for Entering
"Why are you moving to this particular country or city? Have you done enough research about the place you are going to? Do you have friends or relatives there? Are there major cultural differences you have to observe? Are you welcome? How are you going to support yourself and your family when you get there? Again you would have good and bad reasons for entering. Don't look for perfection because there is no perfect place to live on earth, unless you are moving

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