Moving Countries? Master the Admin (Part Two) In this follow-on blog post we continue our dive into The Paperwork! With three international moves together hubby and I can confirm that focusing on the admin is essential. In part one we looked at documentation, taxes, credit and tax registration. Now we take a mini-dive into health … Continue reading Moving Countries? Master the Admin (Part II)
Moving Countries? Master the Admin (Part One)
With three international moves together (USA, UK, Canada) hubby and I have discovered that the one thing you can’t escape each time you move to a new country is The Paperwork! In this two-part post we share a few of the admin matters that were top of the list for us. Whether you are contemplating … Continue reading Moving Countries? Master the Admin (Part One)
Moving Countries? The Secret to Settling in Smoothly…
photo credit: Arlene Amitirigala ...Lower Your Expectations! Moving to a new country is exciting. At the beginning there is so much to discover and, if you move to a city like London, every day is a beginning. Even after three plus years I had barely scratched the surface. But what was it like settling in? … Continue reading Moving Countries? The Secret to Settling in Smoothly…
Moving Countries? Calculate the Stress Load.
Canada is our third international move as a family but between us both, hubby and I have done about 50 moves...before we met, together, within countries and to new countries. That’s a lot of packing and unpacking! We made our first big move as a family in 2008 to the USA. Our daughter, Lauren, was … Continue reading Moving Countries? Calculate the Stress Load.
Moving Countries? Teenager in Turmoil
‘You are going to Chile to live with your Aunt’ The words were like a wave washing over me suddenly, leaving me drenched, confused and gasping for oxygen. Did I hear that correctly? I’m leaving Jamaica, my school and my friends...to go where? The decision had been made. My brother and I were heading to Santiago, … Continue reading Moving Countries? Teenager in Turmoil
Adjusting is intentional; ask for what you need
Arlene at age 2, Kingston, Jamaica When I was three years old, I went to live with my paternal grandparents along with my brother. This was a big change for us both. My grandparents enrolled us in a private in-home kindergarten called Auntie’s School. Each morning my Grandmother would walk the half mile to this … Continue reading Adjusting is intentional; ask for what you need
My Story
I created this space to share my experiences of life on the move, living through change and the inevitable lessons along the journey. What it’s like to move when you are a teen, a young adult, a parent? I’ll share what makes it different as we peer through these various lenses, how to prepare for an international move, and how to adjust when you’ve landed. But first, here's my story in a nutshell and one of my greatest beliefs.
TrulyArlene 