Preeyan tells us about the challenges of relocating to work abroad, particularly in Africa. He cautions that if you are moving to a country in Africa you expect what you see on TV, but for any country it is not the case. A Different Truths exclusive for the Special Issue on Africa.
Your job can take you anywhere and when that happens and you find yourself in a different country, how prepared are you to face the different challenges that you may face. Weather, the people, the culture, the food, the place you stay, the facilities you can get and what not. I know that if you are moving to a country in Africa you expect what you see on TV, but for any country it is not the case.
Moving to a country on work will take you places you will be surprised even exists and the way life is lived there, If you are accommodative you may be able to fit right in and if you do not know how to deal with the place you end up wondering what you are doing there and about all the mistakes you had done up until that moment.
In this writeup, I would like to touch upon a few things that probably will help you face the surprises that may be thrown at you. The biggest surprise is the immigration, the officer stamping your passport will ask you such uncanny questions that suddenly gives a tingle of uncomforted feeling you already had. And then you have the air travel itself. Most people tend to strike a conversation with people in the flight. But with the Internet age most of them are self-centered and you may find yourself wanting company. There is an undue pressure that builds up in the mind that is rather unsettling. The excitement and cocktail of feelings that builds up need you to stay in control and ensure that what ever is done is sensible and planned.
Preparation starts with understanding where you are headed. Always do a research on how the location is, people and places you can visit. This is all available online. Keep your expectations at check and you should be able to like what you get. It is always wise to pack as per the baggage allowance the aircraft provides, excessive baggage is not advisable. So, plan and be thoughtful about what you are carrying. Too much of anything is not good and so is too less of anything. Basic supplies and if you are particular about something ensure you are carrying it. Talk to a few friends who are probably already there or been there if you are still not convinced about your preparation, but my suggestion is you will still end up doing what you want to do. Cash is important, an international credit card will be good but the conversion rate is always 10% higher than the actual so be selective in using it. In the meanwhile carry the best currency possible, why I don’t specify is because, conversion from INR to Thai Bhat is probably better than converting INR to USD and then reconversion. Whereas it may be the opposite for other currencies. So, this is perfectly location dependent. Visit the places you want to before you make this journey. And if it is for the first time, this is going to make you feel good before you travel.
Be mentally prepared that you may not be back home for a long time. This may be a few months and may sometimes run to years, but it is how you channel your mind that you will be able to cope with it. This is necessary because that is what drives people to get into some unnecessary habits and pleasures. The more you are affected the deeper you get into this. Hence working on your mental focus will help deal with a lot of these issues.
Be good at making new friends, very few people will have the luck of joining a friend. The faster you befriend someone the lighter it tends to feel. This will help you settle in faster and stronger. Working becomes that much better when you know you have friends around. Keep cultural and religious prejudice out of your mind and make friends with the local community. You will realize that they are the friends who will stand by you forever.
Be prepared to sweat it out. The stress only starts to get to you at work, it affects concentration and your focus. Hence you will be working doubly hard and sometimes it gets really tough. The best way to deal with this is by introspection and reinforcing the thought of the focus with which you took this call.
Try not to spend too much, the fact that you are not in your country will make you think on the lines your own currency or forget the value of the money in the country you are in. Both are not good for you and you will have to start focusing on saving. Overspending can become a problem, I would say loose your self for a month or two and that will allow you to get back your focus. Visit places, go on trips and try to keep yourself active as sometimes you may start feeling that there is no life.
Be true to yourself. Never forget who you are, your core values and your focus and ambition in life. every thing else is just material. In a foreign country you cannot afford to make mistakes and every mistake can be very expensive both in terms of value, time or effect on morale.
Stay true and keep your pride.
Cheers!
Photos from the Internet
#Africa #Money #WorkingInAfrica #INR #Economy #SpecialFeature #DifferentTruths
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Thank you very much indeed for this article. Your warning regarding immigration and your advice on currency rate are very helpful for tourists as well. Please write an article for the tourists who want to visit Africa.
Regards