These problems can be avoidable if one understands the purpose of working overseas. If an OFW has already encountered any of these issues, learning from them and taking steps to prevent them from happening again will help an OFW meet his purpose of making the sacrifice in working overseas. People around you speaking other languages (in Belgium, two of them and three if you count the tiny German community), and unless you do also, you’ll feel excluded. In many countries, political officials are deeply involved with the commercial businesses. That’s the best advice for moving abroad. Expats have a tendency to be transient. However, mainly due to the ever growing influence of the Internet, you should be able to investigate potential problems and issues in any country which you are considering. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one to feel this way. Moving abroad for work takes careful preparation, and this, of course, is just a short list of to-dos. Relationships. Expat Problem #5: You’re Lonely. As you have read, many of these problems are not due to the lack of financial resources, but for lack of planning, knowledge, in many cases of interest in learning new things. 3. If you’re really contemplating international work, be sure to do plenty of research on the country and company and talk to others who’ve made the same move. Over half of those surveyed (52%) said this was the biggest issue they encountered and cited making new friends in a new country one of the biggest challenges. However, like all worthwhile adventures, it will be a bit scary and maybe even overwhelming at times. Since they send almost all of their income to their families back home, they need to make sacrifices and even neglect their basic needs while living abroad. Expect the unexpected. 1. If you move to your new home with an understanding of how it will affect you financially, it will be easier to adjust once you’re there. Romantic relationships also suffer with 38% of single respondents saying the expat life makes having a romantic relationship more difficult. While we have attempted to put together five of the more common problems encountered by expats moving overseas, we have only just uncovered the tip of the iceberg. Distance: Due to long distance between different countries, it is difficult to establish quick and close trade contacts between traders. Financial – Most Filipinos think that working abroad will earn them big money but sometimes, they don’t receive the high income that they expected. Buyers and sellers rarely meet one another and personal contact is rarely possible. Ethical Issues and Political Affairs. Studying abroad not only gives you a newfound sense of independence, but also prepares you for adulthood. Business Insider logo The words "Business Insider". We prepare as best we can, especially when we're heading overseas to teach abroad.You may have already learned the local language and gotten TEFL certified, but there’s often more than meets the eye. Throughout this article, we talked about the main problems small companies face when working with marketing. Loneliness, time management problems, and digital miscommunication are just some of the problems you may face if you work remotely. This can be done by reading through the thousands of volunteer reviews available online on individual organizations' websites and on independent review websites, such as gooverseas.com and abroadreviews.com.. And when you don’t stay in one place long enough to form lasting friendships, it can often feel lonely. Before volunteering abroad, it's a good idea to research the most common complaints/problems that people have.. Language comes first, I would say. The number-one problem facing expats is the loss of their personal support networks. 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