08/12/2024
Tips to get settled in the country you Japa to.
Many successful Japa but not all will get settled in good time. Some never settle not because they don't want to but because they don't know how to. Settling when you Japa is finding your bearing, following it and rising above every challenge you encountered when you travelled for the first time.
Here are some useful tips.
1. Have a plan for your visa longevity. Visa remains ultimate when you Japa and you need to keep fresh in your mind how you intend to legally permanentize your study in the country you Japa to. If you are on a student visa, have plan B for permanent residency or work visa in-country or elsewhere. Have a plan C by also building your travel history by obtaining strategic visitor visas like that of the USA, Canada and Europe. For the latter, some countries like Austria, Portugal and Sweden afford you the chance to do a job search with a visit visa.
2. Don't settle for minimum wage jobs. You may start with it, but don't believe it is all you can get while studying. Seek for jobs that are hybrid or remote and pays more than the minimum wage. The more you earn, the more you can save. The more you will also get to enjoy your Japa experience. If any of these jobs are not forthcoming, then venture into Healthcare such as disability, support, aged care, mental health etc. They pay more than the minimum wage and you will get more take home than settling for minimum wage jobs. But let this be your plan B not plan A.
3. Network with purpose. Like the saying goes, who you follow determines what follows you. The association you keep abroad will determine how far you will go. If you flow with people that tell you abroad is hard and it is impossible to make it, it would shape your experience. So get into community spaces, or network with people that will make you better not bitter. People that inspire the vision of abroad you envision for yourself. Abroad get levels and it comes with the right thinking.
4. Have a mind of your own. The success of your Japa is largely dependent on your thought process. You will settle faster when you accept your reality and make concerted plans on how to navig*te it. If you don't have a mind of your own, others will think for you and you will be an extension of their own aspirations. Our individual destinies are all different so follow your path. If your desire is to travel to roam the world, have a mind of your own that tells you it is valid. If you want to buy properties, have the mind to follow it through.
5. Stay one step ahead. Your biggest asset to settling abroad is thinking long-term. Improve your skills. Change jobs to match pay increase and career goals. Pivot to a new field that pays more and gives you satisfaction. Also seek where others are not looking and max the opportunities in that space. Financial settlement is one of the biggest flex abroad and you can achieve it by seeing where others are looking.
Anything is possible and doable.