Moving Back to America
After you have lived in a new country for a while, you may find that the time is right for you to move back to America. Whether it is because you are too homesick, or because your financial or job situation has changed, there is always the possibility that the best course of action is to return from where you came. You might feel that it will be an easy transition, because you have already lived there, but you might be surprised.
It is always advisable to research the place you are moving to thoroughly. This will also be true if you are moving back to the United States, although to a lesser extent. While you might be familiar with the customs and general laws of the land, things may have changed slightly since the last time you were there. If you have not been keeping track of the news since you left, you will want to find out what you have been missing. Furthermore, even if you have been on top of the news, you may not know the laws regarding customs agencies and documentation that you will need in order to get back into the country. The American embassy in your current country should be able to help you with what you will need to return home.
Taking the Same Steps as When you Moved Internationally
You will also need to do all of the things that you had to do in order to move internationally. This means hiring an international moving company, such as Allied International, getting a budget together, packing your items (or have the moving company do it for you), and looking for a new home. If you are moving close to where you came from originally, you may know a real estate agent that you are comfortable with to help you out. If you are moving to a totally different part of the country, you will want to find one that you can trust, that will stay inside your budget, and will tell you everything you need to know about a house. This includes the neighborhood it is in, and the state of the utilities within the house.
Another thing to get in order is your finances in general. Hopefully you have kept a bank account in both your new and old country, which will allow for a smooth transition from one country to the next. If you do not have two accounts, things could get trickier. Find a bank that can handle international transactions and can convert whatever currency you are using to American dollars. Keep in mind that just as when you left America there may still have been taxes that needed to be paid, the same could be true for the country you are living in now. So it will still be a good idea to keep two accounts so you will not have to continue to convert currency.
There are also little things to consider. You may have gotten a new cell phone plan or internet provider that you will have to convert over. You might have to get a new driver’s license once you get back home. And quite possibly, you might feel a little bit of culture shock back in America. If you have lived in your new country for a long period of time, you have acclimated your body and mind to that way of life. Despite the fact that you used to live in America, it will still be a different way of life than what you are used to. You might even feel a little homesick for your international home and friends. If this is the case, use the same techniques to get over it that you used when you originally got there. Do not take for granted that it will be easy to get back to the American way of life, and make sure that you fully prepare yourself for your move, and life afterward.
