Kulture Kaiwa

If you’ve just moved or are planning a move abroad, go you! You’ve got an incredibly fulfilling journey ahead. Here’s a few tips to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy during the move.

Having done a year of study abroad in Japan to round off my university degree back in 2017, I always knew I wanted to try living and working in Japan at some point. There were many things that prolonged my return to Japan: a working holiday in Canada came first, then Covid kept me in Western Australia for some time, which led me to pursue work as a pastry chef, and then there were some health problems that needed attending to, etc, etc, excuse, excuse. Eventually, I stopped letting the little voice in my head saying ‘but I need to do this first’ hold me back and I forced myself to take the leap, ready or not.

Being my third time moving overseas I really thought I was prepared for anything. However, it’s at this point in my life that I’ve realized that travel in any shape or form will have some element of unpredictability – you can prep and plan down to a T but it’s unavoidable by nature. As someone who really struggles to accept a lack of control, this can be a tough pill to swallow, but any well-versed traveller will tell you that it’s part of the thrill of the adventure; best to embrace it and let life teach you the lessons you need to learn. In saying that, here are just a few lessons I’ve learnt this time ’round.

1. Leave yourself an adequate amount of time off work to organize your belongings

No Matter How Minimalist You Think You Are, Moving Your Stuff TAKES TIME

I’ve moved a lot over the last eight years and as a result, I’ve made it a habit to live lighter, or so I had thought. It’s true that I no longer purchase things that aren’t necessary (either for living or my happiness), but when you stay in one place for a few years you get comfortable, you make the house you’re in a home, and stuff accumulates. “Oh I really only own clothes, some kitchen appliances, and my car,”. But then there’s the bicycle outside (in my case, there were 3), and the digital keyboard downstairs, and all of your baking tins in the cupboard, what about the 8 pairs of shoes scattered around the house, oh you can’t forget the bedding, gosh don’t even get me started on the countless condiments and food packets in the fridge and cupboard. Every. Little. Item. Takes. Time.

If you’re leaving a job, arrange to have at least two weeks between your day of notice and the day you jet off. If you plan to keep your job and work remote, take the time off. The last thing you want is to be running around passing on boxes to family members and emptying out the fridge just hours before your flight – trust me.

2. Avoid the stress of squeezing in social time amongst all of your moving preparation by scheduling your goodbyes in advance

Saying Goodbyes Also TAKES TIME

Moving time is often when you realize how many connections you have at home, and how far apart they all live. A goodbye party is a great option, check off all the names at once and at the same location? You beauty! If you’re not a party planner, then I suggest scheduling in catch ups a month or two prior to leaving. In doing so you can avoid the guilt of ‘crap, I didn’t get to see X’ when you’re time is all up. DON’T make my mistake and wait until the last two weeks to squeeze in goodbyes, and be strong enough to say no to someone requesting a last minute catch up if you genuinely don’t have the time. You’ll need that precious packing time, and most importantly, you also need time for rest – which brings us to the next tip.

3. Get as much rest as possible in the days leading up to departure

Stress + Poor Sleep + Airports = Unwelcome Illness

Take it from me, this one’s important. The stress and excitement of moving to another country is enough to keep you awake when you don’t have a packed schedule. If you’re squeezing in everything in tips 1 & 2 into the last two weeks then chances are, you haven’t left yourself enough time to rest. Stacking poor sleep onto your stress is a surefire way to weaken your immune system, and if we’ve learnt anything from Covid, it’s that airports have a constant flow of germs and bacteria passing through just waiting to invade your body.

I woke up during the first leg of flights with a heavy head and stuffy nose, and by the time we reached our destination, I had well and truly come down with an illness. With the combination of battling a virus and adjusting from a cold Perth winter to an unbearably hot and humid Japanese summer, it’s a miracle I didn’t pass out on the street looking for our apartment. The first week that should have been exciting and adventurous was instead spent stuck in bed catching up on all of the rest I didn’t give myself in the weeks prior. Thanks to Japanese conbini meals and my supportive partner, I made it through the fog, but it wasn’t without tears and frustration. Set yourself up for a good first week by getting rest when you need it instead of waiting for your body to make you take a mandatory break when you’d much rather be out exploring.

4. Pack your usual meds and vitamins

Ask your GP for extra prescriptions and buy bulk packs of your preferred painkillers, cold & flu tablets, antihistamines, vitamins – whatever you’re used to taking.

You may not end up using them but it is always better to have your preferred medications on hand for when you do need them. There’s nothing more annoying than having to leave the house when you’re sick, especially when you have to wander around looking for the right place to buy medicine and then also figure out what brand to buy when they’re all unfamiliar to you. Having everything you need in your bathroom cupboard will bring you relief on those days when you wake up feeling not quite yourself.

It’s also important to bring any vitamins or supplements you might be used to taking with you. Moving to a new environment with different foods can be quite a physical shock to your body, you don’t need to add any extra surprises to the system. I failed to pack any iron tablets from home and a few weeks in to the move I found I was struggling to get out of bed. I immediately knew what was up and promptly googled iron tablets in Japan. Since I’ve spent years studying the language I’m never too worried about finding the products I need, but for a first timer this predicament can be pretty daunting and time-consuming. Avoid any extra stress by arriving fully stocked for at least the first few months, by the time any of it runs out you’ll be more comfortable with your new environment and capable of sourcing local brands.

5. Have A Support System In Place

Making the move abroad can be the most exhilarating experience of your life, but it can quickly become the loneliest, if you let it.

Whether you’re braving the move solo or have a partner/friend accompanying you, being in a new city without your usual circle of friends or family around can feel pretty isolating. Having to suffer through illness and acclimatizing during my first week in Tokyo was difficult, but the hardest part was knowing my loved ones were no longer a stones throw away if I needed them. I had all kinds of negative thoughts, really questioning whether coming to Japan was the right move, and without the support and care from my partner, those thoughts might just have gotten the better of me.

Now I’m not saying that you need a partner to survive the move, because honey, you do not. You’re a strong, independent individual, capable of getting through any challenge that comes your way. Buttttt it is nice to have someone to remind you of that when you’re not so good at convincing yourself. Ask family members to be readily available for phone calls during your first few weeks, reach out to old friends or family you might have in your new area, or just have someone available who’s in the same time zone as you. If none of these are viable options for you then try joining online expat groups or following solo travel bloggers and making some new connections – there are people all around who’ve gone through the hurdles of moving overseas who can give advice. Heck, reach out to me if you’re truly in the thick of it and feel like you have no one to turn to. You’re not alone.