So I've been holding out on some pretty important information lately. I have moved again, where you ask? back to the UK. I'm not going to say NZ was a bad decision. I have loved every minute spending time with my family, but I really struggled to fit back in to life in New Zealand and the thought of traveling to new locations excites me!!

Moving to a different country sounds like a daunting task but it doesn't have to be complicated, you do have to be organised though...  This is the third time I have moved countries, so I see myself as kind of an expert. I thought I would create a checklist to ensure you all have a smooth transition when you move.

What’s first on the agenda?

If you want to work you better get a visa otherwise it’s illegal. If you are thinking the UK most Kiwi's are from British heritage so even look in to possibly getting dual passport. The first time I moved to the UK I entered on a working holiday visa - you can find out if you fit the criteria here. This time I am entered the UK on a EEA family permit and then will be applying for my residency (I'll talk about the application process in a different blog post).

The next thing to consider is money. SAVE, SAVE and SAVE as much money as you can. Moving to a new country is not cheap and the little costs do add up. Depending if you have a job already lined up I would suggest to save enough money to support yourself for a month or two when you first arrive. This website was great for when I was trying to figure out my budget. More money = less stress.

Buying the flights: I could do a whole blog post on the best airlines and where to stop over for long haul flights. Sky Scanner is my favourite site to look up to compare flights but do shop around. If you're under 31 you're still considered a youth and some websites like STA travel give you discounts so look out for them. note: also consider luggage size remember you are moving countries you have to fit as much as you life in to that suitcase.
Going along side the flights is travel insurance. If my luggage goes missing as long as I can claim it back.

If you have managed to land yourself a job in your new country, congrats thats an awesome start. If not, don't worry there are plenty of jobs around. Resigning from a job with out having another one lined up is terrifying, but I will assure you if your not fussy you will find something quickly. I have done this three time over the past 4 years and I have only been out of a job for 3 weeks max. In the mean time while you wait for your dream job to pop up get in contact with recruitment agents and apply for temp and contract work while you wait for something you really want to do permanently.

Next thing is to start looking at is the actual move. First things first handing in your notice to your landlord and cancelling all your automatic bills. Most tenancy agreements or bill payments ask for at least a months notice, so don't forget to do this step. You really don't want to be paying rent or bills at two places.

Last thing on the list is to pack! I started selling everything in my flat two months before I moved, anything that was sentimental I put in storage (My mum was kind enough to store it for me). Anything I didn't need for about 3 months I packed up to ship over. I was moving over in the summer time so I packed all my winter items in to a box to be shipped over. Finally have your whole life packed up in to 1x 30kg bag, your one way ticket and insurance your ready to go!

xSx