Questions are a critical part of any move but especially an international move. These are some that came to mind for me before I moved to Korea to teach, along with a few I only started asking after I arrived.
[Note: If you’re not at all considering a move to Korea, think about how these kinds of questions might still apply to you…]
- Do I like trying new things?
- Am I okay with cold, gusty weather?
- Am I okay with hot, humid weather?
- Can I eat spicy food? Can I eat meat? Can I eat foreign food? Can I eat out of the same bowl as other people?
- Am I okay with living in a small apartment?
- Can I walk everywhere without killing myself?
- Am I prepared to wait the time it takes to process the visa to make the move, typically three to six months?
- Am I prepared to put my plans back home on hold for at least a year?
- Am I prepared to put in the extra effort it will take to adjust to life back home once I finish in Korea? How will I readjust?
- Am I okay with spending lots of time alone?
- Am I good at making friends?
- Am I willing to develop a different personality, one that’s tied to Korea and one that friends back home won’t know or understand?
- Is there anyone at home who might die while I’m away? If that happens, would I still consider Korea a good decision?
- Do I have enough money saved to live for two months without getting paid?
- What will I do if I get there and hate it after the first month? Is there a way to come back?
- Am I comfortable speaking in front of people?
- Am I comfortable struggling through a language I don’t understand?
- Is there any specific medication or food or anything else at home that I couldn’t live without?
- Am I flexible? Do I enjoy surprising challenges?
- Do I want to change my life? Can I learn to say goodbye?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Everyone will weigh their answers to these kinds of questions differently. The important thing, though, is to ask them in the first place.
