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Expat checklist: five simple steps to help you settle in

When you choose to live abroad, you know it will take time to truly feel settled in your new country. But some people adjust faster than others.

Published: 1 September 2020 13:45 CEST
Expat checklist: five simple steps to help you settle in
Photo: Getty Images

Certain steps you can take are straightforward. Others require a little more research (like learning about your new healthcare system) or a lot more patience (did someone mention mastering the language?).

The Local, in partnership with international insurance broker ASN, offers five essential tips to help you feel at home in your new life abroad.

International insurance solutions to suit your needs – find out more about ASN

1. Save and learn emergency services numbers 

You’ll never forget the emergency services phone number in your home country. But can you say the same about your adopted home? Finding the number, saving it to your phone and even memorising it will not take long. 

If you live in the European Union, 112 is the European emergency number – free to dial across the EU from fixed and mobile phones. You can use it to ring for an ambulance, the fire brigade or the police. In some EU countries, 112 functions alongside other national emergency numbers, while in others it is now the only number to dial.

2. Learn local laws and rules of the road 

The law is the law. Except, of course, it varies widely between countries and regions. Some bizarre old laws have never been repealed but seem unlikely to be enforced (we doubt, for instance, that frowning in Milan will actually land you in court). 

But as an international resident, some areas do require your attention to avoid getting caught out – driving rules, for example. Find out whether you need to exchange your driving licence for a local one and familiarise yourself with national speed limits and road signs.

And remember that legal drink drive limits vary internationally. In Europe, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania all have a zero tolerance approach – while Germany does not allow novice drivers to consume any alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

3. Understand your healthcare coverage and choices 

National healthcare systems are very different – in Europe and around the world. A good understanding of the local rules on social security and entitlement to healthcare could really boost your peace of mind. 

In the EU, it’s your economic status and place of residence that determine the country responsible for your health cover – not your nationality. Make sure you understand the rules that are relevant for your personal situation.

You may want to compare what publicly funded healthcare covers with your options through private health insurance. Going private can offer far more comprehensive coverage, with access to the best hospitals and doctors. 

With international health insurance, you can also add benefits such as dental, maternity, physiotherapy and alternative medicine. You also have flexibility to upgrade or downgrade your policy. 

ASN offers tailored worldwide international health insurance through a range of partners. It also offers travel insurance – including emergency medical cover – lasting for up to 11 months and life insurance.

ASN offers global health cover wherever you are – for when you need it most

Photo: Getty Images

4. Learn the language – but beware false friends! 

Learning the language of your host nation might feel like the biggest step to take before you can feel totally settled. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. And fluency will not come in a hurry either. 

Finding a way to learn at your own pace – without too much pressure – could help you build your confidence. If you’re able to enjoy the challenge of expressing yourself in your new language, some of the worries associated with living abroad may gradually start to reduce.

Be on your guard with ‘false friends’ – words that sound similar to an English word but mean something very different. For example, the Spanish word ’embarazada’ does not mean embarrassed – it means pregnant!

While learning, it’s important to be able to take care of personal matters in a language you’re comfortable with. ASN, which is based in Switzerland, offers global support in English, French, German and Italian, as well as access to 24/7 multilingual helplines.

5. Update your address 

One final tip – and a simple one! It has never been easier to stay continuously in touch with friends and family wherever you are. But could this lead you to overlook the need to update your address?

Governments, banks, insurers and other institutions still require an up-to-date postal address. And knowing you’re not missing any important mail can help secure your peace of mind.  

Need bespoke international health, travel or life insurance solutions? Find out more about how ASN can help you feel at home – wherever you are.

For members

LIVING IN NORWAY

Five places to find a sense of community in Norway 

One of the easiest ways to adjust to life in another country is to feel a sense of belonging, either by feeling part of the wider community or carving out your own path. 

Published: 22 April 2024 16:16 CEST
Five places to find a sense of community in Norway 

While plenty of factors, such as work-life balance, access to nature, and the country’s great potential for child raising, make it attractive, foreigners in Norway find it a difficult place to settle. 

In previous surveys among foreign residents, internationals in Norway have said that the culture and difficulty making friends made Norway a hard place to settle. 

Finding a sense of community and belonging can help people feel settled and at home. 

Even if you need to fit in more places, there will likely be somewhere in Norway where you can embed yourself into a community. 

Start with your neighbourhood or local area  

This may not be possible everywhere, and not everyone is guaranteed a great relationship with their neighbours. 

However, life in the big cities in Norway could be set up for strong micro-communities. This is because many apartment blocks are arranged into housing associations. 

These business-like entities allow the residents to get involved with the running of the community. You could contribute by joining the board, or you may wish to get involved with dugnad (voluntary work) in the spring and autumn. 

There may also be seasonal parties and meetups organised by the neighbours.

READ ALSO: Seven ways you will accidentally annoy your Norwegian neighbours

Volunteering 

Giving back to your local community can definitely make it feel like you are an important building block. 

Norway has around 100,000 volunteer organisations that offer several opportunities to get involved and help others. 

From coaching kids’ sports teams to helping other immigrants integrate, there are hundreds of ways to go about volunteering. 

There are a number of places where you can find some volunteering work, such as Frivillighet Norge, Norges Frivilligsentraler, and Frivillig.no. 

READ ALSO: How can I find volunteer work in Norway?

Sports, old and new 

One of the best ways to feel involved in something is to be part of a team. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get involved with sports in Norway. 

If you live in the big cities, there are plenty of ways to pick up a new sport, keep a lifelong passion going, or pick up the baton after a few years off. 

Oslo, for example, has facilities for sports of all types, from rock climbing to cricket. There are also plenty of chances to get involved in a number of sports just beginning to take off in Norway, such as padel, pickleball, or racketlon. 

There’s much more than just racquet sports too, it’s simply a case of looking for something that suits your fancy. If there is a sport from where you are from that you miss, you likely aren’t the only one, so be sure to check if there is an equivalent close to you. 

Many of these sports will have an associated club, meaning there will be several social opportunities to gather. 

Not all sports require you to be an athlete, either. There are plenty that require a degree of skill, but are also inclusive, such as the game cornhole. 

Hobbies 

It’s not just being part of a sports team that can help you get close to others over a shared interest. 

There are also plenty of opportunities to get to know people and feel a part of something while enjoying your hobbies. If it’s gardening, consider an allotment, cars or bikes, and you could join a motor club. 

If you speak a language other than English, you could consider a language café. From there, you could consider sharing your language with others in a community full of people interested in other languages and cultures. 

Foreign resident groups 

Sometimes, the community you might be missing has more to do with where you have left than it has to do with where you are. 

In that regard, it might be nice to surround yourself with people from a similar part of the world. Thanks to social media, there are groups for pretty much everyone in Norway, as well as groups for new residents or foreign residents, more generally. 

These groups will typically act as support networks where people can ask questions, rant, arrange meetups and generally support one another. 

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