To help ensure you settle into your new host country as quickly and easily as possible, here are three important things you should know when you’re gearing up to go.

You’ll need to be savvy with your money

Careful financial planning is a must when you move abroad. Offering advice on this topic, RL360° Quantum notes that many popular expat locations don’t provide state pensions. Because of this, it’s essential that you find a portable and secure home for your investments and savings. The company also recommended speaking to a qualified financial adviser to help you find solutions that match your needs.

As well as thinking about saving for the future, it’s a good idea to try to clear outstanding debts at home before you set off to start a new life abroad. Settling any personal loans and credit cards will make managing your finances less complicated when you move overseas and it will mean you don’t have to worry about currency fluctuations impacting on your repayments.

It’s worthwhile keeping your current account in the UK, but let your bank know you’re leaving and ask for a reference letter. This will make it easier to do things like rent property when you move abroad. You may benefit from opening an international bank account too as this will enable you to bank in different currencies.

  Why I Studied a Semester Abroad & The Best Countries To Consider

You’ll also need to get to grips with taxes in your new host country. If you’re not careful, you could end up paying levies both in your new country and in Britain for a period of time. Some countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Spain, France and Italy, have ‘double tax agreements’ with the UK that dictate which nation has taxing rights on specific sources of profit or income. If you’re not sure about anything to do with taxation, make sure you speak to a financial adviser.

Plenty of research is essential

The more time you spend researching your destination country before you set off, the more confident you can be that things will go to plan when you arrive. Make sure you check out everything from the visas you’ll need to the healthcare systems that are in place, the rules governing renting or buying property and how to get a driving licence. If you’re taking kids with you, you’ll also need to check out schooling provisions.

  Things to consider when renting out your property before you go travelling

It helps to get to grips with any cultural differences before you arrive too. This could impact on a wide range of things, including the clothes you wear and how you interact with people socially or at work. Making sure you’re in the know when it comes to all these issues will mean that you don’t experience any unwelcome surprises once you arrive.

Expect to feel homesick

It takes time to settle into a new country and you should expect to feel homesick to begin with. You’re bound to miss friends and family and you might also yearn for the familiar sights and sounds of the UK. Being in regular contact with your loved ones and planning trips back home should help you cope. However, it’s also important to focus on settling into your new community. Taking language classes, socialising with your colleagues or neighbours and exploring your surroundings are all things that can help you start to feel more comfortable and confident. Over time, any homesickness should ease.

In general, the key to moving overseas is to start your planning as early as possible and to make sure you’re fully clued up.

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In case you’re thinking of studying abroad for part of your degree, I thought I would share some of the benefits, as well as a list of the best countries to consider studying in.

The benefits

Of course, one of the most obvious benefits of opting to study abroad is getting to see more of the world. Unlike when you go abroad on holiday when you’re actually living in another country, you get a real feel for the culture of the place. You also get lots of time to see and explore the country.

Do you love meeting new people and making new friends? If you do, studying abroad is a fantastic option for you. You’ll get to study with a group of people who you’ve never met before and will be able to build lots of friendships. Many of which, will last for life. If you opt to live with a host family or halls, you’ll most likely become close to them as well as the other students in your classes.

You will also get the chance to apply to some of the best schools in the world. I was able to gain a place at Griffith University in Australia to study a combination of marketing and psychology modules. Griffith University ranks in the top 5 per cent of universities in the world. It has 43000 students on five campuses in South East Queensland.

The great thing about taking part in a semester abroad is that you’ll get to learn in an entirely new way. The chances are that the college or university that you go to will teach in a different way to what you’re used to. This will teach you how to learn in new ways and adapt more quickly to change – both useful life skills to have.

The best places to consider

Take the time to review all the universities on your list, and find modules that are relevant. I already had an idea of certain parts of the world I wanted to visit, and then narrowed my list down to 3 – 4 universities.

There are lots of countries to consider when it comes to where to spend your time abroad studying. Where you can go may depend on which educational facilities your university has links with. Or, you may be able to choose any country that you want to spend a semester at.

I considered Japan (third on my list), however I was worried it was going to be too much of a culture shock and a language barrier. I didn’t want my education to be impacted by trying to overcome these daily challenges. I figured that moving somewhere new would make university hard enough, as it is!

Australia is a fantastic option if you fancy spending your time in another country that speaks English. Although you’ll need a visa and a clear criminal record to get into Australia, the application process isn’t too difficult. The same goes for Canada, which is another great option (second on my list!) if you want to study abroad in an English-speaking country. To find out more about Australia’s process of gaining entry to the country visit their home office website. To learn more about getting access to Canada, check out https://official-canada-eta.com/ and read up.

These three were at the top of my list, as I wanted to explore part of the world I didn’t usually get a chance to visit. Usually flights to places on my bucket list are pretty expensive but I managed to pick up flights for Spring Break to Bali from Australia for a fraction of the cost of what tickets from London cost. 

But if you would rather be a little closer to home, Europe can be a fantastic option. Admittedly, we don’t know how long we’ll be able to visit mainland Europe without a visa, thanks to Brexit. But for now, nothing’s changed. So if you want to study abroad somewhere that’s not too far from home, Spain, France or Italy are all great options.

So there you have it, a guide to the benefits of travelling abroad, as well as the best places to consider.

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The first thing to put on your list is a trip the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. For those who have never been to Australia before, this will touch on a lot of the things you see on postcards and in friends’ photos. It’s essentially a zoo, but it also has adventurous activities to enjoy, such as the adult high ropes course. But most importantly, you’ll get to feed and observe kangaroos, and if you’d like, hold a koala! It’s a bit touristy, but it’s also absolutely wonderful.

When you’ve knocked this basic tourism staple off the list, it’s time to get out and explore the region a bit more, And for that, nothing beats a tour that takes you through different cities, coastal views, and even wine producing regions throughout the east coast of Australia. Dial a Flight, a UK-based travel assistance website, has a number of prearranged tour options involving this coast exploration. There are choices available for various stretches of coastline, each with a different focus (wine, beaches, cities, etc.). And even if you don’t pick one of these in particular, they can help you to get ideas for exploring the region.

For a specific outdoor site to check out and enjoy in a way you won’t find many places in the world, stop by the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. It’s just a short way inland (to the northwest) from Gold Coast. You’ll feel like you’re walking right through some sort of fantasy series as you explore the walkways, which take you through and over the trees in a lush, beautiful rainforest.

In addition to specific attractions, glimpses of the rainforest and wildlife, and tours, you should also include a few popular beaches in your stay. There are a number of options you can enjoy throughout Gold Coast, but Surfers Paradise is probably the biggest hub for tourists. It offers a festive stretch of beach right outside the city that’s always alive with activity at shops, restaurants, etc. The beautiful Broadbeach is a bit more low-key, but it’s also very enjoyable.

Finally, you’ll need to find the right place to stay in Gold Coast. While this comes down entirely to what you’re looking for in your accommodations, there are a few places worth taking a look at. The Gold Coast Holiday Park is a nice in-between option, with the comforts and convenience of a luxury option but at fairly reasonable prices. And for those seeking out more affordable, backpacking style accommodations, there are plenty of apartment and hostel locations in and around the city.

It’s still just a beginning to planning your trip. But if you’re taking off to the Gold Coast area any time soon, keep these tips and destinations in mind to start you off!

This is a guest post by Stan Porter. Originally from the UK, Stan is an international travel enthusiast who enjoys sharing his travel writing and photography with various blogs and sites online.

– Follow me on Bloglovin | Twitter | G+ | Facebook 

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My parents paid for the $299 trip as part of my 21st birthday present that’d I’d be spending away from home, which was sweet. This covered All transportation, 2 Nights dorm accommodation, 2 Breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, a traditional Aussie BBQ, sea kayaking, learn to surf lesson, a day at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and plenty of time to enjoy the beach! We had the option to do a sky dive and a hang glide as well, at an extra fee.

After meeting some friends for life from the United States, I somehow managed to get dragged into a sky dive. Believe me, I’ve been scared of heights since I can remember. I had no interest in having my feet off the ground. Once everyone was signing up I felt like if I was ever going to do it, now was the time. I would kick myself if I wanted to do it in the future and passed up the opportunity to do it in one of the best countries in the world.

Our sky dive was the following day and we had to meet at 6am to get ready and have a lesson, but alas! We woke up cloudy skies and it was drizzling. We were told that if sky diving was still on, we would be given a phone call and would be able to go. The skies never cleared and we didn’t get to jump; I figured it was fate. Now I had the buzz for it though, and I couldn’t wait to get up there, and was actually disappointed we couldn’t go anymore(I’d also especially gone and bought some lace-up vans especially for the sky dive because apparently flip flops aren’t okay !).

We headed back to the Gold Coast after an exhausting weekend of sea kayaking, surfing and lots of drinking and carried on with our insane international exchange adventure. The guys decided they still wanted to go, so I rung up and booked us in – again! Another 6am start, we headed in a mini bus shuttle down to Byron Bay. I don’t think the reality of what was about to happen had kicked in and I just listened to music and had a nap. My friend Don looked terrified but I was just more concerned about getting a sandwich.

Once we arrived and signed up, we realised there were tonnes of people in front of us in the queue and only two planes, so we knew it would be a wait. That’s when the nerves started kicking-in. It was so exciting watching everyone else having a ‘lesson’ on what to do once you jump out the plane etc;. Finally, our names were called and it was our turn to go through the motions of the ‘banana’ pose and landing safely. We were told to take off our watches, given a harness and some sky diving trousers to wear over our shorts.

Don’s harness was so tight around his shoulders, yet mine was just falling off my shoulder. I asked the instructor if he would tighten it and he said that it was as tight as he could make it and just to hold on when I jumped, and gravity would pull it tight during the fall. This was NOT reassuring! At this point, Don has a huge smile on his face and his nerves are gone, and I’m absolutely terrified thinking that it’s a ludicrous idea and ready to jump on the mini bus back home. Next thing I know, I’m being shuffled into a plane!

My instructor was so lovely! He asked how old I was and I accidentally said 19 (I was 21!), and then he asked what university I went to and I said “One in Australia!” I was so nervous that I just couldn’t concentrate – it was such a bizarre feeling trying so hard to focus whilst completely sober and not being able to control myself. I asked him how many jumps he’d done and I can’t remember the number he said now… but it was at least a 5-digital number. This put a little bit more confidence into me, and then everyone started jumping!

Don was soon a dot within less than a second, and I was the last one out of the plane to jump. I shuffled across the bench in the plane along to the door with my instructor stuck to my back. Ready to hold on for my life, I suddenly felt his tighten the straps so hard I was wrenched backwards. The relief I felt, I could have jumped out of the plane that second! He could have told me that they tighten the straps before you jump!! Head back, deep breath and we rolled out the door on the count of three.

The rolling and upside down part was a bit of a blur. The 60 second free-fall was nothing like I expected. I didn’t feel like I was falling, but I felt like I was suspended in peaceful, mid-air in sheer silence. People asked me afterwards if you can breathe – Yes, easily actually. It doesn’t make a difference, however we were told to close our mouths if we did have trouble and then breathe through your nose. I screamed most the way, and my jaw was dropped open with pure astonishment the rest of the time (I wasn’t even thinking about my breathing!). Another question was, does it make your stomach feel funny? Nope! You fall with gravity pulling you, unlike a roller coaster that unnaturally pulls you down.

After the free-fall was over and the parachute had been deloying my instructor loosened my straps to make me more comfortable. He didn’t tell me this though, so I thought he was having a bad day and decided to kill us both (me going first, without the parachute!). I screamed and grabbed the harness, I bet he thought I was completely mental haha! The parachuting went on for quite a while afterwards and it was nice to just feel the buzz and enjoy the scenery as we glided over Byron beach <3.

I’m so glad I didn’t chicken out and did my jump in Byron Bay with some super special people. The feeling I had when I hit the floor, then saw my friend and gave him a hug was indescribable. It’s something I’ll never forget xo

PS: The video is about triple the length that the above clip is. My free-fall was 60 seconds but I cut the video down because it’s just me mouthing words can shouldn’t be repeated, screaming, and my nose being pulled up like a piggy by the pressure

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