My first move from India to Indonesia was entirely due to my parents.

For college, Singapore seemed to be the best option for me since their universities are recognized internationally and place well in international rankings.

Stockholm

Studies have found that Swedes are some of the most open people in the world–maybe too open. It really pains me to sometimes see that after Sweden welcomes immigrants, some of the immigrants do not obey laws and hurt the police amongst others. I love Sweden and I love the tolerant nature of the Swedes but as my friend says “we shouldn’t tolerate intolerance.”

Houston

When I went to the US, I had a totally different cultural experience. For my training assignment at work, it was an internal selection process again. For those looking for an international assignment, I would really encourage you to look at your company’s internal job portal and see what kind of openings they have in the country of your choosing. Though it may not explicitly say that they are willing to consider international applications, you’d be surprised what could happen if you express keen interest in the job and show how you are qualified for it!

My employer started a new facility in Singapore, and a lot of us who were hired on didn’t have the necessary experience for the more complex projects. So our employer sent us to Houston, who had more experienced engineers who could train us.

We were put up in an Extended Stay Hotel which had a shuttle that would take us back and forth to work. On the weekends, I participated in as many cultural activities as possible.

Some people say you get bigger when you move to the US [Laurie: apparently America’s love of fast food is not a secret], but I actually lost about 15-20 pounds. I started training for a triathlon, and bought a bike which I eventually shipped back to Singapore. We did a bunch of cultural activities, like going to the Houston Livestock Show. We went to a shooting range (that was one day before I flew back to Singapore. People told me to make sure to do my laundry that night, so I wouldn’t set the sensors off in the airport.)

I went absolutely crazy shopping at the premium outlets, because things are so much more expensive in Singapore. When my parents were visiting, I told them not to bring any checked bags, so they could bring my stuff back with them. We had over 200 pounds of luggage at the airport! Your dollars go much further in the US.

I have friends who found jobs overseas independently and I also have friends who run websites specifically to help people find jobs overseas.

1. Determine your objective – why do you want to move overseas and which country + what type of jobs will help you achieve this objective.
2.  Determine the immigration process – the last thing you want to do is find a job, apply for it whole heartedly and then find that you are not eligible because they are not willing to sponsor a visa for you.
3. Go all in – once you’ve decided to achieve something, pursue it will 100% determination.

Do you have any funny culture shock moments?

In Swedish, the word for good is “bra.” And the word for 6 is “sex.” As a 19 year old, it took me a while to stop giggling at that!

In the US, it was the fact that you just had to drive to get anywhere. Living in Singapore where there is an excellent public transport system, I never felt the urge to learn how to drive. But when it came to the US, it was a necessity. So I took lessons, got my license and the very next night, drove on the wrong side of the road!! When I went to the DMV, everyone else there was like 15 or 16 years old, and I was 23, trying to get my license. It felt so awkward.

I 100% recommend working internationally to anyone and everyone. The act of immersing yourself in a new culture really opens your mind to possibilities and makes you more creative. Though I can’t find it, I swear I read about a study that showed this is a very real possibility. [Laurie: I believe it! The most close-minded people I encounter have never traveled!]

You also learn to relate and make friends with people you don’t know from cultures that may be alien to you.

Great question! In my case, moving to Sweden for a year during college was quite an expensive move and it also delayed my graduation by six months. However, I would say that the financial impact is just one side of the coin. I think the experience I gained during that year and the skills I learned are totally priceless.

Moving to Houston for a year was a financial plus for me since the cost of living there is much lesser than in Singapore so my expenses fell considerably.