How to Move to Europe— a practical guide
People are always surprised when I tell them that I lived in Europe for two years. Their first question is usually, “How?” or “What for?” Then, their eyes slowly widen as I proceed to explain how I just sold all my things, took my dog with me and left for Prague. I had no job set up there, knew nobody there… I just up and went because I wanted to live and experience Europe for more than just a month long backpacking trip.
Don’t get me wrong, it took a lot of research and work to prepare for it. To make things easier on you, here are some tips:
Research the visa process for the country that you want to move to. Every country in the EU has a vastly different procedure. Some are more complicated or expensive to obtain than others. Out of many European countries, Czech Republic had one of easiest, most straightforward ones.
Teach English as a job. Teaching English is one of the easiest jobs you can obtain (at least temporarily until you find a job you really like) I had a teaching degree but ESL teaching certificates are easily obtained through TEFL courses. You can get TEFL certified online, or in-person.
Choose a country to move to within the Shengen Territory. Believe me, this will streamline your entire experience. Countries within the Shengen Territory are like states within the United States. Travel between these countries will be considered domestic travel rather than international, which will make things easier for you.
Know your currencies. Not every single country within the EU has the euro as their currency. Countries like the Czech Republic have currencies in which the American dollar is worth more!
