Moving overseas

Is the Indonesian population friendly to 'Muricans?

 

Is this a term gig, or permanent? Congrats.

Here are tips from a Peace Corps planner and packer:

Alert your credit card companies so they won't freeze your cards once you start to use them.

Consider putting a freeze on your credit accounts. I did that to two of the three credit-reporting companies before I came to Morocco.

Consider renters insurance for wherever you leave your stuff in the States, if you do.

Second the motion on the shots. Check out your local health department if you don't have insurance. The CDC site will say which you need, but I'd think Hep A and B, minimum.

I needed a bunch of passport-sized photos for in-country IDs, but your new gig probably will supply those.

Get a Lonely Planet and start working on phrases.

Definitely get the converters for electronics, but look into a surge protector, too. I fried two laptop chargers here before realizing what was happening.

Get a Skype account. If you want to call landlines or cell phones back in the States, put money in the account before you leave. I can't do it from Morocco without a fee; not sure if Indonesia might have the same rules. But if you establish the account now, you can have someone else add money if you need it. (Computer-to-computer calls are free.)

Be sure to cancel Netflix, too. The online viewing doesn't work outside the states. Neither does NBC, dammit.

Line up online services for any remaining account you can.

You'll still have to file fed taxes, and maybe state. Here's a suggestion: I did it online from here with Turbotax for free as a State Farm customer. Even though I have no insurance policies, I stuck $100 in a savings account just so I could have an account so I could file taxes for free.

Consider leaving power of attorney to someone back in the States, just in case you need someone to handle something big and important while you're gone.

Make copies of all your legal documents. I scanned mine to PDF and brought them with me. Consider that for your medical records, too.

Don't overpack. I packed 80 pounds of crap for two years and now that I'm here realize I should have left about 1/3 of it at home.

You can buy clothes (and probably everything else) when you get there. Bring stuff that reminds you of home.

Oh, and register to vote by absentee ballot.

 

Damn. That's some solid advice.

 

Congratulations on the Jakarta gig, TB. I went only as far as the Philippines ... as a child.

Hmmm, Southeast Asia.

-Update shots ... usually typhoid, TB tine and others
-You got the bank idea down. Withdraw in your area and start anew in Jakarta.
-Pick and choose clothes carefully. It's amazing the stuff one never uses when going to a new place.
-Adaptors? Check that one carefully. We didn't need any in our three-plus years in either the PI or Okinawa ... but Jakarta might well be a different story.
-I gotta agree with you, though ... I'd aim for Japan over Indonesia. Perhaps soon.

Have fun ... the one thing that would make things easier versus the 20-plus years ago when I was overseas is the better phone and PC technology. Talk about shrinking the world ...

 

If you can be persuasive in making hires, I'd love to come join ya over there.

 

The population of 222 million is something like 88 percent Muslim, but I'm told they're fairly tolerant. If that's too much, Bali (which has a Hindu majority) is the next island over.

 

I asked first.

Besides, the world's ending in a month.

 

Solid. Damn solid.[/tomas] Thanks, KJIM. This is a two-year contract with an option to extend by mutual agreement. I'm fairly sure I'll be miserable for a month or two (I always am) before finding my rhythm.

I don't have any credit cards, and I doubt I could secure one before I leave. My plan is to leave what I don't take with my parents. Where might I find converters that work in Indonesia?

I'll have to talk taxes with the H&R Block folks. The Jakarta people told me the salary would be tax-free, both in Indonesia and the U.S.

 

Power converters ...

http://www.brookstone.com/store/thumbnail.asp?sid=190404&cm_ven=Search&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Bidword&cm_ite=travel%20electricity%20converter&gclid=CLakwJ2XyJUCFQwsGgodthWviQ

 

Yeah, I have a feeling I'll be making liberal use of Skype. My mom was plenty upset when she heard I took this gig, so I'll be calling her at least once a week. The laptop is quite important, and its going with me is non-negotiable.

 

Thanks for the tip. Looks like a couple of those aren't supposed to be used with computers, though.

 

I'd read up on Muslim customs in Indonesia.

You never know what kind of cultural clusterfuck you'll be dropped into.