Guide to Relocation

Summertime is when many individuals and families embark from Israel to relocation assignments at international destinations. Often taken care by the relocating employee’s company, who may have an agreement with a particular relocation and/or moving company, a person embarking on a relocation assignment is now having to share more of the costs, and logistical factors involved in an undertaking that not only is becoming increasingly more expensive, but time consuming as well.

Contrasted with just plain moving, relocation means dealing with virtually all of the factors involved; including closing utility accounts at the old address, transferring children to new (and often strange) schools, arranging for the shipment of house pets (including quarantine at destination, if required), and even learning a new language and customs. For example, suppose a family is being relocated (or transferred, as the procedure used to be called) to an Asian country such as China, Singapore, Japan, etc, where the family will live in a ‘compound’ containing other foreign families like themselves. Though it may be possible to enroll children in an ‘international school’, where subjects are usually taught in English, the very act to moving to a strange country, with it’s own particular laws and customs is enough to create a stressful situation which may effect a family for months – if not years. For this reason, it’s most important to consult a professional relocation service company, which not only will undertake to handle the actual move itself, but will assist a family to find a suitable living environment in the country of destination; one in which all family members can accept and feel comfortable in.

When the relocating employee has to go and find these services on their own, it makes the situation even more difficult, as time for this undertaking is usually limited or even non existent. As the relocating husband (or wife, in many instances) is usually busy at work, preparing for the work part of the move, i.e., winding up projects and assignments at the old location, and being oriented to what must be done at the new assignment; the actual logistical aspects of the moving usually fall upon the family member not being relocated. These tasks including finding a renter of purchaser for their home, if necessary, preparing for the packing and shipping of household items, including storage of items not being shipped, selling or storing or cars and other large material possessions, and settling up with utility other similar entities prior to the move.

A professional relocation consultant will wind up paying several visits to a family in order to prepare them for that ‘big day’ when the moving van or container truck arrives to pack and pick up the family’s household goods. If small children are involved, especially at ages where they are sensitive to an abrupt move to a strange environment, leaving their friends and familiar surroundings behind; the task of the relocation counselor is even more crucial. The children must be brought in to participate in the move, including giving them ’special boxes’ in which they can put things that will help them adjust easier to arriving at a new and often strange destination. The more the entire process is handled by qualified professionals, the better it will be for the family. Professional companies affiliated with international organizations, such as FIDI, and OMNI, which are required to meet a variety of quality standards is the best bet, and these areas will be covered in more detail in Part II of this article.

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