This page is brought to you by the dog boarding facility, Adelaide Barks Pet Resort and Spa! . Picking up your life and moving to a different country can be a very exciting experience. But it is certainly not something that you should do on a whim without putting in the proper thought and preparations. You might not have to think about selling your current home or have commitments to a job, but there will always be some things to set into motion before you start packing and get on that plane. Here are some things to think about and some tips if you're considering a move overseas.

Know about the country that you're moving to. While it may sound glamorous and relatively easy to give up your job and start over fresh in Italy or Mexico say, you will want to make sure you know what you're getting into before you make your final decision. Research the city where you would like to relocate and try to talk to some people who already live there about their experiences. You should also explore the customs and traditions that might be different than you are use to.

Don't expect that everything is going to go smoothly with your move. It's always a good idea to have some back-up plans in place and some extra money in the bank in case your new choice of a home is not working out or it takes a while for you to find employment. If you're relocating from Canada or the USA to a new life in Tokyo or Edinburgh because you've been transferred for work than you have some security that there will be help if you need it. But if you're just moving without a job in place than you will need to make sure that you will be able to take care of yourself no matter what comes up along the way.

Triple check that all of the necessary paperwork is in order at least a month before your moving date. This is not a time when you're going to want to procrastinate. If you're moving to a place where the primary language is not English than you will want to make sure that you understand all of the documentation that you will need. And find out in advance how you are going to do things like set up a bank account, get health insurance, and find a job. Planning ahead is going to be the best thing that you can do. You should also make sure that you understand the procedure for things like signing up for utilities, getting a local driver's license and getting a new mobile phone.