Conversations when moving abroad preparation and practice

Conversations when moving abroad preparation and practice

Think about the country you will move to or pick a country that you could move to in the future. Discuss the questions below about moving there with a classmate, with classmates and/ or with your teacher.

Who will be the first few people you speak to after you arrive? What might they say to you? What will you need to say to them? How might they reply and what might they ask you? How can you start and end those conversations?

Which of these people might you speak to (soon after you arrive)? What might you say and what might they say?

• Car rental clerk
• Concierge/ Doorman/ Security guard
• Customs officer
• Domestic staff (nanny, maid, cook, etc)
• Educational staff (language school receptionist, international school teacher, etc)
• Estate agent
• Financial staff (bank clerk, bank manager, currency exchange clerk, etc)
• Gym staff (receptionist, personal trainer, masseur, golf coach, etc)
• Helpline staff
• Hotel staff (receptionist, concierge, room service, maid, porter, etc)
• Immigration officer
• Important business contacts (important customers, etc)
• Lawyer
• Medical staff (receptionist, doctor, nurse, midwife, chemist, etc)
• Neighbour
• Passer-by/ Stranger
• Personal contact (person who you met in your own country and are now in that country, fellow alumni, etc)
• Postman/ Courier/ Removals man/ Shipping clerk
• Receptionist (in your company/ in other companies)
• Serving staff (barman, landlady, waiter, etc)
• Shopkeeper/ Shop assistant (local shopkeeper, newsagent, department store sales assistant, bike shop staff, car dealer, mobile phone sales clerk, furniture salesman, etc)
• Taxi driver
• Ticket clerk (at a bus company, train ticket office, underground ticket office, etc)
• Your new boss/ Your new colleague

What will you need to arrange soon after you arrive? How will you arrange those things? What might you need to say or write? How might they reply and what might they ask you? 

Which of the things below might you have to do? Who will you need to contact? What will you need to say and/ or write?

• Arranging for childcare
• Arranging for language lessons
• Arranging or changing a visa/ work permit
• Asking about life in that country
• Asking for advice/ suggestions/ recommendations
• Asking how to do something
• Asking how to get somewhere
• Buying something (electronics, furniture, bike, car, electronic payment card, mobile, etc)
• Exchanging currency
• Finding accommodation
• Finding food and drink etc from your own country
• Getting (motor household) insurance
• Getting a (contactless/ monthly) travel card/ season ticket
• Getting a credit card, debit card or contactless payment card
• Getting a driving license
• Getting a TV license
• Getting a Wi-Fi account
• Getting an identity card
• Getting basic household services (water, gas, phone line, satellite TV, heating, etc)
• Getting something delivered (newspapers, magazines, flowers, etc)
• Getting something fixed
• Getting something translated
• Having meetings
• Introducing yourself
• Joining something (e.g. gym/ health club, residents association, or golf club)
• Opening a bank account
• Proving your identity and/ or address
• Registering with someone (e.g. the health service, a doctor or dentist)
• Renting something (a phone, white goods, furniture, a car, etc)
• Signing documents (a contract for cable television or Wifi, etc)
• Socialising
• Visiting people

What difficulties might you have in your first few weeks of living abroad? Who can you ask for help? What can you say or write to them? How can you start and end those conversations or emails?

Which of these issues might you have? What can you say and/ or write to deal with them?

• Lost luggage/ Shipping problems
• Language problems
• Not being sure about laws/ rules/ regulations
• Getting lost

Roleplays conversations like those described above, starting with the first few conversations that you will probably have and/ or the most likely conversations.