Preparing to move abroad discussion, brainstorming and roleplays

Preparing to move abroad discussion, brainstorming and roleplays

Discuss the questions below in small groups, trying to think of suitable language when the question asks for that. Please thoroughly discuss each question before moving onto the next one.

 

Practical preparations

What do you still need to do before you leave? Who will you need to contact? How will you contact them? What will you write or say? How can you start and end those emails, telephone conversations, etc?

Which of the people below might you have to contact (in English)? How will you contact them? What might you and they say or write?

• Shipping company/ Removals company
• Your future boss/ Your future colleagues
• HR in that country
• That country’s embassy in your country/ That country’s consulate in your country
• Airline/ Travel agent
• Hotel
• Estate agent
• People from that country who live in your country

Knowledge about that country etc

How much do you know about the country, region, city and/ or area where you will be living and working? How can you find out more? Are there any useful English-language sources of information?

What cultural differences are you expecting? How can you find out more? Are there any useful English-language sources of information?

How much do you know about these topics in the country and city which you will be moving to? How are they similar and different to your country and to other countries that you know?

• Accommodation (homes, hotels, etc)
• Appearance (body, face, hair, etc)
• Art and media (magazines, newspapers, etc)
• Body language and gestures (bodily contact, personal space, rude gestures, etc)
• Business and economics (office life/ working life, manufacturing, trade, economic growth, inflation, etc)
• Character/ Personality
• Climate/ Seasons/ Weather
• Clothes/ Fashion
• Dangers/ Things to be careful about
• Discrimination/ Equal rights (sexism, homophobia, racism, etc)
• Drinking/ Smoking/ Drugs
• Education
• Etiquette/ Manners/ Taboos
• Festivals and celebrations
• Fictional characters
• Food and drink (eating out, typical meals, snacks, etc)
• Free time/ Hobbies/ Leisure
• Health
• History
• Holidays (public holidays, typical vacations, etc)
• Immigration
• International relations (good and bad relationships with other countries, etc)
• Language/ Dialects
• Law (regulations, crime, punishment, etc)
• Likes and dislikes
• Money (cost of living, methods of payment, the finance industry, etc)
• Nature (national parks, wildlife, natural disasters, pets, etc)
• Nightlife/ Socialising
• People (young people, minorities, women, social classes, etc)
• Places (famous sights, regions, towns, cities, areas of cities, etc)
• Politics (political parties, head of state, etc)
• Problems (social problems like inequality, infrastructure problems like ageing public transport, etc)
• Relationships (use of names, marriage, dating, etc)
• Religion
• Shopping
• Small talk
• Sports and games
• Technology (the internet, social media, mobile phones, etc)
• Time
• Transport and travel (rules of the road, standards of driving, public transport, etc)

Listen to your teacher say words connected to one of the topics above, all connected to the place where you are moving. Guess whenever you are sure what the topic is.

Knowledge about your country etc

What will people in that country/ city probably already know and think about your country, your city, your region, your hometown, etc? What misconceptions (= wrong ideas) might they have? What might they have questions about?

What knowledge and ideas about your country might people in that country have about the things in the list above? What things might you need to correct them on or explain in more detail? What could you say?

Roleplay

With your teacher, roleplay making statements about life in another country and having your ideas confirmed or (politely) corrected by the other person.