Hello again, Visionaries.

It’s time to go back to basics.

What does that mean?

Sometimes the hardest part can be just starting out, so here’s a list of the basic things you can do to get started in your living abroad (in Africa) journey.

FIRST SEEK THE MOST HIGH’S GUIDANCE

Remember the words of King Solomon and his court.

Trust in the Yah with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. – Proverbs 3:5-6

You might be a father or mother leading your family.

You might be a young adult just striking out on their own.

You might be in your 30s or 40s and looking for a change.

You might be nearing retirement.

Whatever the case may be, seek the unction of the Holy Spirit before you do anything so you can better determine if this is the right time to move abroad.

Spend time in prayer.

If you’re married, make sure you and your spouse are on the same page. You both should have the same vision and move as one.

Through prayer, The Most High strengthens our identity in Him, He fortifies our heart and mindset, and downloads the steps and processes we need to follow in order to succeed.

We wrote a FREE resource to supplement your prayer time which covers all three pillars of success listed above.

Read the Word daily – study Abraham’s journey and the writings of the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon too if you own a Cepher).

Ask The Most High who you can talk to – even if it’s one trusted friend – about your plans to move so you don’t feel alone and can be held accountable.

Fast when the Holy Spirit inspires you and put away all distractions.

Keep the Sabbath Day and prioritize your rest so you can hear Yah’s voice even more clearly.

Doing these things will help you get in line with The Most High’s plans for prospering you so you can see when and how soon He means to launch you out.

Be ready.

Everything could be in alignment for you to leave sooner than you think.

You (and your family) benefit of course but remember that this is for His glory.

One additional tool you can couple with prayer and the 3 Pillars of Success poster is our Our Epic Africa Move Starter Guide.

This FREE ebook is filled with three important assessments to help you further determine if you’re really ready to move.

GET YOUR PASSPORT

You don’t need to know where to go to get a passport, you just need one and you’re set to travel the world.

If you already have your passport you can skip to the next section – but if not, listen up.

You can’t travel to different countries without a passport issued from your country of origin.

No flying or sailing out of your country – nothing!

When we first planned to live abroad my brother Daniel led the charge to ensure that we all had new or updated passports.

If you and yours need a passport you can easily apply for one at your local post office.

If you want to use online options that’s not a problem, you can find them at TravelState.gov.

GET OUT OF DEBT

Living abroad is not cheap.

So you’ll want to make sure you are financially stable enough for the journey and the new life that awaits you.

Before we left we worked strategically to bring our debts down to zero.

It wasn’t easy, but we got it done.

When you’re free of debt you’ll find you have more money on top of the income you’re already making and therefore have more options to live as you please.

And that’s all we want isn’t it?

To live happily as we want wherever we want.

Living debt-free before you move is another indicator that you’re ready!

What helped us get debt-free and more financially stable was:

• • No holiday spending

• • Cash payments ONLY

• • Creating products

Read a more in-depth overview of our process in the letter, Best Money Tips When Moving Abroad.

While you’re reducing debt you’ll benefit from research on the local currency and conversion rates of the new country you want to live in.

KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

What do you like? 

Island life?

A landlocked country?

Coastal living by the water?

Do you prefer hot or cold weather and climate?

Do you need to be around other expats who speak English?

Do you like trying new local foods, or do you need recognizable brands?

If you’re traveling as a family, what kind of schooling do you envision for your children?

The Visionary set on moving abroad will reflect and find the answers to these key questions as they prepare.

Take your time, you don’t want to rush this. Living abroad is a commitment and not a vacation.

Thoroughly research the country you want to go to.

Consume balanced media and join groups about the country(s) you’re interested in:

• • YouTube videos*

• • Documentaries

• • Books

• • Expat Facebook pages/groups

• • Travel email newsletters

Visit your dream country first if you can.

This new country with all it’s colorful people, food, and traditions will become your family’s new home and you want to give yourself the best chance of settling in to your new lifestyle.

RESEARCH VISAS

What kind of visa do you want or need?

Is a visa necessary before you enter the new country, or can you apply on arrival?

Must you apply in person, or are there online options?

Know that there are multiple kinds of visas:

• • Family

• • Tourism

• • Student

• • Business

• • Digital Nomad

Read up on the various kinds of visas (sometimes called permits) to see what fits you, your family, and your situation the best.

Just so you know, the four most common are the Tourist, Student, Work, and Exchange Visitor visas.

This way you will know how long you can stay in a country and what privileges you have under that visa.

This is important because many countries not just in Africa require that you leave the host country for a period of time and then come back with a new stamp.

Some countries offer residency if you invest in the country for a set sum of money, for example $100,000 in property investment.

Some visas require you to leave the host country every 30 days.

Some every 90 days.

Some every 6 months – every country and visa is different, so study up.

The more knowledgeable you are about the visa process the less stressful and more enriched your life abroad will be.

LEARN THE LANGUAGE

At the time of this writing my family is still working on our Swahili.

Knowing keywords, phrases, and greetings has made a huge impact in our lives for the better living in Zanzibar the past year, helping us get around the island, helping with shopping and other business transactions.

By knowing the native language of your new country you learn to better navigate the ins and outs of the culture, you earn the respect of the locals, and you’re better protected from awkward situations and troublesome people.

And don’t worry, you don’t have to be fluent immediately.

Again, our family is still learning even as I write this and we’re doing just fine.

Even if you mess up a greeting or say the wrong word in the market, generally speaking, local people will work with you to help you get what you need.

And living in the Swahili-speaking countries is no exception.

Swahili is an accepted language across major portions of Africa, and if you’d like to take classes you can email us at awakenwithmark@gmail.com – SUBJECT: Swahili Student – and you will go on the waitlist for the forthcoming class.

FINAL THOUGHTS

You don’t have to homestead, you can move again.

People have this idea that they have to move once and only once and then they’re trapped somewhere forever.

Not so.

We lived in Rwanda for about a year and then when a new opportunity arose we relocated to Zanzibar.

Who is to say we won’t move again?

So feel at ease knowing you can pick up and go somewhere new that suits you even better than the first country you stayed in.

Some people even like to own multiple homes which causes them to move around a lot.

If that describes you, don’t let anyone stop you from fulfilling the visions Yah has given to you and your family.

*Follow specific people and families on YouTube to see their progression throughout the country you’re looking into.

The best videos tend to share travel resources to help equip you and you can get a fuller picture of the country they’re living in that you’re interested in venturing to.

Watch our How To Move To Africa playlist on our Youtube channel for more resources on moving to Africa.

Also note that a lot of the advice and principles given in this playlist work for learning how to move anywhere.

Lastly, we have another tool for those who realize that they need to be organized to successfully move abroad…

You’ve taken off the Western rose-colored-glasses and you’re ready to leave in 1-2 years…

You need an invaluable and organized manual to moving abroad…

You need cost of living links and comparisons between the US/UK and East Africa specifically…

You’re already mentally detoxing from the Western way and welcome new tips to continue the process…

You’re ready to enhance your own travel research…

Then get your hands on the Epic Africa Move Workbook and prepare to make your dream of living abroad a reality.

There are many more ways to prepare to move around the world, these are just first steps to setting you up for success.

Thanks for reading.

Have a great weekend fellow Visionaries.

 – Josiah & the Bradley Family.