The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad (18 page)

Call several movers who specialize in international moves for estimates. Their representative will visit you at your home or wherever your belongings are stored to see everything that you plan to move. The representative will estimate the cost of the move, including labor and packing materials. They will tell you the most efficient way to move the quantity of goods you want to take: for example, a twenty-foot or forty-foot ship’s container.

We learned the hard way to compare estimates of volume as well as price. We chose a well-known international moving company; our house was already rented, with our belongings stored in the basement. We knew what the price should be, and when we got our estimate, we simply agreed, not wanting to “bother” our tenants by traipsing through more than was necessary.

Our sad tale was that the sales representative underestimated our goods, telling us we had more than enough room to fit everything in a twenty-foot container. Well, around midnight on moving day, a quarter of our belongings were still strewn around the pitch-dark driveway. A week later, after partially unpacking the container at the warehouse, sorting through things, giving away, throwing away, and throwing up our hands in despair, we settled for an extra crate to be delivered later for $2,000 more.

If we had gotten more estimates, at least one representative probably would have said we needed a larger container, and that would have given us a clue that there was a problem.

The estimate, sad to say, is not always binding. If the mover packs for you, the final bill will depend on the actual weight of the load, which determines the packing charges. However, you will have a good idea of the weight of the load, based on the volume of the container, which is estimated.

When you have the estimates, call your Better Business Bureau and Consumer Protection Agency to see if the mover has a good reputation. You can also check for reviews of that company on
epinions.com
, though the horror stories will scare you to death.

In comparing the estimates, check that different movers are all supplying the same services. Unfortunately, some movers may lowball the estimate to get the order, by undercounting items, so make sure everything is included. Check that the quantity of packing materials is basically the same if you’re using their packers. See, also, how many men they plan to use. A smaller crew may look less expensive, but if it takes more time it will cost more in both your money and your frustration.

Check the insurance coverage. This is often inadequate, and at the last minute you may discover your belongings aren’t properly covered unless you buy the optional extra insurance. When comparing estimates, make sure you know exactly what is insured and for how much.

Always base your insurance on the current replacement value. Inflation is an amazing animal, and that table you bought for $50 ten years ago could now cost you $200 to replace if it’s broken. On the other hand, if you buy optional insurance, and an item has little value, beware of insuring it too heavily.

International movers often request full payment before they will ship your belongings. Be prepared and ask what form the payment should take—for example, if they require a cashier’s check—so your shipment isn’t delayed. Our mover neglected to mention that the full amount was due before they’d move the container (yes, this is the same representative who also underestimated the load in the first place!), so we assumed payment would be on delivery. At the last minute we had to make a frantic call to our broker to wire the funds or our shipment would have been put on the back burner.

The normal mode of overseas moving is via metal ship’s containers that hold a household full of furniture. The containers are transported by truck or rail to the port, where they are loaded onto a ship for the closest seaport, then reloaded onto a truck overseas and delivered. These containers are specially designed to offer protection against the elements on the ship’s crossing.

Ship’s containers come in standard sizes of twenty or forty feet. A twenty-foot container holds approximately 1,100 cubic feet, which translates to about 8,000 pounds, or enough for the belongings in an apartment or small three-bedroom house. The forty-foot container, of course, holds double that. If you have a large home or want a car shipped, you’ll need the larger size. The cost for either size container will vary depending on shipping location, destination, and weight.

If you have less than a full container load, your belongings may go in a wooden lift crate, which is used for smaller shipments of about 200 cubic feet, normally under 4,000 pounds. You may actually share a ship’s container with another person’s belongings, though your belongings will be packed in their own crate.

Sharing a container load can cut your costs of shipping considerably, although you may have to be more flexible as to delivery dates, since the partial container may wait days or even weeks to be completed. The partial container will be loaded into a ship’s container with other shipments, or it can be sent by itself to some destinations, if for some reason the destination can’t handle a ship’s container.

Smaller parcels can be sent via air, in special corrugated cardboard containers, ranging from 5 to 100 cubic feet, sized to fit through the aircraft doors.

It’s generally recommended that the movers pack your things, for both insurance and import reasons. If the movers do the packing, the boxes will be marked “Mover Packed,” and you’ll have an easier time getting through customs on the other end. Apparently, the customs officials figure you won’t have been able to smuggle that Rembrandt as easily if the moving company did the packing for you.

You can pack your things yourself if you want, but use the professional methods and ask the moving company to have their packers open the boxes to check the packing. If they do this, they can mark them “Mover Packed.”

While the packers are working, stay around to keep them on their toes. They should pack every item, including putting mattresses and box springs in special cartons; mirrors, artwork, and other fragile items should all be specially cushioned.

If you pack your belongings yourself, use professional methods to improve the chances of everything arriving safely.

Storage is not included in the mover’s fees, so it’s up to you to ensure that customs arrangements have been made properly at the destination, enabling your belongings to move directly to your new home.

Check with the consulate or customs office at your destination to find out the exact customs regulations. If any items you want to bring into the country are questionable, obtain written assurance from the consulate that the item can be admitted.

You can take your household belongings duty-free into most countries, but most have regulations that do not allow you to bring in articles less than a year old. This enables people to bring things for personal use but discourages people from importing goods for resale.

Most countries have a list of prohibited items. Usually, you should avoid shipping liquor, tobacco, pornographic materials, flammable items, precious metals, cameras, or unexposed film. If you want to bring your camera, bring it on the plane with you, though I must admit my collection of antique cameras got packed in the bottom of a box and made it fine.

Many countries prohibit handguns and other weapons. Those that are allowed will require permits. Don’t include any weapon in your shipment without written approval from the consulate. Ammunition is prohibited due to the risk of explosion on board the ship or plane.

Houseplants, seeds, or bulbs cannot be shipped into most countries. If you want seeds and they’re permitted, check for a special permit; then carry the seeds with you.

The moving agent should give you the name and phone number of their agent at your overseas destination. Once you arrive there, contact the destination agent to make sure they have the correct address and phone number in order to contact you immediately when your shipment arrives. They will also send you some forms that need to be filled out to get your belongings through customs.

If you’re moving a ship’s container, the overseas moving agent should be able to give you an estimated arrival date at the port, though they won’t be able to tell you the exact delivery date at your house until the shipment has cleared customs.

Imagine those college students who take off for a year overseas. They don’t need much more than their backpacks. As an adult, spoiled by years of comfort, I wouldn’t narrow my packing that much, but I recommend that you avoid being bogged down by belongings.

How much is too much? Naturally, it depends on how long you’ll be gone, where you’re heading, and your activities once you’re there. When we traveled on vacations for three weeks overseas, we’d brag that we could do it on a carry-on and backpack. However, traveling to live overseas for months or a year does require a few more belongings. You should be able to do it, however, with two to three large bags; some people manage with less.