Combating Homesickness After Moving Abroad
Written by Damien Shields
Moving away to a new country can be one of life’s greatest adventures. And while there are sure to be many, many exciting new features and experiences in your new country, homesickness is almost a surefire malady to hit at some point. Luckily, there are many ways you can combat it and power through that speed bump into a comfortable stay in your new home.
Schumacher Cargo can help alleviate your stressful move by taking care of the big headaches: shipping. Our experienced team has helped people ship their household goods overseas in moves from Germany to Hong Kong. Let us know how we can help you today.
Beating Homesickness:
A Slice of Home:
One of the best things you can do to combat homesickness is to find something of your home country in your new country. The world is becoming increasingly populated with expats from just about every country, and you should be able to find people from your home country in just about every major city in the world. Look for bars or restaurants that cater specifically to your country. Or check online, see if there are any groups in your new country with people from your old activities or sport outings.
Embrace Your New Culture:
A great way to conquer homesickness is by digging in to your new home. Be proactive. You’re in a new place you’ve never been before; so don’t just go home to your apartment after work and plop down in front of the TV. Explore; go see your new countryside. Check out the local geography, museums, concerts, etc. Pretend like you’re a tourist there for an indefinite stay. After all, aren’t you?
Learn The Language:
The culture barrier is usually what makes living in a new country a challenge; and while it might take some time to get used to all the little nuances, one of the easiest hurdles is to learn the new language. This isn’t to say that learning a language is easy–it usually isn’t–this is to say that getting involved with a classroom, software or just engaging your neighbors, even with what little you know of the language, can be easy and fun.
Beating homesickness is just one of those unavoidable hurdles you’ll have to face at some point much like going to the DMV. But these tips will help you make it through it, and hopefully provide you with some fun as well.
Written by Alex Bach
Airplanes allow us some of the fastest and widest transportation possible. Unfortunately they can also be a major hassle and headache. Here are some ways to help make airport travel easier, getting you from the departure drop off to the gate as smoothly as possible.
While you probably won’t be able to check your motorcycle or yacht, Shumacher Cargo is here to help you take some of your bigger and more precious items with you on your travels. Check out some of our over-sized cargo shipping options.
Checking Bags:
Sky cab is an often overlooked service, thought to be somehow too bourgeois for most travelers but it can save you some serious time and effort for only about $5 dollars per bag. Sky cab will take your carry on luggage right where your limo, cab or sister-in-law drops you off. What’s more is that Sky cab will also issue you your boarding pass. This means you’ll be able to entirely bypass the ticketing line.
Getting through security as quickly and easily as possible requires two components: Packing Your Carry-On Efficiently and Traveling Expediently.
Packing Your Carry-On Efficiently:
This means doing away with unnecessary items, loose change, old wrappers, trinkets, etc. Look through your bag beforehand and remove any possible contraband. If you’re a big reader and traveler it might be time to consider an eReader or tablet. This will allow you to carry as many books, magazines, movies, music or other entertainment without weighing down your bag. Lastly, compartmentalize your carry-on to make TSA checks easier; put the plastic bag containing your liquid materials in an easily accessible pouch.
Traveling Expediently
Traveling Expediently refers to traveling in a manner that will allow you the fastest way through the gates. If you are part of an airlines reward system you might have special lines awarded to you. Don’t worry if you aren’t, many airports also have lines designated for traveler experience (using the same system used in skiing); a black diamond is for experienced travelers who know the ropes. This will be the fastest line. And don’t go to the lines with more than one attendant if possible as they are usually training new TSA officers and will tend to be slower.
Your clothing is another big aspect of this category. Choose clothing options with the least amount of accessories (belts, ties, bracelets, etc.); cut down on anything that will have to be removed an placed on the screening belt. Slip on shoes will help too.
For the right price, airlines will fly almost anything! Have you enjoyed an in-flight movie unknowingly sitting a few feet above a live alligator or a dead body? Check out this infographic brought to you by your friends at Schumacher Cargo. We’re proud to be the cargo and international moving specialists!
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How Much Cargo Flies With Us?
- Proportion of all cargo entering US (from the United Kingdom to Sweden, China and other countries) in 2010 that flew via passenger jet = one third.
- Amount of cargo volume on trans-pacific passenger flights in 2013 – 9.4 million cubic meters (that’s 3,760 swimming pools of cargo being moved each year)
- Hold volume of an Airbus A380, the big daddy of all passenger jets – 184 m³ (that’s roughly two semi trucks)
- Yearly revenue for US airlines from cargo on passenger planes = $4.7 billion
- Profit margin on Delta’s cargo business = 50%
So, want to know what you could be sharing a plane with?…
A Dead Body?!
Human remains traveling cargo on passenger flights are surprisingly common.
- Airline code for a dead body on board – “Jim Wilson”
- Cadaver crates are labelled “HEAD” so loaders know which end is which.
In 2008, a woman was stopped at Munich airport after baggage control found her brother’s skeleton in her case. His last wish was to be buried in Italy. As she had a death certificate and was breaking no German laws, she was allowed to board.
Number of on-board deaths each year – 260!
Singapore Airlines Airbus A340-500 features a “corpse cupboard” for storage just in case someone dies on the plane.
Radioactive Material
It’s common for small amounts of radioactive material, usually for medical uses, to be transported in the holds of passenger flights, specially packed to prevent leakage.
A Bomb?!
In 2010, explosive devices were found hidden inside Hewlett–Packard printers on passenger flights. But don’t panic – since this incident, airlines are required to screen 100% of cargo
- Number of commercial airline bombing incidents– 88
- Number of bomb-detection dogs working nationwide in 2007 = 400
- Number dead from bombs in air = 44: 1955 – United Airlines flight DC-6B from Denver to Seattle crashed after John Graham hid a dynamite bomb in his mother’s luggage, in order to collect her life insurance.
Live Animals
Need to move your pet? No problem. Major airlines fly everything from grandma’s pet Chihuahua to poisonous snakes.
- Number of live animals transported by air every year in the United States – over two million.
- Number of pets that died on air flights between 2005 and 2010 – 144.
In 2013, DHL flew three manatees to new homes. The marine mammals were loaded in open-topped crates in the hold.
In 2010, security staff at Bangkok airport discovered a tranquilized baby tiger, not-so-cunningly hidden in a suitcase of toy tigers.
Firearms?
Airlines will take guns and ammunition as checked baggage, but for some passengers, that just ain’t handy enough.
Number of guns found in carry-on luggage in the United States in 2013: 894
In one week during that period:
- 65 guns found
- 45 loaded
- 15 had bullets in the chamber ready to be fired.
Increase in guns found in 2012 – 30 %
Luxury Cars
When you’ve spent a cool million or two on a car, man, you just don’t want to wait! You want that car shipped to you ASAP. Everything from Formula One race cars to a $2.5 million Bugatti travel by air, many on passenger flights.
- Number of cars flown by Delta on passenger planes per year = 100
- Number of cars flown by Lufthansa per year = 1,400
- Cost of flying a $450,000 Aston Martin coupe from Frankfurt Germany to New York on a Delta passenger jet = $10,000
Room for a Little…
Here’s some other items you might be surprised to hear is flying under your feet…
- Christmas cheer? This year, Fedex is delivering 17,000 live Christmas trees to American troops stationed overseas.
- Breast milk? One courier company delivered 2,750 bottles of donor breast milk to South Africa in 2011 to help babies with HIV/AIDS.
- Sperm? Animal and human, kept frozen in liquid nitrogen vapour tanks or on dry ice.
Crazy huh? Betcha’ you’ll be thinking about this on your next flight!
Our pets are a large part of our lives, and that means that we sometimes want them to travel with us and remain a part of our lives abroad. However, international pet travel can be a complicated process. Not too worry, Schumacher Cargo specializes in the international transportation of your furry, or scaly, pets.
While we’ll handle the tough work, there are other things you can do to prepare yourself and your pet for travel.
5 Tips For Pet Travel:
Check the Fees:
You can bet the airlines are going to charge a pretty penny for your precious cargo. Don’t count on the cuddliness of your pet to get you out of additional fees. Check with your airline before your trip on the costs. The average price is about $125 each way for your pet, with United being the most expensive at $250.
No Surprises:
A surprise furry companion is not your airline’s new best friend. Most airlines prefer you to give them advance notice when you make your reservation that you’re going to be bringing a pet. This will allow them to make the preparations on their end, which will benefit your pet.
Know the Policies:
Every airline has their own requirements for your pet’s travel you need to know before you head to the airport. First you need to know if your pet will be allowed to travel in the cabin or if it will have to be checked. While they’re all different the most common requirements are that you arrive early, provide your own kennel, make sure your animal has access to food and water, and have a health certificate for your pet (especially important for international travel).
Use a Proper Kennel:
Though the flight may only be a couple hours and you can handle the discomfort of a tight seat, that’s not how your pet should travel. Many airlines require kennels to be big enough for the pet to stand, to sit, and to lie down upon without pressing on any of the kennel’s sides.
Is the Pet Allowed:
Perhaps the biggest part of your travel plans is knowing whether or not your destination will allow your pet. Every country has their own rules regarding this and some will allow your pet to travel with you without a quarantine, but some won’t. Even Hawaii has a quarantine restriction for pets.
Written by Alex Bach
Bicycles are a great way to explore a city. First off, there’s no fuel or parking costs so they’re one of the cheapest methods, and by far the greenest method. Bikes also allow you to access certain parts of a city you wouldn’t be able to in a car, such as beaches or parks; and lastly, bikes are a leisurely and fun way to take in a city more than sitting in the back of a cab. So grab your bike and check out these amazing, bike-friendly cities.
And if you’re planning an indefinite stay, Schumacher Cargo can help you make the move. Check out our options for international moving.
Best Cities to Explore by Bicycle
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bicycling has long been a part of Amsterdam’s culture; so much so that bike paths were worked into the infrastructure prior to the advent of the car. This is quite the opposite of many American cities. Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t get a bit confusing for tourists. Luckily there are plenty of bike maps with great routes and stops along the way.
Portland, Oregon
America’s hipster headquarters would, naturally, have a great biking culture. Great bike lanes, green areas, scenic paths and even bike brewpubs make this city a fantastic destination for a bike vacation.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen rounds out the Top 3 biking cities in the world. Much like Amsterdam, biking is a large part of the culture and community, with 125 areas designated solely for bike parking. Their numerous paths are designed to accommodate the different demands of the tourist, giving you historical, national or contemporary options.
Beijing, China
Biking is one of the most prolific means of expedience in Beijing and one of the greatest ways to get to know the city. While biking is popular, the popularity means that it is not necessarily the destination for bicyclists looking to hit max speed.
Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim is such a bike friendly city that they’ve even endeavored to remove the worst parts of bike riding: the dreaded uphill pedal. Trondheim, taking inspiration from skiing, have created bike tow ropes to help pull bicyclists uphill. If that isn’t bike friendly I don’t know what is.
Traverse City, Michigan
The beauty of a seaside villa with regional wineries and amazing restaurants and breweries…except that it isn’t on a seaside but on Lake Michigan. Traverse City is one of the Midwest’s biggest summer destinations and part of that reason is the wealth of gorgeous biking paths. 18 miles of peninsula allows you to see not only the turquoise waters, but historic homes and lush orchards that make up the area.
