A “sighting trip” (or shadowing trip) is a service sometimes provided by companies to singles or families moving abroad on an expatriate contract. The purpose of this trip is for the individual or family to see, feel and experience the country and region they may be moving to in the near future. Businesses will provide this service only to those that have already agreed in advance to be flexible and open to such a move. Before you fly to your new destination, the relocation company will contact you in collaboration with your company to discuss your personal needs and wishes regarding your future life in the host country. Your particular needs may include, for example, an apartment near the office or near the airport, as you will be a frequent traveler in your new position, or it may include a three-bedroom house very close to a high-standard international school. Your personal desires may include an ocean view and an apartment close to shops and nightlife, or perhaps a backyard pool and a shopping center with a supermarket nearby. Whatever your needs and desires, it is important that you do your research beforehand, so that the relocation agency can best assist you. Don’t hold back when it comes to expressing your desires. The more details you can provide, the better the chances that the agency can help you identify your ideal home in the future.
If you’re single, you’ll probably find it relatively easy to find a convenient time to fly to your future destination and visit your potential future office and explore housing options. If you are part of a family moving abroad, you will need to find a travel time that is not only convenient for all family members, but also allows you to visit all the necessary facilities, such as day care centers or schools. in the right moment. A planned trip during school holidays may not paint an accurate picture of an area, as the amount of traffic may be quite different than usual, construction work may be temporarily halted, and daycare centers and schools may be closed, or the facilities will be operating half empty.
A typical field trip lasts a week. Upon arrival at your destination, or shortly thereafter, an agent from the relocation agency will meet you at the hotel, or the place where you are staying, to discuss the program for the week. This program is naturally based on the needs and desires that you have expressed above. However, if there have been any misunderstandings, now is the time to correct them before you waste time looking at things you’re not really interested in seeing. The agent will be eager to show you as many things as possible in the shortest possible time. If you feel that the schedule is too overwhelming, feel free to reduce the scheduled activities. Just keep in mind that there will only be one see and see trip!
A standard tour schedule for viewing and viewing may look like this:
Welcome pack (including attraction brochures, list of useful websites, etc.)
Country presentation, cost of living, intercultural tips, historical information about your host country.
Housing sampling (min. 4-5 housing options)
Visit to nurseries or schools (if applicable)
Visit to car dealerships and car ownership information (if applicable)
Familiarization tour, including supermarkets, shopping centers, restaurants, banks, sports centers, etc.
The look-and-see program typically runs half a day, giving you free time to explore on your own. You can use this time to visit tourist attractions and shops, or just wander around your preferred area to get a proper feel for the place. For those who are tormented by jet-lag, a well-deserved rest after a busy day may be the top priority!
If you do not have the option or the time available to visit your future host country, then you can make your own trip to see and see by surfing the internet, reading relevant books, watching movies and pictures of your future destination and talking to people who have lived there. . Thanks to the vast amount of information that we have these days through the internet, chats and satellite images, etc., it is possible to get a very good feeling and idea of a country or place that we have not yet visited in real life. .