Essential apps for travelling expats

If you’ve just arrived in your new reassignment destination, which apps are the most useful?

One of the most important personal aspects of reassignment overseas is the ability to readjust to your changing circumstances, both at work and in everyday life. You’ll need all your organisational skills as you’ll be using a new, unfamiliar language, dealing with official immigration documentation and getting used to new currency. Luckily, you’re living in the tech age, with apps relevant to every new situation just waiting to be downloaded.

Whatever the reason you’ve decided to leave the home country, learning the language of your new land should be a priority. From expatriate students through expat retirees to those relocating for work reasons or to start a new business, making an effort to learn the local lingo brings benefits, even if English is a second language in your new country. The Google translate app is a great help to new arrivals, and sites such as Dualingo can make learning enjoyable if not exactly easy!

Coping with currency exchange and your new local banking system in this so-called borderless new world can be a stressful experience and high transfer fees can hit new arrivals in the pocket. Downloading currency exchange and cash transfer apps such as Transferwise is the easy way to deal with this complicated subject whilst saving money, and an expat money management app such as Toshi can keep you on the ball as regards your finances.

For new arrivals in a strange land, entertainment apps can relieve the boredom of having nowhere to go and no-one to go there with. Passing time is made easy with apps such as Mr Green offering a huge choice of slot games as well as poker, blackjack and sports betting. Communications apps save money on phone calls and Skype is a necessity for free conference calls. Wherever you’re located, emergencies do happen, with apps such as Doctoralia able to locate a doctor or hospital literally anywhere on earth. If you need 24/7 wi-fi, the WiFi Finder app is the answer, wherever you are.