Looking abroad? What to know about relocating for development work

A country director for Viamo in Afghanistan, a consultancy with the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines, or a European Commission project officer position in Belgium; Devex’s job board is currently filled with positions that have the potential to take applicants around the world. That’s likely part of the appeal for those who choose to work in the development sector, but relocating within the context of development work comes with its own unique considerations, said those who have done it. Relocation, according to Cecil Laguardia, the communications director for World Vision’s Ukraine crisis response, means thinking about a whole range of factors. “You really have to prepare what you will be up to and against,” she said. Originally from the Philippines, Laguardia has relocated multiple times to work in emergency crises in the likes of Kenya, Thailand, Iraq, and South Sudan during her 23 years with the organization and has a list of 10 factors she personally goes through before making a decision. “You need to be prepared for the unexpected,” she said. From accommodation options to safety, local culture to career progression, Devex asked those who have relocated what considerations need to be made before moving and advice for making the transition a success. Do your research Before making a decision about whether to apply for or accept a role in a new location, it’s important to read all the materials provided by the hiring organization, but also to do your own research, said Laguardia. One way of doing that is to ask acquaintances in the new location for their insights. “When I decided to move to Iraq, which was during the crisis when people were so scared about Iraq, I asked friends, and they said, ‘Things are okay,’ so I trusted their advice,” she shared. For those moving with families, additional research will be required. Many times, Toby Johnson, a development consultant who left the United Kingdom in 2002 and has since lived in the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia, shared that he’s seen families struggle because a partner or children didn’t settle. “You have to be quite convinced that you're going to be able to navigate all of those challenges well,” he said. A part of doing that is looking into schooling and accommodation. He advised not only relying on the options put forward by the hiring NGO but investing in finding a place that’s right for you. “Be realistic about your expectations, have a plan, make sure you understand what the support is from your organization to relocate,” he advised. Maartje Pronke, who has worked as a business development manager for various NGOs and relocated three times, suggested booking a short-term apartment to give yourself more than the initial hotel stay covered by the organization to find a place. Ask how the move will advance your career Depending on your career aspirations, it could be that relocating is of benefit to that, but the location may determine how much. Johnson recalled when trying to transition out of the United Nations in Geneva, certain employers were put off by his lack of experience in living in a developing country context. “At the time, my experience of traveling in those countries was to U.N. conferences where you're isolated from the real world, transported in a bus, and don't really get to see much of the country and experience it,” he said. “But how you get that step up is probably a bit challenging.” Once Alexandra Bingham, a media and communications officer at Mercy Corps, had her experience moving to the Philippines from Australia in 2016 with UnitingWorld, it “opened doors,” to better prospects, she said in an email. The in-country experience she was able to build and the adaptability, cross-cultural understanding, and experience in diverse environments that such a posting highlighted made her a more attractive hire, she believes. “[Overseas postings] not only add credibility to my work in the development sector but also provide me with invaluable insights into the granular aspects of achieving development goals,” Bingham shared. But Pronk warned that overstaying in a place could have a detrimental effect. “There comes a point if you only have experience in a certain country, it’ll become very difficult for you to get a job anywhere else because you won’t be the WASH expert anymore, you’ll be the Bangladesh expert and they’ll only hire you for projects in Bangladesh,” she said, adding that she has a four-year limit. Consider your limitations The next step is to ask whether you can actually do what the job entails, Laguardia said. It might be that a candidate meets the requirements on paper but mentally and physically may not be in a place to take on the role. She recalled having to sleep in flooded classrooms in Quezon province in the Philippines for two weeks following a flood. “You have to really be honest with yourself as to whether you are physically or mentally prepared,” she said, adding that she once turned down a deployment during the height of conflict in South Sudan because she wasn’t ready. Understanding your individual needs is crucial when relocating, said Bingham, who, prior to each of her three moves, considered city livability. “For instance, when I was moving to Baguio City, Philippines, I knew its remoteness and lack of expat community would pose challenges,” Bingham said. That didn’t deter her, but it did mean that she had to be intentional about building and maintaining connections to ensure a social life. “I also identified facilities, such as a fitness center, that would make the transition easier,” she added. Other questions Bingham suggested individuals consider is whether they’d be happy to forgo certain services. In a humanitarian context or remote village, for example, electricity and internet may be intermittent, and certain commodities are hard to come by while more dangerous contexts might dictate living in a structured environment. Will your identity be an issue? In many places around the world, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community aren’t afforded the same social privileges as men and may also face increased threats. This should also be a consideration when thinking about where to move as it may mean a shrinking in freedom of movement and expression. Before her Philippines move, Bingham studied the local customs and laws online to ensure she was prepared. “As a woman in some new environments, I encountered inquiries about my marital status, which at times felt intrusive. It reflected a wider cultural belief that women aren’t whole or complete without being attached to a man, which was frustrating to navigate,” she said. When considering her move to Bangladesh, Pronk also made sure to ask the hiring NGO what their policies were around living in compounds and transportation. In some contexts, you can only travel with a company driver, she shared, adding that this type of constraint isn’t something she’d be comfortable with. Consider team dynamics Once you move, there are then the nuances of the workplace to consider as a development professional. “I believe teamwork does not come in a flash. There are times when you cannot hit the ground running, even if you want to because there are always processes where it should take both sides to adjust to the situation,” Laguardia said. Thinking of the localization agenda and the various cultures and dynamics that could be at play within a multicultural team, an individual has to be prepared to be respectful and do the research. “You might find in different countries that there are tensions between two different ethnic communities that you might not have been aware of,” Johnson said. For example, his move to Malaysia meant encountering the tensions that can exist between the Malay and Chinese populations and the history between Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. He suggested that individuals connect with an organization’s human resources department to understand what the sensitivities are and what company policies are in place. For Bingham, the learning curve in the Philippines was in understanding the importance of relationship-building over task orientation. “This involved active participation in regional meetings and investing time in understanding the diverse cultural backgrounds and personalities of my colleagues,” she shared. For Pronk, learning the local language goes a long way.