The single most important thing is to do some research on the country, culture and community you will be living in for the next several years. You will feel more confident when you arrive, which allows you to focus your attention on why you are moving in the first place – basketball.
Consider the following sources:
- Online research
While you should not trust everything that appears online, it can already provide you with some interesting facts about the country, its history, and culture. Start with a quick Wikipedia search. Be curious and try to dig even further.
- Talk to people who know the local and national customs
Speaking with people who have experienced your new country first-hand can provide you with invaluable insight. These could be players from that country, or international players having already played there.
- Ask your national federation for advice
Your national federation might have information ready for players leaving their country. Furthermore, your national federation might have contacts in the foreign country that could give you priceless advice and help upon arrival.
- Contact your Embassy and you Ministry of Foreign Affairs
These bodies usually have important information in your own language. Besides, it is always important to register yourself in your Embassy upon arrival to the foreign country. You never know what could go wrong.
- Use other tools to understand your cultural differences
Nowadays, there are many studies that analyse the differences among cultures. The most academically accepted is Hofstede’s and his 6 dimensions of national culture. You can use the free online tool to compare the culture from different countries.
This tool is a very interesting first step to understand the national culture of a given country. However, keep in mind that this does not imply that everyone in a given society is programmed in the same way. Indeed, there are considerable differences between individuals.