In this interview, we speak to Craig Lee, who is preparing to move from Belgium to Hong Kong.
Craig is currently an Actuarial Lead Analyst at Cigna International Organizations.
In Hong Kong, he will take up a new position working as an Actuarial Associate Director.
What kind of things are you excited about as you prepare for your expat move?
Starting my new role is very exciting for me and I am looking forward to the challenge. I’ve only spent a small amount time in Hong Kong so I really can’t wait to get settled in and discovering more of the city. I’m also looking forward to getting the opportunity to explore and travel to other places like Thailand and Vietnam and places in Oceania like New Zealand and Australia.
My wife and I are both really big Asian food fans so we’re both very excited for it. We’re looking forward to eating a lot of dim sum once we arrive there. So I would say those are the three main things, my new role, travel and food (laughs).
Is there anything in particular that you are stressed out about as your get ready for the move?
I think it is a little bit stressful trying to find a new home and things like that. Also, understanding the administrative process of the upcoming move is a little bit stressful. Thankfully, Cigna is helping us get prepared for the move so that is really great.
This is in terms of getting accommodation ready, understanding taxes and the administrative processes and things like that. I wouldn’t say it’s too stressful overall though. We are definitely more excited than stressed.
What are you going to miss about working in your current office?
I’ll definitely miss the people here in Belgium. I’ve made some good friends here with a lot of my colleagues. You build up connections working with people every day, that first interaction of going for coffee, and growing from there.
One thing I won’t miss though is trying to be knowledgeable about European Football. That is almost a must in Belgium.
Finally, are there any helpful tips that you use to deal with stress and maintain a good work-life balance?
I believe that having a good work-life balance is very important. I always try my best to separate being at work from being at home.
When I’m at work, I try and only concentrate on work and when I’m at home I try my best to switch off and not think about work. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up at home thinking about the things you’ll be doing in work the next day or things like that. But that can have a knock on effect and you mightn’t end up having a good night’s sleep.
So it’s important to try and not do that and get a good night’s sleep instead. That way you can remain fresh for work. I think it’s really just trying to balance your work life from your home life, so you can get the best from both.
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Further tips
Find out more tips for preparing to move abroad by visiting our blog post with 7 helpful tips for a successful relocation.
