Moving from the USA to Lebanon
Relocating overseas from the States to the Middle East is exciting and also terrifying. You’re leaving behind family and friends, but you’ll have one of the best international moving companies Lebanon on your side. With that in mind, you won’t have many worries, and plus, we bring you some cool facts about the country. It’s best to start things off prepared for a foreign land. We know that moving from the USA to Lebanon will be much easier with our help. Read on and take notes!
The 6 tips you need to keep in mind when moving from the USA to Lebanon
1. Never rent an apartment abroad without seeing it first.
There are so many bad stories surrounding renting apartments before arrival. We seriously recommend staying at a hotel or even a short-term Airbnb while looking through the local real estate market. You’ll have a better idea of what neighbourhoods you like. You can also avoid being overcharged.
2. Pack or buy a multi-country adapter upon arrival
Although when you are living in a country for a long time you will probably have a converter specifically for that place, it is very practical to have at least one adapter that can do it all. Experienced movers and travellers talking here.
3. Pack your favs, you won’t be able to buy them for a long time
Although living abroad is all about new experiences, sometimes there are things you absolutely cannot live without. Those things remind of home, your childhood or are just simple lovely soul foods you could never leave behind. Pack loads, and store it with best Lebanon storage facilities, because, chances are, Lebanon doesn’t have your favourite hair products or rice noodles. Whatever it is, you won’t miss it if you follow our advice.
4. Inform your bank you are moving from the USA to Lebanon
There’s nothing worse than getting locked out of your account. Imagine it happening just after moving to a foreign country. To ensure all your various credit cards and debit cards have an alert on, and while planning this, it’s best to call the bank directly and speak with someone.
5. Make sure you have a card with no foreign transaction fees
Foreign transaction fees are high and add up like crazy. You certainly don’t want to be spending 2% – 5% more per charge while you’re living abroad. There is a link to NerdWallet’s list of best cards you can check out for no foreign transaction fees. This will make your life so much easier and cheaper after moving from the USA to Lebanon.
6. Have a photocopy of your passport, credit cards and American identification back in the US in someone’s safekeeping
This is an extra precautionary measure, but if your documents get stolen, having one piece of paper with all of that crucial information is a life saver. Pack just one with you and leave one in the USA.
Moving from the USA to Lebanon: Things to know as an expat
Lebanon is a small country in the Middle East, bordered by Syria to the North and East, and Israel to the South. The country is very small, only 10,452 square kilometers in area and the population counts only about 5.5 million citizens. Lebanon is located on the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
Lebanon is a very young country. 61% of the country is between 15 and 65 years of age and 25% is under 14. Less than 10% of the whole population is over the age of 65. There are several languages spoken in the country, including Lebanese, Arabic, French, and English. Ethnic background is very important in Lebanon, which people from better-developed countries may find regressive. Nonetheless, Lebanon has a very wide and varied range of cultures, religions and ethnic groups, all very welcoming to guests and tourists. Muslims make up the majority of citizens, at around 54%.
Lebanon climate
Since Lebanon is on the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanese people enjoy a generally Mediterranean, temperate climate. The weather is mostly mild, with the coastal areas particularly cool and rainy during winter, while summers get very hot and humid. Summer is an inviting time for tourists, but the weather becomes very humid and heavy near the coastline. We advise vacationing in the mountains when the temperatures are very high.
In the mountains and other elevated areas of the country, temperatures can drop below freezing during the winter, with even heavy snowfall. This snowfall may not go away up until the summer heat melts it. Lebanon also has an abundance of rainfall throughout the year, apart from June to August, when there is virtually no rainfall whatsoever.
Moving from the USA to Lebanon: How to get there?
Lebanon is easy to get to, having Beirut International Airport as the main transportation hub for international travel. There are flights all the time from Middle East Airlines to everywhere in the world. Note that domestic flights are more common than international ones. Visit our blog to read about the benefits of shipping freight by air. Maybe you will decide to ship your belongings via a reliable airline. Since foreign airlines are also very frequent from Beirut Airport.
Please be warned if moving from the USA to Lebanon, that U.S. Department of State has issued a warning that traveling to Lebanon is currently not advisable. It is considered highly dangerous. This is fact due to the conflict in Syria, with violence spilling over into Lebanon from time to time. The Northern and Eastern borders are held especially dangerous and traveling there is discouraged.
During more peaceful times, there is a bus transport between Syria and Lebanon, with lines operating every hour from Damascus. Those traveling from Syria have a fee of 550 SYP and will need a Lebanese visa.
Shipping your belongings via containers to different ports in Lebanon
How much does it cost to ship a container to Lebanon? Is it the most convenient way? These are examples of the cheapest rates for a 20-foot container when relocating from America to Lebanon:
- Barcelona – Beirut From 926 $
- Madrid – Beirut From 1,223 $
- New York – Beirut From 1,589 $
- Miami – Beirut From 1,717 $
- Houston – Beirut From 1,728 $
The longest transit time to ship a container to Lebanon is from Portland, followed by Los Angeles, with an average of 59-65 days. The shortest transit time to ship a container to Lebanon is from Cartagena, Madrid and Valencia, all with an average of 5 days. If you were wondering how you’ll protect your valuables when relocating, this is currently the cheapest and most effective way to transport your belongings overseas, so pack up, load up, and leave your moving worries in the hands of professionals! Bon, voyage!
