• this world is not my home

There are so many options, and some depend on things like money. Taking that into account, what are your preferences and recommendations for an international move? Would you want to take everything you own? Just the absolute necessities? What do you think?

I'll answer myself by saying I prefer to take the things I need and know I can't get in my target culture. There really aren't many of those sorts of things anymore with our more global economy and market, but there are some. I would also take at least a few comfort items that have meaning to me, but that are not necessarily precious otherwise.

Some examples of things I have taken across oceans and not regretted:

• favorite books in my native language
• an electric guitar and amplifier (with transformer)
• an artificial Christmas tree and ornaments

Like most other things, the correct answer is "It depends".

I've had the entire contents of a house packed in a container and shipped across the world. What it really told me about myself was that at the time I did not want make a decision. It really was just a delay tactic to postpone decision making. Because the first thing I did after opening the container at the other end, was to start throwing things away (It's really hard to rationalize the need for snow skis in Africa!). With proper planning, I might have saved myself a bundle. Maybe giving away stuff for people I know could have used them, rather than throwing them away later in the new place, I just might have made someone a bit happier too. I only did that once

Another time, I arrived with a single large suitcase to a very strange country. My plan was to spend some time down there and figure out what I really needed or wanted and then fetch the stuff or have it shipped to me. That worked a lot better.

Looking at it from a different angle, there are people who will always try to "replicate home" in the new place. If they can't, they will feel listless and out of place. And then there are people who will dive in and assimilate themselves into local way and style of life rather than hanging onto their past. The former will copy their lives over and over, the latter will reinvent their lives wherever they go. I'm with the latter one. Dump the container and take a suitcase only. Imagine all the shopping you get to do

I like to take only those things that are either necessary for life, of extreme emotional value, or which may be sold in the new context if it is discovered they are not needed.