Favorite clothes, photographs and posters are a great place to start.
As soon as you know you are relocating abroad, start a project for every member of the family. Each will need a large hard-backed scrap book. They can store photographs and posters, in their scrapbook. Be careful of plant or animal material (hair or bedding) as there may be laws in the country to prevent you from carrying such material. Each person will need to have some access to a camera for their photograph of their favorite view of your home, their school, your office. Take photographs of the children from their school. Take the time to photograph neighbors and their animals. This is why you want to do this now and not in the final hours of packing when the printer from the computer is fully occupied and everyone wants to use the printer.
What are your favorite places? Some well-known tourist resorts will sell photographs and even screen savers for the computer. It is great to have your backdrop on your computer showing something that gives you good and happy memories.
What about the computer itself? You may need to purchase a dual voltage (110/220 V) laptop computer for the children so they can carry their memories. One of the things that is missing with still and video footage is the smell of a place that may be very distinctive. That will often come to you, but it fades after a while. With Windows XP and Vista it is possible to set up a user for each member of the family so they can keep their own memories. It is also possible to use the Public folders to store things that are common like photographs and video clips.
Home made cookies and favorite bought cookies can be comforting to someone who is upset after a long day's travel and in a strange place. Coffee and tea are easily available but home cooking is not.
Everything will be strange, and there will be no home to return to quickly for comfort and reassurance. A new home is a priority and so will be a large item on your agenda. Make every day an adventure to try, taste, and see as many things as possible and get to know as much as possible about the new home town.
If you have smaller children then have their favourite toys with them. It might be a bear, they take to bed with them, or a comfort blanket, but whatever it is make sure it isn't left behind.
