Living and working abroad can be a little scary for everyone. The language is different and you’re away from your family and friends, and most importantly you’re away from the place you used to call home. The 09communication barrier can be a pain and no matter how much you prepare yourself by reading up on the other country traditions and culture, nothing can truly prepare you for whats to come.
If you don’t where you wanna go, then the first thing you have to do is narrow down your choices. Find a place that best fits your requirements. The hardest part about moving abroad is knowing where to go and what to do.
After you’ve decided what to do and where to go, you need to get a visa in order to stay that country. It’s essential that you fully comprehend the visa requirements so that you’re legally prepared to work and travel while you’re staying abroad.
The next step is to see if you’re financially capable of making the movie. Depending on where you’re going, your cost of living could be much high or much lower than at home. Before moving it’s important that you figure how much you’re going to spending on food, housing, travel etc. and prepare for that with respect to the amount that you’ll be making at your job. Make a budget and stick to it! A little bit of planning can go a long way to keep your financial stable.
Another thing you should be aware of before making the move is the laws and regulations of the country you’re going to. Don’t do anything illegal and take on the unnecessary risk.
Some nights it may feel a little lonely or too stressful, but with right attitude you can overcome all your apprehensions and look forward the to exciting and amazing experience that lies ahead.
- Lower your Expectations – Don’t stress over what you thought it would be like and how you want it to, but accept it for what it is. Don’t form some grand image in your head only to be disappointed when you reach. It’s a healthy attitude to have to keep yourself from being disappointed. If you expect too much, you’ll fall just as hard and it’s harder to cope with things if you don’t think that it’s ideal.
- Give it time – Have patience. As soon as things turn a little bad, don’t just turn around and book a light back home, but take the challenge head on and you’ll come to find that it was well worth the effort. Adapting takes times, and give yourself enough room to settle in. Who knows? One of these days you might even find yourself falling in love with the place.
- Let it all out – Moving to a new place means stepping out of your comfort zone, and sometimes leaving yourself to feel vulnerable. If you ever feel low you can easily just call one of your friends on Skype or fork out some cash to call someone back home and vent. Just hearing a familiar voice something is enough to comfort yourself.
- Explore – Instead of viewing the area where you stay as a prison, get out there and explore your surroundings. Check out the local supermarket, or where the locals hang out and maybe find a place you like to. Exploring and discovering new places may reignite your passion for traveling.
- Build a Routine – Routines are commonly considered boring but they help you settle in faster. It’s a huge source of comfort to have some sort of consistency. Go for a walk every morning or have movie night to add a little spice.
- Make it your own – Where you’re staying once you come abroad is probably a place that you didn’t get to choose, and the furniture and décor probably aren’t of your choosing either. Move stuff around and put it in a way that makes you feel at home. You can always pick a few cheap accessories to really make the place feel like its your own.
- Travel – Unless you’re living in the middle nowhere, weekend trips can be a boost to your schedule. Get away from the weekend and see what wonders the neighboring cities have to offer. Meet up with other foreigners along the way and bring the spark back to the life of living abroad.
- Stay Connected – To keep your sanity, keep in touch with the people back home. Write a blog, or send out emails, do whatever it is you need to do to stay connected. You may be the only foreigner for miles around but as long as you have people you can talk to back home, who speak the same language and understand you, you’ll be just fine.
- Language Skills – Nobody’s asking you to be fluently but it’s always helpful to know a few phrases in the local language to help you get around and help yourself. If nothing else, it could still probably earn a few brownie points with the locals, who’ll be more understanding you to predicament since they know you’re trying.
- Pamper Yourself – Don’t forget the things that you like and how you like to indulge yourself. Find some place where you can maybe get the perfect cup of hot coco or the local library where you feel comfortable. Give yourself this luxury to feel a connection by doing the same things that you used to when you were back home.
- Make New Friends – You may be the only foreigner but you’re definitely not alone. Make the effort to get to know people from work or even just your neighbors. If you think that they aren’t the kind of people you want to be friends with, take an extra class or join a sports team, to connect with more people. The more people you expose yourself to, the better the chances are of you finding something you can befriend.
- Remember your Goals – Why did you decide to move? Why did you leave home? Remember the reasons and act on them. If it was to explore a new culture, then go out and experience the very culture you were looking forward to. If it was to discover the thrill of traveling, then travel some more. Do some research online and find the hot spots around the city. Whatever the reasons, keep them in sight and hone the positive aspects of your situation.
There are plenty of people out there who’re still dreaming about moving away from home to a strange land but they aren’t able to. You’re one of the lucky ones, so enjoy it and embrace it to the fullest.
