Moving abroad is a scary thing to do. It can also be one of the most rewarding. Not only can you embrace a new culture, make lifelong friends and become an expert in an area, but you will also gain huge amounts of experience and opportunities that may not have been available to you previously. There is an opportunity to reinvent yourself or merely challenge yourself to forge a new life in a new part of the world for you. This is not easy. But do not let that put you off. The good things in life are rarely easy. If you need some tips and tricks for living abroad then here is just a little advice for you to consider.
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Insurance
This is something that you will perhaps need depending on what country you are from and what country you are looking to move to. However, it may be worth investing in international life insurance anyway. It can give you peace of mind and allow you to relax no matter what challenges you face along the way.
The important thing to remember is that the cost of this insurance will change depending on where you are living, how long you are going to be away, and what you are going to be doing whilst there.
If you know you are going to be doing some thrill-seeking, then it may be worth telling your insurance provider and they can advise you on the best deals.
Destination
The destination of your move abroad is vital to your success. You need to make sure that you are going to enjoy the area that you move to. The safest thing to do is to move somewhere that you are semi-familiar with. You should spend time exploring the area on smaller trips and getting to know what your local town will soon be like.
Just because you enjoy it over a weekend, does not mean that you want to live there. If you have a partner then you should perhaps agree with them on places you don’t want to go and give them a set amount of veto options to ensure you pick somewhere you will both be happy.
Think about the reasons you are moving. Is it because you have a new job, or you are looking to expand your business in a new direction? Or is sitting because you prefer its culture and a lower cost of living?
All of these are valid reasons, but it is good to have them in mind for when times get tough. Inevitably there will be challenges so having a list of reasons why you are there may help the transition go smoother.
Learn the language
It can be easy for an English speaker to be quite lazy and assume that wherever you are going will speak the same language. They probably do but it will make you stick out if you cannot speak in the native language.
Being able to speak the language of the country you are in is not only respectful, but it will help you integrate and make friends. You may even start to discover hidden gems of recipes that only locals know about by learning the language.
It is important to remember that this is not easy. You will probably struggle but that is okay. You should take private lessons if you can afford them. This will help you get the one-to-one tuition that can help you progress.
A private tutor will also be able to tailor the lessons to you specifically and allow you to get to a conversational level much quicker than other methods.
Prepare for the culture shock
No area anywhere in the world is the same. The things you think are normal are likely, not normal anywhere else. Equally, you will likely see behavior and culture that will shock you when you move abroad.
You should try and treat these as just enjoyable differences. You do not need to completely change the way you live. These differences are just that. They don’t have an impact on you or your decision. Make sure not to fall into accepting cultural stereotypes as the norm. They are not facts.
Be prepared to stand out. You will likely be spotted as a foreigner wherever you go. This is normal. It should not stop you from trying to integrate though. Providing you can speak the language; you should introduce yourself and embrace your foreignness. It will likely lead to conversations and perhaps a budding friendship that you weren’t prepared for.
Moving abroad
This is no easy thing and so you should expect a challenge. This does not mean that you should not do it though. There are so many rewards that you can gain from doing such a great thing. Just make sure that you are prepared for the move, and you will be fine.
