Ten tips for living abroad

Living in a foreign culture is not always an easy journey and takes some getting used to. I have lived abroad for over 13 years and have lived on 3 different continents, cultures and climates. Let’s take a look at how to get the most out of your experience:

Tip No. # 1: dive in

If you’re new to a country, immerse yourself: check the public transportation system, visit museums and galleries, sip coffee and tea at local cafes, join the gym, and chat with local people.

Tip No. # 2: learn the language

Enroll in a language class that teaches the language most people speak. This will allow you to chat slowly with people in the shops, hairdresser, taxi driver, etc. and it will give you a good idea of ​​the culture.

Tip No. # 3: stop comparing

If you continually compare your home country with your country of residence, you will be doing yourself no favors. The fact is, they are different, some things are better and some are more challenging.

Tip No. # 4: write a journal

Write a personal journal about your experience living abroad. You can also include newspaper clippings or interesting things you found on your excursions.

Tip No. 5: share your experiences

Entertain the people you left behind with news from the new world. You can write some of the news that you have written about in your journal on a blog, upload some images, or send regular updates via email or mail.

Tip No. # 6: make new friends

Depending on the reason you live abroad, you could be working or be an expatriate spouse. Both scenarios will put you in touch with new people. Making new friends takes time, but the advantage of living abroad is that there are likely other people in the same boat as you.

Tip No. # 7: keep in touch with your loved ones at home

Another good source of emotional support is a good connection with loved ones at home. In today’s society, it is very easy to stay connected through different social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. and the inexpensive means of free calling services like Skype, Viber, etc. Use them, use them!

Tip No. 8: Explore

Living abroad means that there is a whole new environment to explore. Enjoy a vacation in places you’ve never been, visit the region’s tourist attractions, savor local cuisine, and become an explorer near a new home.

Tip No. # 9: invite your friends

As mentioned in tip n. # 6, making new friends takes time. Keeping old friends also requires cultivating those friendships. Offer your home, if you can, to visiting friends from your home country. You will be surprised how many intimate moments you can have while welcoming your friends.

Tip # 10: Enjoy!

Make it your daily practice to enjoy the differences. Find things you like, like trying new cuisines, visiting new local places and attractions, meeting people you get along with and would never have met if you had stayed “at home.”

These are suggestions that would have been helpful to me when I moved abroad. Try them for yourself and add your own.