Authored by Daryl Landry
The world beyond our borders is home to millions of other people, who all lead very different lives. Though have you ever wondered what it would be like to live among them? To experience a change of culture and scenery, and live abroad at least once in your life?
There are very many reasons people dream of relocating to a foreign land. This can be for work, to volunteer, study, pursue a change of scenery, or retire. Though whatever your reason, moving into a new country can be a rich and rewarding experience.
Here are my five reasons why everyone should find the energy to pack up and move abroad … at least once in their life!
You Become Adaptable and Open Minded
When you move to a foreign country everything becomes mixed up. From road rules and daily activities, to people’s attitudes and common behaviors. Because of this, you have to stay positive, flexible, and be open to learning new things.
The experience is almost like being back at school, learning new social etiquette, navigating a new healthcare system, education system, the country’s history, cultural beliefs and traditions. And even if you’re usually afraid of change, you will soon learn to embrace it.
You’ll find that living abroad will make you thrive on change. Stagnancy and complacency becomes your worst enemy. And you finally understand that one of the best way to improve yourself is to do the things that you are most scared of.
You Know Yourself Better
One of the best relationships in life is the relationship you have with yourself. Nothing brings you closer to building an intimate relationship with yourself and getting to know yourself better when you move from your normal environment to a new country.
This gives you the freedom to discover who you are, what you want, and what you really don’t want, without the influence of your family or friends. And this is an incredibly liberating thing.
Staying abroad is a huge eye opener especially if the place is far removed from where you originally came from. It makes you rethink the way you know and understand your culture and your own self. It encourages you to question and improve upon your original values and beliefs, attitudes, and the values that were influenced by your upbringing.
With different perspectives coming back and forth you are able to shape yourself into a strong, independent character which helps you to find your purpose in life with fewer biases.
CV Enhancing
One of the most important advantages of living abroad career wise is that it enhances or gives you a competitive edge in a tough job market.
This enables clients or employees to gauge you due to the fact that you have different perspectives on things, and shows that you can adopt to new environments, and know how to establish a good rapport with people from different nationalities.
In case it’s not possible to work abroad, this is the ideal time to get new qualifications that may go a long way in improving your credentials.
New Friends and a Fresh Slate
The distance created by moving away from home makes it hard for you to interact with your friends and family. Though this is cause to make new connections, and moving abroad opens the avenue for you to meet different people.
And the great thing about new friends is that you have a fresh slate. People don’t know who you are or where you come from. No one really cares about your background. This gives you space to be who you want to be, and allows you to forge friendships without outside influence from family and old friends.
Culturally Immersive
Moving abroad gives you a great chance to observe the country in its own raw environment. You’ll have much more time to develop a connection with the destination than you would if you were passing through as a tourist.
You will have the time to learn the local language, and by immersing yourself with the local way of living, you can comprehend how and why these customs came to be. Adopting them further makes you feel home away from home.
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26 Comments
These are all good points. Plus learning a new language, understanding history and current events with nuance and depth you can’t get from the news or even a classroom, appreciating the value of the great variety of the human experience and seeing that there’s no single best way to live.
Glad you enjoyed the post :) Yes, absolutely, nothing compares to actually physically experiencing something – we can’t gain a true understanding of a place by reading about it or via the news :)
I think Asia would be a great place to move and I understand that the women treat their husbands better than wesrern women do
I think you’ll find that it’s a case of traditional family roles are more prominent in culture here.
Living abroad is a mind opening experience no matter which part of the world you are from and where you are staying.
Absolutely agree … It’s all about exposing yourself to a new environment :)
I absolutely agree, I learned so much about myself and my goals in life by living abroad.
So glad to hear that Stef! Living abroad is the best :)
Thank you for this post. I needed to read this as I just turned 30 and have been thinking about living abroad now for a while. I guess I was just too scared, but after reading this I know this is something I will do in the next 24 months!
Awesome Tracy! So glad we could help give you the push! You’ll love it, it’s an incredible experience, and who knows, you may love it so much you choose a new country for life lol :D! Happy travels!
I couldn’t agree more. I lived in Switzerland for 6 months as a part of my eduction and I had the time of my life. I became independent and met some very good friends from the US. Even if we didn’t see each other for years, it seems like time hasn’t stopped when we do meet. It is a great experience, especially if it is also a country with a different language.
Switzerland sounds amazing Sharon :) So glad you had an incredible time! I definitely agree that the friends you meet during these stints living abroad remain friends for life – they’re the invaluable relationships you can pick back up at any time :)
As soon as I graduated from university in Canada I took off for England where I stayed on and off for a couple of years. Then, after grad school in Canada, I took off again to live in Korea. While moving abroad can be frustrating, I love the fresh starts, and you find out who you really are. I can’t think of a better experience in life, and this article highlights why.
Sounds incredible Carol! Yes, I agree, there are definitely frustrating and stressful parts of settling into a new culture, and of course organizing the practical and logistical aspects of an international move, but the life experience is invaluable :)
I am so with you, although I haven’t done it – yet. I think living somewhere else opens your mind in ways that nothing else does. If everyone did that and got to know people of different cultures in a really personal, everyday way, I’m convinced the world would be a way better place.
I’m so with you on the world being a better place is everyone was exposed to another culture by living abroad at some point in their life. I think we would be a much more accepting world community, which would solve a lot of international issues.
Living in another country is one of the greatest experiences you can have. Life as an expat will challenge you and make you grow in ways you never knew.
Totally agree :) Glad you’ve had the chance to experience expat life too!
We completely agree with these points. Moving to a new place and adapting to new culture and lifestyle helps one get a better person. We were in Switzerland for more than a year and though its quite different from life back in India we enjoyed everything with a lots to learn at every step.
So glad you had a wonderful time in Switzerland Rashmi and Chalukya! Definitely a learning experience when you’re exposed to a culture which is completely new :)
All the points in this article are so true. It is amazing how much I have learned about others but also about myself when my family moved to another continent when I was younger. It definitely taught me how small and big the world is at the same time! This has only fueled my hunger to learn more and has caused me to want to travel so much.
How fantastic Christina that you were able to experience this as a child :) I think especially when we’re young and our world view is still being shaped, that living abroad is such a beneficial experience. Awesome to hear that it gave you the travel bug! Welcome to the club lol :D!
I’ve been travelling for some quite time now. And I couldn’t emphasize that bring along some survival kits just you could reassure yourself. You can never go wrong with these helpful tips. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks for sharing your experience Jeric :) It’s definitely important to have an understanding of first aid, and you should always stock up on personal medications before you move abroad. Most things in a survival kit though you can usually find in your new home :)
“You Know Yourself Better”
Yes, I want to know myself better. Actually, I never thought this way. But after reading you post, I’m thinking.
Living abroad is a really great way to discover yourself – highly recommend the experience if you are looking to know yourself better :)