5 Ways Moving Abroad Impacts You
On the beach in Barcelona sipping on a white sangria!
Why Move Abroad?
You should move abroad for a plethora of reasons, including better work-life-balance, free (or close to) healthcare, experiencing new culture, or learning a new language. But the biggest reason is how moving abroad will affect you. It will make you more flexible, resilient, and empathetic. Here are the five main ways moving abroad has impacted me:
Resiliency
Moving abroad is often portrayed as a glittery escape from everyday life, and while it can feel that way somedays, it can also feel like a frustrating, lonely venture into a country and culture that is not yours and you don’t understand. You have to stay resilient in your decision to live abroad because in so many ways life in your home country is easier, but you must choose to stay every day. If you move somewhere you don’t speak the language, this can be even more true as you have a hard time connecting to people and are often confused by simple things such as sending mail or buying groceries. Not to mention the bureaucracy of visas and visa extensions and work permits and anything that relates to not living there illegally. While this may sound uncomfortable or tiring, it is the most rewarding aspect of living abroad for me because it makes me feel strong.
2. Standing up for yourself
Prior to moving abroad, I was a bit of a push over. If I was at the bank and they said they couldn’t do it, I would fold and give up, but now I keep trying until I can get it done. In Spain, everything is notoriously specific to the person you are dealing with. So if at the bank, the teller says they can’t do it, in all likelihood they just won’t do it and you need to either find someone new or force their hand until they do it. This may sound trivial, but it really does translate into more important aspects of your life, like your relationships and work. Learning to be direct and stick up for yourself is a really important trait I have gained while living here because without it I wouldn’t get much done.
In Nice, France enjoying the sites
3. Curiosity about everything
While this one may be obvious, it has come from unpredictable areas, not the way I expected to be curious about history or customs from museums or architecture. I have been the most curious to figure out why Spaniards are the way they are when I encounter difficulties with them. For example, I have encountered many Spaniards who are serious rule followers, they must follow the smallest of bureaucratic procedures, and when you ask why, they don’t have an answer. Some people have suggested this hails from the days of Franco where following rules was a more life or death situation. That may not be the whole answer, but I am always curious about why people in different cultures act the way they do. And moving abroad has also made me curious about my own culture because many times when people ask me things about America I don’t always have an answer. I think being curious has translated into forging better relationships and living a more fulfilling life generally as I like learning new things everyday.
4. Empathy
I truly believe that the more time your spend away from your comfort zone, the more empathy you gain for people different than you. When you stay in your hometown forever the distance between you and people from other parts of the globe only seems to grow. The closer you get to people from other cultures, backgrounds, and circumstances the more empathy you have for everyone because of the vast diversity you’ll see and the fact that at the end of the day we are all people who deserve to be treated with respect. If you do return to your home country, you will have a lot more empathy for immigrants especially.
5. Travel bug
This is something that has impacted me that I can’t imagine going a way anytime soon. When I was a kid, I didn’t particularly like to travel, but thankfully my parents always encouraged it, so as I traveled more in my teenage and college years it grew on me. Now that I live in Europe with so many different countries just a short flight away, I can’t imagine not taking advantage and traveling regularly. Especially seeing more of the world and learning from it, I have learned how lucky I am to have the privilege to travel, so I must use it. Even if I eventually do settle down somewhere for a longer time period, I am sure I will still have to urge to travel whenever possible. I hope to visit 30 countries by 30 year old.
At a vineyard in Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Why you should live abroad
Moving abroad will make you, above anything else, resilient. You can’t move abroad without becoming persistent and learning to stickup for yourself. You will get really curious about why things are the why they are. You will become empathetic for people, especially immigrants, because you see how hard it is to live in a new culture away from comfort and family. And you probably won’t ever want to stop exploring the world, even if it eventually is on a smaller scale.
If you haven’t made your move abroad yet, what’s holding you back? These lessons and more are waiting for you.
