A Quick Guide To Surviving Life As An Expat

Moving from your home country to another one can be the biggest adventure of your life. It can also be the biggest challenge, but there are some steps you can take to make the transition a little easier. Read on to find out what they are. 

Get in a routine. 

There is nothing as comforting as having a routine. Unfortunately, when you move overseas, everything can seem so different that maintaining your old routine may not be possible. 

Instead, the best approach is to get into a new routine as quickly as you can. Where possible, do similar activities as you did at home like going to the gym after work, or cooking at the weekend. The reason is that these will act as touchpoints during the week. Therefore, helping to make your unfamiliar surroundings more comfortable. 

Create a sanctuary in your home. 

Overwhelm is a pervasive experience for people when they first begin their ex-pat life. With that in mind, making sure your home is just right can be a massive comfort. In fact, having a home that you can return to and relax in at the end of the day is essential. 

With that in mind, it’s essential to have things you love around you, whether that’s photos of friends and family, or sentimental possessions and items. 
Of course, you won’t be able to take everything you own, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of it. In fact, if you can find a company like Mammoth Storage, you can store your treasured possession even while you are not in the country. Then they will be there for you once you return, or if you decide to stay in your new location, you can have them shipped over later.

Take opportunities to meet new people. 

One of the biggest things you can do to make a good life when you move abroad is to meet people in your new location. Of course, this can be problematic, especially if there aren’t many people from your native country or that speak your language. 

However, it is most definitely worth making an extended effort to find people you click with, whether they speak your native language or not. After all, it is these people that will become your friends and support network while living overseas.

You may even want to attend a language course if you aren’t too confident speaking right away. Also, there are likely to be people in a very similar position there too, so it’s a great place to meet new friends!

Finally, when living abroad, it’s totally OK to remind yourself of home often. In fact, being happy in your new location is all about striking a balance between integrating into your new life and keeping the links and connections with your old life alive. 

Remind yourself of home often.

Happily, there are many things you can do to achieve this. One option is to cook traditional food regularly. Another is getting on Skype to speak to friends and family each week. It’s also a good idea to travel back home periodically and see friends and loved ones in person. After all, no matter how good your ex-pat life, there is nothing better than seeing those you love face to face.