The Difficulties of Moving Abroad and How to Face Them

The difficulties of moving abroad will be all too familiar to anyone who has decided to take the plunge and relocate. There are many different reasons as to why people decide to move abroad such as work opportunities, politics, and even love…

The increase in travel mania or ‘wanderlust’ means we are seeing a huge rise in the number of people moving abroad. Factors such as the reduction in air fares, and the fact that being well-travelled has become somewhat of a fashion-statement mean that the idea of relocating appears much less daunting than ever before. In addition, the internet, and in particular ‘vloggers’ who document their travels has only fueled the trend.

For many people, the idea still evokes a feeling of great worry and dread. But fear not, our experiences of moving abroad should help even the most reluctant of travellers!

The difficulties of moving abroad: what holds people back?

It’s just not like home…

One of the biggest difficulties of moving abroad is leaving behind all of your personal items. Unfortunately it is not possible to bring your entire home, so you will have to choose wisely which things you will take. Another option would be to sell some items to raise extra cash for your travels, sites like eBay can come in handy.

When moving items abroad, sites like Eurosender can be an extremely useful resource. They provide customers with access to quality and reliable shipping services at rates that are up to 70 percent lower than standard courier fares. You can send anything with them – from packets to huge containers! Check out their shipping offers for expats. They are even offering an extra 10% off shipping for Europe Language Jobs users - just use the code ELJ10.

Leaving behind family and friends is thehardest part about relocating for almost everyone. Being thousands of miles away from loved ones can be a huge shock to many, especially if it's your first real time away from home. Nowadays, air travel is cheaper than ever before meaning that travelling back home should be relatively easy.

In addition, video chat services like Skype and Facebook can help you to stay connected with family and friends and ease the feelings of homesickness.

Whilst this is one of the biggest difficulties of moving abroad it can also be seen as a positive. Living in an entirely new location is a great way to re-invent yourself and go outside of your comfort zone. Joining expat communities, having new neighbours and joining a new company are situations where you will be sure to meet new people.

Finding a Job Abroad

For many people, finding a job abroad is a real hindrance when deciding on where to move abroad. Not speaking the local language can mean that their chances of finding a job are severely limited, meaning that they will not be able to afford moving to a new country.

However, in recent years many multinational companies have decided to relocate abroad to expand into new markets – meaning that they need to hire multilingual staff. Sites like Europe Language Jobs help to find jobs abroad in your native language, meaning that the language barrier should not be such a worry when relocating.

Plus, having international experience is great for anyone’s CV – showing that you are willing to go outside of your comfort zone and your adaptability. In potential future job interviews you will be able to draw on previous experiences and impress potential employers with the unique skill set that you have gained.

Learning the language

One of the biggest difficulties of moving abroad is the language barrier. For many monolingual speakers the thought of learning a new language can seem an impossible task – but living in a new country is the best way of learning a new language. Having exposure to a new language on a daily basis will improve your language skills at a rapid pace and will help you with important parts such as pronunciation which is extremely difficult to master from a textbook.

There are hundreds of free online language learning resources out there which can help you on your way to mastering a second language.

Learning a new language is not only good on a professional level – there are also many great brain benefits associated with learning languages. It can help to increase the amount of grey matter – a substance found in your brain – helping your memory to improve and even help fend off Alzheimer’s.

Finding a Place to Live

Considering how difficult the modern day house hunt can be, it is essential that anyone looking for a new place is aware of the resources that are out there. Looking for a new house or flat abroad can be extremely stressful and time-consuming – which is multiplied by the fact that you’re living in a new country.

In every city and every industry there are always those willing and waiting to take advantage of foreigners who don´t know their rights, the language, the laws or the going rates for rent. The last thing you want is to be desperate and end up in somewhere that you hate.

Things to remember…

The difficulties of moving abroad will be experienced by anyone who has decided to find a new experience abroad. The idea can be daunting to anyone – having a fear of the unknown is only natural. It is important that you take advantage of the new opportunities that you will encounter, giving you valuable skills and experiences which you will have for life.

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