Moving to Another Country Changes Things Forever
As many who have done it will assure you, moving to a different country will forever change you and your life. Learn more about why and how here! Many people love the idea of traveling. Exploring exotic new countries, sipping cocktails on the beach, it’s living the dream.
But while many of us daydream while in our cubicles, many people are moving to a different country and actually doing it. Those people who have done it will assure you that moving to a different country will forever change you and your life. Many have reservations.
The problem is that so many people worry about moving to a different country. Living abroad can be one of the most exhilarating and culturally eye-opening experiences. America has one of the smallest populations of its citizens living abroad, with only 0.5% of the population compared to Ireland, the highest with 17.5%.
To help you understand some of the ways moving abroad can change your life forever, we’ve put together this article. Let’s get started.
First, Is Moving to a Different Country Safe?
One of the biggest fears Americans have of moving abroad is safety. Surely it’s not safe to leave the comfort of the US for another country. Policing is worse; crime is higher. We have this ingrained fear in our minds about how travel is dangerous. For example, the murder rate per million people in the US is 42.01. There are another 99 countries which have less murder per million people than the US, including:
- Niger
- Albania
- Sri Lanka
- India
- Cambodia
- Turkey
- Iran
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
- Czech Republic
- Vietnam
- Greece
- Morocco
- Croatia
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Poland
- France
- Netherlands
The list goes on, but we don’t want to overwhelm you with choices. The reality is, there are a ton of countries out there you can visit which are actually safer than at home in the US.
The 8 Ways Moving to Another Country Changes Life Forever
To help you get excited about the possibilities of living abroad, we’ve put together a list of some of the ways that moving to a different country can change your life forever, for the better.
Adrenaline Becomes a Part of You
From the moment you make that wild decision to pack up and leave, the adrenaline already starts to build. Stepping off that plane into the warm climate of another country or the harsh cold can leave you brimming with excitement.
Learning, improvising, and dealing with unexpected things when visiting countries you don’t know where you don’t speak the language will give you huge adrenaline rushes. That adrenaline will stay with you and help you seek out new experiences in life.
When You Return, Nothing Will Have Changed
When you get some time to return home after a long time, you’ll see that time almost stood still. People are the same, doing the same routines, living the same lives, experiencing nothing new. You and your life will have been changing at a non-stop pace, but the minute you come home, it’ll all grind to a holt.
It’s Hard to Convey The Words of Your New Life
When people question you about your adventures, travels, and changes, you’ll find it difficult to put into words. The experience of living in other cultures and experiencing new places is hard to put into words. You’ll still have that feeling deep inside you, but all you’ll be able to say is, you’ve got to try it for yourself.
Care Packages Mean a Lot
When you’ve been away from home for a long-time, those little mementos and creature comforts we may have scoffed at can bring you almost to tears. Even though you can get almost anything online, getting a care package can mean more than anything.
You’ll either consume everything in the care package at once, like a starved wolf. Alternatively, you’ll carefully ration out the goodies in a way to make them last as long as possible.
Home is Where the Heart Is
When you move to a different country, you will have not one home but two. Two addresses, two languages, and two types of currency stuffed into your wallet. You may even consider yourself as having two different personalities.
These two separate places, your old home and your new one, will have a special place in your heart. As you progress over time, the two worlds can start to blur into one. You’ll no doubt still have mail at your parent’s house or some boxes piled up in your friend’s basement. You may even consider the idea of moving back home from abroad.
Goodbyes Become Easier
You’ll find that it’s not easy to keep the good in goodbye. Farewells are always difficult, but when you live abroad, you become accustomed to saying goodbye. Changing your mentality to its not goodbye is until the next time we meet can make the exchanges notably easier. Although goodbyes can always be hard, getting used to saying they can make things a whole lot easier.
Friendships Become Fierce
Moving to the other side of the world with a huge amount of sea and land masses between you can be hard. You’d think in this situation, and your friendships would disappear into the void, never hearing from them again.
Instead, you’ll find your friendships will intensify. The people with who you do stay connected will become cornerstones of your life. Thanks to the modern advances of the internet, it’s easy to stay in touch with your most loved ones.
Think of the friends you stay in touch with, the same as clearing out your wardrobe. Sure, you’ve had that one dress in there that looks pretty, but tossing it frees you up to spend more time in the clothes you really love.
You Do as The Locals Do
Over time you will start to become a local from learning to speak parts of the language to understanding where the best local markets are. The more info you absorb, the more knowledgeable you become. Before long, you’ll be a voice of recommendation for new folks coming into town, and you’ll have become a local without even realizing it.
Will You Make the Jump and Live In a New Country?
Moving to a different country can be a daunting prospect. But if you choose to see the good in what might happen to you, you’ll begin to change and see the world in a whole new light. If you’re looking for that push you might need to travel and see a new country, get in touch today.
