7 Reasons Why Now Is The Time To Move Abroad

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7 Reasons Why Now Is The Time To Move Abroad

Many people dream of living in another country, at least for a little while. There are many benefits of living abroad, including meeting new people and learning about different cultures. But unfortunately, many people have had to put their dreams on hold in the past few years due to various reasons, including travel restrictions, financial difficulties, and other responsibilities like family and pets. Is now the time to move abroad?

Moving to a new place can change your life, but it’s always best to decide whether it’s the right choice for you. For example, if you have responsibilities keeping you at home, such as a pet, moving abroad might be more difficult since you’ll need to find pet-friendly places to live. In this case, you’ll also need to figure out how to travel with your pet. However, those who truly want to live overseas can make it happen with proper planning beforehand. In addition, living overseas offers you the chance to start over with a new lifestyle and career, benefiting those who may feel stuck in a rut. Here’s why now is the time to move abroad.

1. Travel Restrictions Have Lifted

The pandemic left many of us stuck at home with nothing to do. Many people had to cancel their travel plans, so you’re probably aching for a chance to go somewhere new. Luckily, many travel restrictions around the world have been lifted, making it easier to move now. If you want to move abroad and are vaccinated, you can go just about anywhere around the world and find a nice place to live. However, if you’re not vaccinated for whatever reason, you should consider it to feel safe since the pandemic isn’t technically over yet.

2. You Want a Fresh Start

Sometimes your life doesn’t go the way you were hoping. For example, instead of getting the career you wanted right out of college, you may have had to work as an unpaid intern only to find out the company you work for doesn’t promote from within. Or maybe you thought you’d be happier as an adult with your own home. Whatever the case for wanting a fresh start, moving abroad can help you start anew easily, as long as you can find a job to afford to live.

3. It Can Enhance Your Career

Living abroad can enhance your career by allowing you to reinvent yourself with a new career or progress in your current career if you aren’t finding the right opportunities now. Additionally, you may find some companies abroad value your experience more than those in your home country. Moving abroad is a great way to help you advance in your career. With the option to work anywhere in the world, you can start climbing the corporate ladder or finding ways to get ahead of other candidates by putting some unique experience in your resume.

4. You Want to Experience New Cultures

If you want to experience a new culture but don’t speak any other languages, you can move abroad to a country where they speak English. Even if you move to a country where they speak your language, you’ll still experience a culture shock, which can help you evolve as a person and learn more about the different people in the world and how they live their lives.

Moving to a new country will allow you to meet people with a different perspective, and you may even learn a thing or two about how to change the way you feel about yourself, your life, and even your job. For example, depending on where you live, you may find that they eat meals at different times, place more or less importance on work, or treat people differently. By embracing change, you can make the most out of your new home while learning about the different ways you can improve your life.

5. You Want to Learn a New Language

There’s no better way to learn a new language than by immersing yourself in a new culture. Sure, you can take language classes online or at the local community center, but by throwing yourself into a new country, you’ll pick up the language and the nuances of the language faster (because you have to communicate with people somehow).

6. It Prevents Boredom

While humans are creatures of habit, sometimes we need to do something new to challenge ourselves and stay engaged in work and our personal lives. If you’re bored or feel stuck in a rut, now is the perfect time to move abroad.

Moving to a new place will help you challenge yourself. You’ll have to deal with a lot between renting or buying a home, booking your flight, planning the move, and actually moving your things to the new country. However, once you get there, you’ll need to start looking for a job and meeting new people, all of which can be exciting, especially when you’re in a new country and have so much to learn.

Challenging yourself can help prevent boredom that can lead to anxiety and depression. Instead of feeling like you’re doing the same activities every day, you can start to experience a different way of life that always keeps you on your toes.

7. It’s Cheaper

Depending on where you move, living abroad can be cheaper. Picking somewhere to live with a lower cost of living can help you save more money to spend on entertainment or put it away for retirement to offer yourself peace of mind. Cost of living is one of the best reasons to move abroad, allowing you to save money or pay off debts while enjoying your life.

Final Thoughts

Picking up and moving abroad isn’t for everyone; while some people can pack their things and move to a new country for a few months or years, others need to plan, especially if they have responsibilities. In some cases, you might want to find a job before you book your flight, while in others, you might be financially stable enough to move to a new country without worrying about finding a job right away.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.