Seven Great Reasons To Become An Expat

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Seven Great Reasons To Become An Expat

The idea of living abroad is a fantasy that many of us have entertained. It can seem like a dream to imagine living in exotic foreign locales, enjoying all the best and most exciting opportunities that another country can afford. Today’s world makes it easier than ever to pursue your dreams of moving abroad.

The pandemic has created many opportunities to close the gaps that distance creates and bring the best of your life now to a new location. Remote working opportunities, video conferencing, the ease of cellular communication and the widespread use of the internet all create a perfect environment to try out a new home base. Still not convinced that the expat life is for you? Consider these seven reasons why being an expat is a wonderful life choice.

1. Enjoying Friends Around the World

The greatest reason to move abroad is to have friends all around the world. Exploring global citizenship allows you to meet all kinds of people from many different places and cultures. Having friends in exotic locations means you get the inside scoop on the best places to experience the way a local does.

2. Acquiring Life Skills

Living in another country allows you to acquire life skills that you cannot get any other way. Handling a new country’s rules and regulations, as well as the unwritten customs, means that you will have to broaden your skill set and widen your comfort zone to find new ways of doing things. From getting a driver’s license to navigating the grocery store, being in a new place lets you flex muscles that you didn’t know you had.

3. Becoming Multilingual

Learning a new language can be one of the most exciting things about being an expat. Talking to people in their first language is a fantastic opportunity to get to really know them. While learning an entirely new language may seem intimidating, remember that you will be fully immersed in the language when you move. You will become conversant faster than you think is possible.

4. Expanding Your Possibilities

Being in a new place comes with new possibilities that do not seem possible at home. You may find that you have the chance to find a better or more interesting job, the ability to travel to different countries more easily or acquire new hobbies that you’ve never considered before. The phrase “the world is your oyster” is absolutely true for expats.

5. Developing a Better Sense of Humor

Expat life is bound to have moments that you cannot anticipate. From misunderstandings in a new language to food you do not recognize, every day as an expat can present the unexpected. Learning to be flexible and not take things too seriously will make your experience richer. Learning to laugh at the hiccups you encounter along the way is one of the best things about expat life.

6. Discovering New Cultures

Becoming an expat allows you the opportunity not just to visit a new culture, but to immerse yourself in it and have the chance to live like a local. Not only will you have the chance to experience the food, history and people of a new place, you’ll also get to live your life in an entirely different way. From local customs to unwritten conventions, your day-to-day life is unlikely to be the same as your life before moving. Interestingly, you will also find an entirely new perspective on your own culture. Moving away from your homeland allows you to see it with new eyes, and gain new insights into what is good and bad about the culture you were raised in. Once you have embraced a second worldview, you truly have a new way of thinking about your place in it.

7. Finding Yourself

In the end, the most important thing that will happen is that you will find yourself. Nothing puts you more in touch with who you are and what you stand for than living in a new country. You will never be the same.

If moving to a new country is your dream, maybe it’s time to make your fantasy a reality and experience these seven great reasons to become an expat.

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.