Have you ever wondered why more and more people decide to move abroad? There can be several reasons behind becoming an expat - some people want more excitement in their lives, some want more peacefulness, some people just want to enjoy a nice, warm climate. No matter which stage of life you are in, moving abroad is a wonderful cultural opportunity to consider.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” –Walt Disney
1. Experience Another Culture
Moving to a foreign country and a completely new environment can be overwhelming, but it is a rewarding experience. When arriving in a new country as an expat, you’ll learn more about yourself as you expand your horizon about different cultures, and also find that most natives welcome expats with hospitality.
It’s natural to experience some form of culture shock in the beginning, especially as a solo traveller, but immersing yourself in another country's history, language, customs and habits is a unique experience that everyone should encounter in his or her lifetime.
Who knows, you might come to love a new culture and end up staying even longer.
2. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Thrive
Making new friends in your home country may be as simple as saying hello to your neighbor, but it’s rather different when you’re in a completely strange environment, surrounded by people from another culture that speak a different language.
It requires stepping out of your comfort zone to try something new and meet new people from a different cultural background, but it’s a rewarding experience.
Relocating abroad comes with many opportunities for personal growth, including making friends. What's even better is that you don't need to have a long-term relocation plan. You can simply spend a semester abroad or au pair abroad during the summer to experience what it’s like to live in another country. And trust us, you’ll learn a lot about yourself along the way.
3. Become Independent and Open-Minded
Some people move abroad along with their family, while others choose to relocate abroad on their own. If you are the latter, don't be afraid to take the journey along as you’ll make lifelong friendships along the way.
Moving abroad alone teaches you self-reliance like nothing else does. However, as you start learning how to ask for help in a different language, you will realise that most people are open to help and are glad to assist you. And in turn, you become stronger and confident in yourself to be more independent and culturally open minded. These are traits that are priceless and will take you places you don’t even imagine.
4. Boost Your Career
Do you want to take your CV to the next level? Having international work experience is a great way to boost your career and present your well-rounded experience.
Whether you are currently studying or mid-career, starting an internship or even launching a business abroad is an excellent way to develop your professional skills. Living in a new country and working in a different culture helps expand your global mindset, especially when working in diverse teams.
Another aspect of this international experience is the opportunity to immerse in a new culture and learn a new language. Even if you just learn upto conversational level, it opens up a different culture and allows you to better work with cross-cultural teams. Moving abroad will expand your adaptability and problem-solving expertise as well, so getting international experience is a huge career-enhancing opportunity.
