Moving abroad and becoming an expatriate has many obvious benefits, from better salaries to better weather, and an often needed change of scenery. Working abroad can often give your life the shot in the arm that will immunise you from the deadly virus of stagnation.
It’s perfectly natural to become bored of your life, especially if you’ve spent the vast majority living, studying, and ultimately working in the same country. However many people also see moving abroad as an incredibly daunting endeavour, no matter how stale life may get the fear of serious change may seem like an even more terrifying option.
But moving abroad shouldn’t be scary, in fact, away from the obvious benefits, working in another country can actually encourage you to grow as a person, and benefit you in ways that may not be in instantly apparent.
So if you’ve thought about moving abroad, and perhaps been a little hesitant, then read on to discover how becoming an expatriate can be a tremendous life experience. Life abroad will give you more of a sense of urgency, and excitement. Your old routine will be cast aside, you’ll have a whole new world to navigate around, chances are you’ll have so much to take in, you simply won’t have the time to be bored.
For a start, moving away will break you away from your routine. Almost everybody has some kind of routine that they follow on a daily basis, and whilst being organised is a very important aspect of life, a daily routine can often transform into a rut. Familiarity has a penchant to hold people back, everyone’s aware of their ‘comfort-zone’ but the problem is that with the same old thing happening every day a comfort-zone can swiftly become an uncomfort-zone. By stepping out of your comfort zone you can gain greater perspective on your life, you’ll be taking a step away from the life you left behind and by being removed from it you’ll gain a clearer image of the things that make you happy, and the things that make you not-so happy.
Removing yourself from the drudgery of your current life will also give you a chance to evaluate. You’ll have a better outlook as to what you truly want from life, away from the nagging responsibility and routine that you may be bogged down with elsewhere.
If you so desire, you will also have the opportunity to create a new life, with no social stumbling blocks. It’s normal to feel a little self-conscious when going through a period of change, but if you’re in totally new surroundings it’ll be easy as no one will have knowledge of your previous life.
Spending time in another culture is always a rewarding experience, so if you have the chance to live in another country and earn money whilst you’re there, you should jump at the chance.
Read about popular expat destinations in more detail in our city guides.