Moving abroad is a bigger strain for women

Stress

New research has shown that women who travel abroad with their husbands generally suffer more stress from the move than their husbands.

The Interchange Institute recently conducting a study that looked into the different stresses that expat couples encounter when they move abroad.

One of the chief issues that arose was that wives of expat males have more difficulty adjusting to the move than men. However, another interesting point that emerged was that having younger children eases the stress of the move.

Mothers encountered less stress than wives in a childless family, although mothers with teenage children also had move-stress.

One of the women who took part in the survey said: “I have spent so much time supporting my spouse and helping my children adapt that I feel as if I have no energy left for me. After a 12-year stint as a stay at home mom and then finally finding the perfect job part time, we were uprooted. The resentment is some days overwhelming. I wake up every day wondering what I’m going to do until it is time to go to bed again.”

Some of the main issues included grasping everyday customs and adapting to foreign food.

As a means of coping with culture shock it was suggested that learning the native language of the new country is tremendously useful for new expats.

If you want more information on adjusting to life in a new country then read our guide to expat Culture Shock.