If you are planning on moving abroad, you have an incredible adventure ahead of you. However, no matter how much you prepare, there are going to be some surprises along the way – some good and some bad. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the things that no one ever tells you about moving abroad.
You will experience reverse culture shock when you go back to your home country
You are probably worried about the culture shock you may encounter when moving to a new place. But what about the culture shock when you go back home? This is something a lot of people don’t think about. However, when you have been living in a new location for a while, you get used to their way of life, and when you go back home you can feel like a foreigner!
You can expect a few inappropriate compliments
Depending on where you are moving to, you may be in for a few unexpected and probably unwanted compliments, especially if you are female. “Hello, do you have a boyfriend?” is one of the more popular icebreakers. It is important to remember two things. 1) English isn’t this person’s first language, which may be why they are coming across so blunt and a bit rude. 2) You’re in a different culture and you’re conversing with someone who may have different views or a different way of life. Take these comments with a pinch of salt and don’t get offended. It’s likely that no offense was meant to begin with!
The honeymoon stage wears off sooner than you would think
When moving to a new country, you expect to be in sheer bliss for months and months on end. However, this can come crashing down within a matter of weeks and even days, as real life takes its toll. After all, from the initial step when you hire a moving company, to then setting up new bank accounts and enrolling your children into a school, and much more, you are going to have a lot to do, and these tasks are hardly fun are they?
There will be times when you regret your decision to move abroad
Moving abroad will probably turn out to be the best thing you have ever done. However, there are still going to be times when you regret it. After all, you have made a massive move, and so when something goes wrong, it can be very easy to blame it on the move and say that you should have never upped sticks in the first place. After all, life gets hard sometimes! If you expect a few wobbles, you will be more prepared for dealing with these moments.
So there you have it: some of the main things that no one ever tells you about moving abroad. Hopefully, you now feel more prepared for the amazing journey along the way. Just remember that all of these surprises are part of the adventure; you cannot plan for everything, so don’t worry if there are a few hiccups along the way. It’s part of life!
