Moving abroad is a major life opportunity for everyone who is brave and lucky enough to have the occasion to take the leap. Although being an expat is exciting and fun, it can also be very challenging. In fact, when people got to live in another country, they have to face various problems, from making new friends to buying groceries. The difficulties of living in a foreign country can feel insurmountable at times.
Firstly, one of the most important problems to deal with is the one of the languages. In fact, to communicate with the local population, the first thing they need to learn is how to use the foreign language properly. To solve this, people can attend courses before leaving their home country, but they can also learn how to communicate by gaining experience while being abroad. In any case, if you are in doubt or scared, remember this beautiful quote from living abroad by George Carlin: «Everyone smiles in the same language».
Secondly, another question regards the difference between your native culture and the new one. In fact, dealing with culture shock is one of the most common difficulties of living in a foreign country. Consequently, it would be better to make some researches before moving to the other country, but if this does not happen, people can discover the new culture while being already in the foreign territory. The experience of moving abroad can be intense and frustrating, especially in an expat situation, as you’re suddenly confused by the easiest tasks and the frustration can ruin this new experience. Culture shock will inevitably pass, but it’s important to monitor your stress levels and support the members of your family who are dealing with the same things.
Moreover, the distance from home and the lack of loved ones could represent another issue. Indeed, keeping in touch with them is necessary for their mental health and their ability to live abroad. The challenge can be the time to stay in contact with them while being in two different time zones. This problem can be easily solved by making a schedule of the conversations.
In addition, getting to know new people in your new country is extremely important. It can be tough for expats to make friends, especially in locations that lack an expat community. However, remaining isolated is not an option, and is a sure way to make your experience miserable. To solve this problem, all you need is to use every resource possible. This includes searching for meet-up groups online, researching the expat community and finding expat events online, since there are even Facebook groups addressing the expat community. The key thing is to put yourself out there: the more you put into making friends, the sooner? you will get out of it.
In conclusion, despite the issues that can be easily overcome with some effort, moving abroad is a major life occasion that everyone needs to experience at least once in life.
Claudia Petronio, III I
