moving abroad 101 – part i

I have always loved discovering new places. After spending one year of my studies experiencing life in different countries and absolutely loving it, moving abroad was a very natural thing for me to do after my graduation.
In this moving abroad 101 I will share my personal experience and tips for anyone who is planning a big move to a new place far away.

Plan a longer stay
Try to spend as long as possible (ideally a few months, but definitely more than 3 weeks) in the place you would like to live in before moving there permanently. This will allow you to develop a routine, which is the first step to experiencing the new place as a home. Also, you will expose yourself to the small daily struggles and that might occur.

Observing your mood and reactions during this stay will give you a good impression of how it feels to actually live in that place and also give you an idea about whether and how you will fit in there long-term.

See the place in off-season
Summer holidays are usually great and the destination often appears magical and makes you dream of moving to that place. In winter, not only the weather, but also your mood, the mood of the people living there and the general vibes can change more than you might expect. Seeing the place in off-season will help you get a more realistic image of life in your possible future home.

If you still feel happy and excited about moving to your tropical dream home after you have experienced it in bad weather or if your heart still beats faster when thinking about moving to that cultural hotspot after spending a month there without the festivals and parties that summer brings, then you know you are good to go!

– Stay tuned for parts ii – vi ! –