Moving abroad alone could be pretty exciting and scary at the same time. Imagine visiting attractions and discovering places with a lot of friendly faces. And of course, you wouldn’t want to miss the chance to try a food you haven’t tasted before.
On the other hand, you would be doing all these things by yourself. That’s where the scary part of moving abroad alone takes place. However, with a good plan and preparation, it could be the most transformative experience you’ll ever have.
In this guide, you’ll learn the perfect ways to survive and thrive living in a new country. You can get helpful tips that will make your journey the best thing you’ll ever do. So, if you want to know how you can win challenges in living abroad, keep on reading!
What to Do Before Moving Abroad Alone | Things to Remember
If you want to work and study abroad, you need to run a checklist first for your guide. Write down questions you want to know and search them online. You have to prepare everything before you make your next big move.
Remember that the process of living in a new country could be pretty expensive. So, you have to finalize things and make a firm decision. You might start by asking yourself, “what will you do abroad?”
Perhaps, studying abroad could be your best answer to that question. From there, you can make a list of the things you will need to do and accomplish. Now, here are some of what you can write down on your notes:
Prepare Everything Before Moving Abroad Alone
The best way to prepare all the necessary things you’ll need is your checklist. Not only that it’ll keep you guided, but it’ll also remind you of the things you haven’t done yet. Hence, everything will smoothly move because you know what to do.
Learn the language
Moving abroad alone in a place where English is not the primary language could be difficult. Thus, it’ll be best to learn some conversational words to keep you up. Also, bring a dictionary with you or download an app on your phone.
A translation app can be of great help, too, for a more convenient way of communicating with the locals. Here are some of the apps you can download before you travel abroad:
- Google Translate
- TripLingo
- Microsoft Translator
- iTranslate
- Waygo
Connect with ex-pat communities
If you want to know more about the place you’ll move to, you can search for travel blogs. However, another way to find answers to your questions is by joining an online community. You can look for groups on Facebook and communicate with some members.
You’ll be surprised to hear about their experiences when they first moved in and how they cope with it. Indeed, living in a new country isn’t easy, especially when you don’t know anyone. So, this could be your chance to make friends ahead of your trip.
Know where your money’s coming from
Finding a job abroad could be uncertain, depending on the circumstances. Hence, there’s no assurance that you can get a job immediately once you move there. So, you’ll need a stable financial source to keep up your expenses.
It’ll be better for you to sort out your finances first before you travel abroad. Remember that moving abroad alone could be challenging already. If possible, avoid bringing problems for you to focus on surviving in a new environment.
Research your new neighborhood
One of the best ways to adjust easily after moving abroad alone is to find your ideal place. If you’re the type who likes busy streets and nightlife, then you should pick somewhere within the city. However, if you want a quiet place to relax, the countryside is best for you.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone While Living in a New Country
As scary as it sounds to try new things on your own, you have to go on with your life. Explore places and discover fun activities that will help you adjust. Don’t limit yourself from doing what makes you happy.
Make finding new friends a priority
We’ve already mentioned one way of making friends in a new city. Hanging out with other people will make your life easy abroad. It’s not just about treating your loneliness, but it’s more about building good relationships.
You might agree or disagree, but no man is indeed an island. To survive moving abroad alone, you have to socialize and communicate with others. But of course, always be cautious in trusting new people.
Embrace being alone and find beauty in it
This tip might sound contradicting to the previous one, which is to make friends, but it doesn’t. As much as friends will give you comfort and company, they can’t be with you 24/7. So, when you’re alone, try to find beauty in silence and maturity.
In other words, look for something where you can enjoy even when you’re by yourself. Perhaps you can watch good movies, listen to great music, or eat somewhere. You just have to realize that not all who are alone are lonely.
Roam around the city
Grab your chance to experience what it’s like living in a new country. There’s so much for you to explore, and you have to start it by going out. Roam around the city and make the most of it.
Remember your bucket list? It’s the perfect time for you to add more to it. You can search for top destinations near you or fun activities that you must experience.
Experience and Get Amazed with New Cultures
Check out some local museums that you can visit and fall in love with the arts. Also, look for the best restaurants in town and indulge in local food and drink. These are just some of the cultures you can try when traveling abroad.
Discover new things and hang out with locals
For sure, the place you chose abroad has festivals and cultural events. Don’t miss experiencing these because you deserve to live life to its fullest. So, go out and have fun!
Moreover, you can hang out with some locals to experience their lifestyle. Through this, you can understand them better about who they are. Thus, you can appreciate the opportunity to live in a new country.
These are some of the top ways to meet locals while living in a new country abroad:
- use of technology
- language class
- join a club
- go to places where locals go
Adapt to local customs
Learn to live life abroad by adapting customs and traditions. And this is why it’s important to make friends with the locals because they can teach you these things. You have to get used to their lifestyle because you’re already one of them.
But it doesn’t mean that you have to forget who you are and where you’re from. It’s like putting a bedsheet cover on your mattress. You have to add something to the base for comfortability and familiarity.
Anticipate a Few Bumps Along the Way
No matter how many friends you make and how far you’ve reached, it won’t guarantee you total adjustment. There will be days that you’ll miss home, your family, and your friends. That’s why people would say that moving abroad alone requires a strong spirit.
Prepare for homesickness
Even if you’ve been in the country for years, homesickness never ends. It’s just a matter of getting used to it and knowing what to do when it triggers. Indeed, it takes so much strength to move abroad alone because it won’t be that easy to go home.
It’s not like having a vacation that once you’re tired, you can go home already. Before going home, you need to check your financial status first. Of course, you also have to consider the life that’s waiting for you in your country.
Have a support network in place
When you feel like bursting out because of homesickness, call your friends. Hang out with them and have fun. Because just like any other day, this feeling will pass by.
Study and work abroad with GrowPro! Find out our most requested experiences from your dream destination and request your free assessment NOW!
Living in a New Country with GrowPro Experience | We Got You
Nothing is scarier than not trying to reach your dreams and experience seeing the world in a closer picture. If you think you can’t do something beyond your comfort zone, like moving abroad alone, we’re here for you. Because we want you to live the life that you deserve, we’ll help you take this transformative journey of a lifetime.
Here at GrowPro, we treat everyone like a family. And we believe that families should lift each other no matter the circumstances. Thus, you can trust us by telling us your aspirations and even your fears, and together we’ll conquer anything.
So, here’s one of the most requested experiences we have for your reference. You can complete the form and wait for a call for further assistance. We’ll also give tips on finding the best accommodation, transportation options, and more.
We live with our mission to help international students like you to study abroad. Set aside your doubts and worries, for we will be with you every step of the way. So, choose GrowPro now because we got you!
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