Congrats! You’ve done it! You’ve made a decision to go on a journey of self- discovery, I am proud of you! Keep in mind that this is only the beginning, and what follows can be messy, but oh so rewarding.
I was lucky enough to have my ‘first time’ twice. First, I moved interstate when I was 18, first time away from home, first full-time job, first time interstate alone, all the firsts. After 12 months I started moving interstate, to new and exciting locations, whenever I pleased. So naturally when it came time to move abroad, I thought I had it in the bag, I’m a pro at this relocation thing! Nope, wrong. Moving to a different country is a whole new level!
So make sure you are wearing your safety harness, because you are on, a roller coaster journey!
Below are my top tips for a little less turbulent journey, to living abroad for the first time.
Tip number one; Have an open mind
What you see (on Instragram) is not necessarily what you get, in real life. Prepare for the roller coaster of emotions, that is on it’s way to you. Try not to pre-set your expectations too high, and allow room to go with the flow. Here is what I mean by this; ‘So when I arrive in France, I will go straight to my hostel and get a good night’s rest. First thing in the morning I will catch public transport and view a room for a house share, then straight after I have a job interview. I expect to move into the house within the first few days and start my job at the same time. I will sign up to a sporting team on Saturdays, and Sunday morning I will take a French class.’
Do we all know someone like this? If you dot, its probably you! It is great to have an idea of a plan, but allow yourself some time to explore, when you can. Take a few days to adjust, from the jetlag, potentially to a change in climate, language difference, and of course the cultural differences. This adjustment might take more time than anticipated. All of this can take some time, and it’s is great if you can make the most of it.
Tip number two; Be bold
Perhaps you are the loud, crazy fun, extrovert in your social circle at home. But there can be something so awkward about introducing yourself to a big group of people in a hostel, where you are new. Most of the time you won’t have a problem, someone will spot the newby from a mile away, and integrate you into the crew. Fabulous! However sometimes it can be a little more intimidating than that. Fear not, you have these sorts of social situation challenges, planned out for you ahead. The earlier you shake it off, and be brave enough to walk up and introduce yourself, the smoother your ride will be (socially). Now it could go terribly wrong, maybe they don’t speak your language, or they just don’t want you to join them. That is ok, walk away with your head held high and know that you took a big step today! When you tell your friends the story later on facetime, they will likely say ’ What?! You just walked up to them, and introduced yourself?!’, you will feel proud. Own it!
Tip number three; Brace for homesickness
No matter who you are or where you come from, home sickness will knock on your door. It wont necessarily be homesickness for your home itself, or your family. Yes it is likely you will experience that. However you may get homesickness for your town or your country in general. Sometimes when navigating a new city or country, it can be frustrating. Maybe you are in a rush to get something, but you don’t know where to find it! At home you know exactly where it is, and can have it within an hour. But abroad, you are facing the new and unknown, and maybe even a language barrier! The amount of times ive said ‘goddamn why doesn’t this country just have Kmart’, while travelling is unbelievable. Sometimes it’s a simple as missing your favourite meal or snack, that you just cannot get, wherever you are.
Tip number four; Be organised, when you can
Organisation comes very naturally for some of us, and not so naturally for others. However some things are always better on the fly, we know that. I refer to organisation in these top tips, in regard to life admin. Getting a bank account, setting up tax stuff, having a contact number etc. Try and get this done earlier rather than later, it will make your life a lot less stressful. Ideally, research exactly what you need to have before you leave home, and where you need to go to get it done. Make a list and have it with you, to start ticking off when you can. An amazing opportunity could come your way, maybe work or travel related, and if you haven’t gotten these things already organised, you could be too slow to make a move! You wouldn’t want to miss a job opportunity because you haven’t sorted out the documents you need to have a job in that country, when the employer needs someone now. Or an amazing roadtrip with some super cool people you met, because you didn’t have a way for them to contact you, without wifi. You get my drift.
Tip number five; Treat you self
This one is a personal preference. I always like to think about this one and refer to the age old saying ‘that’s one to tell the grand kids one day’. This can be applied in many situations, so let’s start small. You are a backpacker, I get it, you are on a tight budget. How you were even able to get into the country with that little money, I don’t know (been there, done that). But let’s face it, where there is a will there is a way, and I know you will grind and put aside some cash. So sometimes you need to reward yourself. Immerse yourself in the culture, buy a ticket to a cultural tour, pay for a local beer or meal out sometimes, Buy a piece of traditional clothing. These are the things you will remember. The local and cultural experiences. I like to treat myself when I am travelling, on experiences. I remember I stressed for days and days when I was travelling the USA, about wanting to do a helicopter tour in the Grand Canyon. It was way out of budget and shouldn’t have been on the cards. But I am super invested in experiences, and I convinced myself to spend the money and do the tour. Now I am so glad that I did. I had the most amazing day and truly cherish that experience. Believe me when I say, you will regret the things that you didn’t do, rather than the things that you did.
Everyone’s experiences will vary and be completely individual. In my opinion the most important thing is to just jump out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself and try as many new things as possible! I see all the time, people just trying to live the same lives they live at home, just in a different country. If that is your style than rock it, but if you are up for a challenge, be brave and jump in head first! I will say it one more time for those in that back, you will regret the things that you didn’t do, rather than the ones you did.
Tour De Jazz 