TIPS for EXPATS
To give you some ideas
What is an "expat"
An expatriate, or ex-pat, is an individual who lives and/or works in a country other than his or her country of citizenship, often temporarily and for professional reasons.
An expatriate may also be an individual who has renounced the citizenship of his or her country of origin to become a citizen of another country.
Your heart is a little bit in every country because you met wonderful people from different places and horizons !
Becoming an expat will change you "forever"
Why is this a reality?
Because you will grow tremendously as a person, getting to know yourself better, meeting new people, getting to know the new place/country/continent, new habits and ways of doing things.
As mentioned above, there are so many positive outcomes to being an expat but also more difficult sides...
Enjoy the good - leave aside the bad !
It's fun to live abroad, to do new things, to discover....
but be aware that some things may not be so easy for you.
You should know that these things are quite normal, especially at the beginning of your expatriation.
Some examples:
YOU WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE: Live in new places, meet new people, learn new things. You will have an extra richness in life that not everyone has.
SEE THE POSITIVE AROUND YOU: There are things you like best about "home". Sometimes even things you never thought you'd miss (like rain, cloudy days, snow for me. Hahaha!). But if you are open, you will discover other things you like best about your new "home". My best advice is to focus on the good things you have now! It will make your expatriation easier :-)
MAKE FRIENDS: Be open to meeting people and making new friends. No matter how many friends you have in your home country, enjoy meeting people in your new home town, at sports, at work, in your community.
BE OPEN: Be open to learning something new, doing something different and being flexible in EVERYTHING. Things don't work the same way they do at "home". So it's a new adventure! Go for it!
...but be aware that some things may not be so easy for you.
Some examples:
NEW LANGUAGE: This may or may not be the case for you, depending on where you move to .... but in general there will be a change, even in the dialect and expressions. This may even be the case when you move to another part of Switzerland for example So this point can be quite intimidating but also ultimately a strength. I will go into more detail on the Happy landing
BEING HOMESICK: Even after several experiences and more than 13 years of living in Mexico, I have my "homesick" moments. Sometimes stronger than others, sometimes more related to family and friends and other times to the lifestyle, the climate, the nature, etc...
YOU WILL CHANGE: Even if your nationality remains the same, you will change and become what I call a citizen of the world. You will decide who you are by taking what you like about each culture you discover and becoming what feels right to you.
WHEN YOU GO BACK HOME: In the beginning, everyone wants to see you, write to you and make time for you... as time goes on, life goes on for everyone and everyone is busy with their own life, difficulties, work, etc... and during your "home leave", less and less people will make time for you. This may seem rude, but it's perfectly normal. Don't take it personally! And keep in mind that this will happen anyway if you stay. You don't get to see ALL of your classmates or high school friends your whole life... life happens.
ADAPT TO YOUR NEW HOME: You don't have to become someone else, but you do have to be open to learning new ways of doing things, new rules to follow in the community. You can't take your hometown abroad. And you are the person who arrives. Observe, learn and copy what needs to be done and what you agree with. This will help you experience expatriation much more smoothly.
EXHAUSTED AT FIRST: At the beginning, you may feel exhausted... this is normal with all these changes, jet lag, change of altitude, change of climate, etc... Take it easy, take the time to relax and recover. And don't put more pressure on yourself! Be gentle and kind to yourself. It just takes time to adapt
BE OPEN: As mentionned, being open daily to learn something new, to do something different and to be flexible in EVERYTHING. Some things are better in one place and some things are better in others. It's a new adventure! Go for it!
Some help
Tips For Moving Abroad
10 reasons why you should move abroad
Reignite the sense of life in three steps
The idak.online series was created to guide you in your personal development and self-knowledge.
A big change like a move, can be a great moment to ignite that spark within you, to illuminate your true self and shine in the world. Understand why you feel the way you do and make small changes that can improve it, start thinking and planning major changes to achieve your goals by knowing who you want to become.
You deserve it and it will be a wonderful gift you can give to yourself and the world. You are worth it!
Knowing yourself better will clarify your lifestyle and help you make the right decisions day by day.
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By recognizing the profound importance of being connected to and supported by others in the face of life's difficulties, I decided to create this mobile application.
Karin
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