Moving overseas alone can be a daunting thought, but for many, it’s an experience of a lifetime
24 June 2019
| Last updated on 19 January 2020While moving abroad is by no means easy, when you learn how to overcome your fears, you’ll soon begin to consider why you were worried in the first place.
Here at Santa Fe Relocation, we’re taking a closer look at three of the most common fears when moving overseas on your own, and what you can do to overcome them.
Money
When moving abroad, you may be concerned that you will run out of money regardless of whether you have a stable job or not. Depending on your current financial situation, it’s a good idea to plan how you want to distribute your money. How much are you willing to pay for rent? What about food and water?
What proportion of your relocation package will cover day-to-day living expenses if you are moving abroad for work? While it can be difficult to settle into a new home abroad, over time, you will be able to sustain a pleasant lifestyle. With a bit of ambition, the world is your oyster no matter your age!
Before you head abroad, it’s a good idea to save up some extra funds to help ensure that you are able to live comfortably for at least your initial two months living overseas. Not only will this help ensure that you are able to buy the essentials, but should things not work out, you can purchase a return ticket.
Language
Money aside, the next most common fear when moving overseas alone is language. It’s no hidden secret that living in a country where your native language is not the known language of the country that you are moving to. Even if many individuals can speak the basics of your language, you may still find it difficult to interact on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, we recommend that you learn at least the very basics before you head abroad. Whether you are moving to Spain, South Africa or China understanding basic phrases can help to ensure that you are never completely lost for words when going about your daily tasks such as going to the supermarket.
What’s more, learning a language will enable you to learn more about the culture you will soon be immersed in. It may be worthwhile joining a language class after you move, allowing you the chance to pick up the language much more effectively. You may also find a number of other expatriates in the same position as you, allowing you to connect with a new community while also developing your language skills.
Loneliness
Regardless of your reasons for moving overseas alone, it’s important to remember that you are in fact not alone. There are quite literally thousands of people who have moved overseas alone, all of which have experienced the same emotions as you. To help put your mind at ease, it’s a good idea to speak to former expats in order to gain an insight into what moving abroad alone is really like.
While you will find it difficult to leave your friends and family behind and will miss out on occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries, working on positive thinking, joining expat communities and doing everything in moderation can help put things back into perspective. Further to this, you are likely to find a welcoming expat community in your new home country, no matter where in the world you have decided to move to, helping you to develop new lifelong friends.
Moving abroad is certainly an incredible experience and so it’s important that you continue to treat it like one. Regardless of the outcome of your move abroad, you are set to experience an amazing new lifestyle.
If you’re thinking about moving abroad and would like to find out how we can support your move from A to B, get in touch with a member of our friendly expert team on 04 332 1595, today.