Moving to a new country can be incredibly exciting, but also anxiety-inducing. After all, there are so many new things to learn, not only in terms of culture and social customs, but also in terms of the boring stuff – opening a bank account, finding a place to live, looking for the right school to enroll your kids to, etc. To make it even harder, you’re often having to do this in a language that you’re not fluent in, sometimes nowhere near fluent. So, to help overcome anxiety when moving to another country, here are 3 tips that I and many others have found useful.
1. Reach out to the community
Perhaps the best and the most useful tip is to make sure you reach out to your local community in the first few days after you move. Whether it’s chatting up your new neighbour, regularly visiting the local supermarkets and cafes and getting to know the staffs and locals, or volunteering for local events and charity initiatives. These can be a great way to meet people, build up relationships through regular activities, and learn more about your local community. If you’re moving to somewhere where you don’t really speak the language, it’s also a great opportunity to pick up some useful vocabularies and practice your language skills.
2. Research, research, research
There is nothing as beneficial as having done as much research as you can before you move. Whether that’s for making sure you’re moving to a new neighbourhood, learning the local customs and some basic phrases, or figuring out how to navigate your way in the new place. Some people like to make sure that research and preparation means they have 6 months of expenses saved, while others want to compile a list of all the sights to see so you can make the most of your new home. Just remember that as well as researching all the things necessary for your day to day life, you remember to research some of the fun activities that you can do too.
3. Keep in touch with your loved ones
Homesickness and the fear of developing homesickness can be one of the hardest parts of preparing to move to a new country. Maybe you’re moving with your spouse and children, but even that doesn’t mean that you can’t completely escape feeling homesick for the people, places, and routines that you are leaving behind. To make it easier on yourself, schedule a regular time to connect with your loved ones in your home country. Especially once the novelty of being in the new country wears off and the homesickness sets in. With so many different technologies available to us these days, keeping in touch is easier than ever been before.
Hopefully these tips have helped to reassure you and face your anxieties head-on when moving abroad, to allow you to focus on the excitement of your new life and not the fear of what may happen in the weeks or months to come.