Are you thinking about living abroad? Perhaps you've considered it for a long time but haven't dared to take the plunge. It never seems like the right time due to inflation, rising living costs, and the fear of failing. But you could see these challenges as opportunities instead. Here are 50 reasons (and there are many more!) to live your dream of expatriation at least once.
1. Break free from a (bad) routine
Not all routines are bad, of course. No one can fault your perfect schedule—waking up at 6 AM, doing healthy meditation, wellness exercise, having a healthy breakfast, having a smooth workday, having a quiet evening, and bedtime at 9 PM. But if you wake up dreading the day ahead, if you dislike your job, or if you constantly feel like you're missing out, disconnecting to reconnect somewhere else might be the solution.
2. Adopt a new (good) routine abroad
Say goodbye to the monotonous "commute, work, sleep" cycle... and hello to the same routine, but in a new country! If it sounds like a trick, consider booking a ticket to your favorite destination. You'll experience a different routine. Explore your new neighborhood and find your favorite local café, grocery store, and market. Make these new places your new base and explore even more.
3. Face new challenges
By living abroad, you will be faced with new challenges. How will you manage alone in a new country? Whether you've visited it as a tourist or not, you'll see the country from a new perspective. Daily tasks like using public transport, opening a bank account, or going to the post office will become new challenges.
4. Discover a different way of life
Are you ready for a lesson in humility? Pack your bags for the unknown. You don't have to move to the other side of the world. Even staying in a neighboring country can teach you a new way of life—mealtimes, work rhythms, social life, and popular activities. You'll gradually adapt to the local way of life, which is a guaranteed change of scenery.
5. Make new friends
We're more connected than ever, yet we often feel alone. Living abroad will help you meet other expatriates and locals. This isn't about avoiding online forums and virtual meetings; you might make new friends online. It's about turning virtual connections into real-life encounters to enrich your expat experience.
6. Find more than friends
Are you looking for something stronger? What if you found love in a faraway place? Forget about fairy tales. We're not suggesting you pack your bags in hopes of finding love in a hopeless place. Instead, get the most out of your move to open up to new relationships—if you're single, of course. Many expatriates share their love stories online, with some even relocating permanently abroad for love. Your next beautiful tale might be just around the corner.
7. Work differently
You are familiar with your country's work culture. But did you know the same job can vary significantly depending on where you do it? We're not necessarily talking about the nature of the job (accounting remains accounting) but the work organization, relationships with colleagues, hierarchy, and work environment. Each company's culture is unique. Working abroad will expose you to a different management style.
8. Achieve a professional challenge
You've always dreamed of moving abroad but never dared. Perhaps you have other dreams that never came true. Maybe it's the right time to take the plunge. Contrary to popular belief, moving abroad might be difficult but not unachievable. Start by trusting yourself and daring to achieve your dreams.
9. Be your own boss
Many aspiring expats dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Like the millions of writers who hesitate to send their manuscripts to publishers, you might think entrepreneurship is too big a word for you. However, many countries actively seek entrepreneurs. Living abroad will allow you to test your entrepreneurial skills. Whether you start your business in the host country or not, you'll gain the confidence and assurance needed to pursue your project.
10. Learn a new language
Learning the local language is essential, and immersion is one of the best ways to learn a language. It's also a great way to combine learning and practice. Learning your host country's language will ease your integration and increase your chances of making friends with locals.
11. Discover yourself
Of course, you know who you are. But have you ever truly questioned it? You might be so engrossed by your daily routine that you never even thought about it. Living abroad at least once will confront you with yourself. This introspection might be unsettling but is always necessary. It will help you understand yourself better and plan for the future.
12. Take risks
Don't worry, we're not asking you to jump off a cliff. By "taking risks," we mean stepping out of your comfort zone. Moving abroad might be your limit. Visa procedures may make you nervous, and you may doubt your ability to find a job abroad. Dare to apply. Look into the immigration plans of various countries. Believe in your potential and move forward.
13. Test your climate resistance
We don't often talk about the climate's impact on expat life. Many expatriates are shocked by Canada's cold or Japan's humidity and high temperatures. Living in a foreign country means enduring its less pleasant aspects. Are you sensitive to cold? Do you feel faint when temperatures go above 30 degrees? This is your chance to test your resilience in actual conditions.
14. Sharpen your sense of direction
The world's most complicated train stations will no longer be a mystery. Be warned: even with the best GPS, you might get lost multiple times abroad. It's part of the expat experience and an excellent way to explore your neighborhood and city.
15. Find a new homeland
You didn't choose your nationality or where you were born. However, you can choose your host country. Living abroad at least once will open doors to one or more new countries. You might have dreamed of a particular country for years. During your journey, you might discover a new "homeland."
16. You're no longer a tourist
You have a unique status: you're no longer a tourist but not yet a local. After a few months or years in your host country, you might feel like a local, but for now, you're in between. These early stages of a "new start" are crucial, even if they come with some anxiety (hello administrative procedures and other formalities).
17. But you can guide tourists
Here's your moment of glory. You're not exactly a local, but you're no longer a tourist. Enjoy the moments when you help real tourists. Admit it: you like to show off a bit, talking about your job and life in total immersion, leaving tourists in awe.
18. Feel lost
Being lost in your new city at 2 AM without the Internet or a city map isn't ideal. Even the adventurer in you recalls that nocturnal escapade with a racing heart. But you came back in one piece, proud of yourself. Being lost, in every sense, is paradoxically a good way to reassess your situation.
19. Find yourself better
Sometimes, you need to leave your environment to find yourself elsewhere. Away from what you know, you're closer to your emotions. Living abroad is said to intensify all feelings. You're in for a long-term introspection journey.
20. Understand the meaning of "family"
"Out of sight, out of mind," they say. Physical contact is missing while you stay connected with loved ones through technology. Often, it's only by distancing yourself that you realize the importance of family and close relationships.
21. Create a new family abroad
You can also form close bonds abroad. You're there to learn more about yourself and others. You find your "country at heart" through your "family at heart"—foreigners and/or locals you meet during your adventure who become friends, confidants, and companions close enough to be considered family. That's called love without borders.
22. Test your eco-consciousness
After reading the latest IPCC report, you vowed never to set foot on a plane again. That was before this unexpected opportunity to travel abroad. Now, you're torn between a 10-hour flight, a 3-day train ride, a week-long bus journey, or a month-long boat-train-bus trip. Look on the bright side: the journey is part of the adventure.
23. Embrace tolerance
One of the reasons to live abroad at least once is to discover other cultures. You'll put your principles on hold to understand others'. You don't have to accept everything but learn tolerance and respect—essential for community life.
24. Learn to question yourself
Learning tolerance also means knowing how to question yourself. Moving abroad is a great lesson in humility.
25. Learn to live with less
Without resorting to sleeping under the stars, moving abroad teaches you to be happy with little. You left with few belongings and know your return items will fit in one suitcase. This minimalist culture extends to your mindset: don't clutter your mind; make space instead to better experience expat life.
26. Learn to do a lot with little
Are you moving from a comfortable 50m² to a tiny 8m² in a poorly lit neighborhood? Living abroad will teach you to do a lot with little. Instead of lamenting what you lack, you'll become a master of resourcefulness.
27. Become resourceful
Master of resourcefulness, you've discovered hidden talents abroad. Each situation is an opportunity to test and learn. You might even surprise yourself and delight loved ones with your adventures.
28. Make mistakes
Who doesn't make mistakes? Abroad, you'll naturally make some—minor errors, big blunders, beginner mistakes, and unexplainable ones. You might blush with shame today, but you'll laugh tomorrow (hopefully). These mistakes teach resilience and help you progress.
29. Understanding the virtues of failure
Some cultures value failure as a learning tool, while others stigmatize it. What's the culture of your host country? The world should recognize the virtues of failure. Yes, mistakes can be more instructive than successes. Don't pressure yourself. Enjoy your new life abroad instead.
30. Learn to take a step back
Did you miss a job interview abroad, break your camera, crush your glasses, and run up a huge phone bill? It's true; it could be better. But living abroad at least once will teach you to put things into perspective. Each day brings new challenges.
31. Learn to congratulate yourself
Don't wait to congratulate yourself on breaking the 100m world record. Whether your stay abroad was long or short, remember every little victory to boost your morale daily.
32. Brag a little
Remember those tourists you helped? You might have exaggerated your role a bit (there's a big difference between HR director and employee…). Small moments of glory that boost the ego are fine but don't overdo it. The golden expat life is outdated.
33. Live life as an adventure
No, you won't embark on perilous journeys around the world. The expat adventure begins at the airport (or rather with administrative formalities, but that's another debate). Traveling abroad at least once will show you that even the most ordinary situations can become great moments.
34. Create the best photo album
You're not traveling just for this, but still. Without aiming to rival professional retouched photos on Instagram, you'll enjoy compiling your memories into a beautiful album. It's a concrete way to remind yourself that you did it.
35. Embrace local culture and cuisine
Discover local culture and cuisine, try new flavors, understand traditions, and master the locals' non-verbal cues. These are just a few reasons to live abroad at least once in your life.
36. Unleash your creativity
You might not be the next art prodigy (although who knows?), but you'll feel more creative after living abroad. Another advantage of moving overseas is that it stimulates all your senses and teaches you to think differently (resourcefulness, etc.).
37. Appreciate solitude
Yes, you'll experience moments of solitude, whether imposed or desired. They won't always be pleasant. Living abroad will teach you to embrace these moments.
38. Live the present
Living abroad will also teach you to live in the present. Instead of focusing on what you haven't done, you'll learn to appreciate the moment.
39. And plan for the future
Appreciating the present will help you better plan for the future. Why fear a future that, by definition, you don't know? Living abroad is like attending a school of self-control.
40. Reconcile with yourself
You avoid certain countries out of fear of judgment. You don't feel worthy of moving abroad. On the contrary, expatriating at least once will help you view yourself more accurately.
41. Enjoy being with different personalities
Extroverted as you are, you wonder how you get along so well with your introverted "family at heart." It's one of the many wonders of living abroad. Even back home, you'll find yourself more adaptable to different personalities.
42. Gain confidence
Living abroad transforms you in every way. Facing daily challenges will boost your confidence.
43. Become a technology freak
Technological challenges will make you a digital pro! What should you do if you have connection issues? Where do you find a network? Your resourcefulness will turn you into a video call expert.
44. Know when to disconnect
After a video call, go for a hike or a walk. Living abroad balances you: a bit of screen time and lots of walks or even sports to explore the scenery and interact with locals.
45. Chart a new life path
Who said you'd never travel? Life circumstances might have temporarily diverted you from your dream, but living abroad at least once will restore your lost confidence. A new start is always possible.
46. Overcome unforeseen circumstances
If you missed the start or things didn't go as planned, don't be afraid to start all over again. As a resourceful person, you're also a pro at handling unexpected events. Is the accommodation you booked unavailable? Your luggage hasn't arrived? No problem. Back home, you'll retain this skill for managing crises.
47. Develop new skills
Crisis management, teamwork, communication, project management, etc. You can't imagine how much expatriation will boost your skills.
48. Know your limits
Living abroad will constantly push your limits—those before departure and those during the journey. And it's not a bad thing at all!
49. Learn to ask for help
Knowing your limits will make you more likely to ask for help. The super expat doesn't exist. The humble expat should exist everywhere.
50. Practice what you've learned abroad
Living abroad is a great way to learn humility. Whether you decide to return home, stay in the host country, or move to another country, everything you've learned during your stay in a foreign country will help. So, what are you waiting for to take the plunge?
