How to Test-Drive Living Abroad Before Actually Doing It
How to Test-Drive Living Abroad Before Actually Doing It
We can say with great certainty you’re already on the path to moving abroad.
You might not realize that, because we’ve outlined the 6 Stages of Moving Abroad, and you might not see yourself on it, even at Stage 1. There’s “making a shortlist of countries you could move to,” and there’s “not being totally certain you’re ready to move at all.” But we have to confess: That list leaves out Secret Stage 0. You might call that one, “… Moving Abroad?”
It’s hard to imagine that anything might come before simply “looking into moving abroad.” But don’t discount the value of “wanting to move abroad.” There’s also “floating the idea of moving abroad.” And you might be surprised (or might not be surprised) at the number of people who get hung up at, “don’t bother to want to move abroad, because I don’t think I could.”
Expatsi’s grandmother would look at you sideways and mutter, “Can’t never could,” but we’ll go with, “You won’t know until you try.” And trying takes a lot less commitment than you might think. In fact, you’ve already taken one step — you’re reading a blog about moving abroad. Here are five other ideas for test-driving the idea of moving abroad and seeing if might be time to seriously consider making a move.
Join expat spaces online.
You don’t have to be an expat yet to join an expat community. Facebook groups, Reddit threads, even YouTube channels are full of people who are living the life you wish you could live. And they’re often happy to talk about it — the goods and bads of moving abroad, but also the worries and questions they had when they were still at the wanting-to stage. Be respectful, of course, but don’t be afraid to respectfully ask.
But you don’t have to ask questions if you’re not ready. Scroll through the posts that are already there — the questions, frustrations, and wins. Look at their joys (“walking to the market in the morning”) and their struggles (“getting a visa for my dependent parents”) and take notice of things that resonate with you. But also look at who they are — their personal stories, their lives before they moved. Notice the ones you wouldn’t think would be able to move abroad — but there they are, living their life overseas and loving it.
Start learning from people who’ve already done it.
Read blogs, watch vlogs, listen to podcasts — not about a country, but about the experience of moving abroad itself. (Maybe start with this blog, since you’re already here.) You’ll start to see patterns: the thoughts about leaving, the exhilaration, the culture shock, the practical hurdles, the successes. Think about what sounds exciting and what sounds daunting, and what that says about your own feelings about moving.
Or just think about the concerns you have — the ones that make you wonder if it’s even worth considering — and how they align with the concerns other people are talking about. Think about the problems you’ve worried about that actually already have available solutions. You don’t even have to take notes — just feel what you’re feeling, and keep it in mind for the next time you think about moving.
Practice living like a local (wherever you are).
A local to where? Wherever. Just take some time to live like you’re somewhere else. Pick dishes from different cultures — something Moroccan this week, something Italian next week, something from that Mexican food truck you keep telling yourself you want to try out but never do. See what flavors and cooking styles appeal to you.
Turn everyday errands into mini-experiments. Walk or take public transportation more often, if it’s an option. Shop at a small local market, if there are any around. Unplug from Amazon Prime for a week and see how you handle delayed gratification. (You can do it — we believe in you.) Make tiny little shifts that have echoes of the expat life, and see what you like and what you don’t. If nothing else, see how you feel about difference, just by itself, and how adaptable you already are.
Change your phone settings to Celsius, kilometers, and 24-hour time. Give it a day, and then switch it back — there’s no reason to go overboard at this stage of the process.
Rethink your routine.
If you had to build the routine of your dreams, what might it look like? Or not even that — just your current routine, new and improved? A slower pace, a different rhythm, fewer tiny concerns, even a little more freedom to be yourself. What about your routine would you keep, and what would you happily leave behind?
Give it a try — just the ones you can manage under your current circumstances. Maybe get up a little earlier to have time for a nice, easy cup of coffee in the morning instead of rushing out the door. Maybe work in a midday walk instead of an after-work gym session. Maybe just start journaling about changes you’d like to be able to make. Think about what it feels like — that little sample of a different kind of day. And think about where in the world you could potentially make it your everyday.
Notice what excites you (and what doesn’t).
Your test-drive isn’t about pretending you already live abroad (although you’re welcome to do that if you want — it sounds kind of fun). It’s about experiencing different, particularly the kinds of different you might be able to experience if you made the move. And it’s about considering the fun and less-fun parts — the Italian food, and the discussions about culture shock. The bureaucracy, and the freedom to be truly yourself in a way you’d never be able to be in the U.S.
Or even just the realization that wanting to move abroad really is something you could start considering.
And when you do, you’re in the right place. We can help you get to Stage 1, which is the next stage in all the other stages that lead to you living the life you didn’t believe was possible, until you started to let yourself believe it.
