Scores of oceans. Acres of lands. Food that changes from place to place. The world is a mighty place to explore and for those with itchy feet – or wanderlust – the world is simply the landscape for an adventure. There is a huge difference between living abroad in a strange land and simply visiting to sample new things and taste new experiences. When you visit, you get to go home again. Back to familiar areas. Back to work in the same job you’re used to. Back to the comfort that people find in places that they know and love. The thing is, familiarity can get a little boring and you could find yourself daydreaming about living in the places you love to visit instead of just traveling around.
Pushing past doubts to make a plan to live abroad is going to be your first step. You want to spread your wings and experience living somewhere with a different view out of the window every day. Mingling with new people, getting a job in a place that has different laws and views of the world is an exciting prospect. The biggest question? Where you should go! There are a lot of things that you’ll need to research when you move abroad permanently. One is that the rules of getting a visa vary from country to country, and you must do some solid research about your chosen destination before you start applying. The other is that things will change with your family and friends, and you must be prepared for those changes. So, what do you need to think about before you migrate abroad permanently?
Work.
Ideally, you will be working in a profession that is desired by your chosen country. Looking on the local government websites to learn about what jobs are in demand is going to be your first port of call. You also need to look into whether you need to learn a local language so that you can effectively communicate. If you are working in a profession that requires registration (such as medicine or teaching), it makes sense to look at the routes for transferring your skills. Many countries welcome permanent residents with open arms if their career is a job in demand in the area. As an outsider, you could be bringing in a wealth of experience that your destination will appreciate in more ways than you can imagine.
It is important to remember, though, that your job will change. The way you do things where you are now will vary greatly once you’ve moved to a new country and you must be willing to learn new ways of doing things. Check out whether your current company offers transfers globally – this could influence the place you choose to emigrate to in a big way.
Home.
Home will never be the same again. You will always associate the place you grew up as your home and the place you’ve moved to for the rest of your life as ‘new’. You may also find that when you return to visit family, things will have changed enough to make you feel displaced, which is normal if a little upsetting. Searching for property from websites like http://rumahdijual.com/tangerang/apartemen-murah can help you immerse yourself in finding places to explore. Buying a new house abroad is a huge step, and not only because it can make the whole move feel far more real. It can be a big step because the rules for buying a home may not be the same as the ones you are used to. Home is anywhere you make it to be, and while you could be straddling two very different concepts of home, you’ll always have one place that anchors you, even when you travel and explore.
Difficulties.
Moving abroad is not easy and films like Eat, Pray, Love can skew the opinions of migration. Gaining advice from forums like this one before you make a huge move is going to prepare you in ways you didn’t even realise. Visas, bank accounts, possible language checks and background checks are expensive and difficult to obtain for some. Negotiating an entirely new way of life on top of all the ropes you must climb before you can even buy your one-way ticket can be frustrating. If you’ve picked a country with a language barrier, then you’ll have to add in learning that before you go anywhere, too! Sometimes, the dream of migration is very different from the exhilarating experiences of traveling you once had. The trouble is, until you move abroad, you won’t know any of that! It could be a very expensive mistake made by you on the hunt for a greener grass, when the grass you stood on was just fine before! You may encounter resistance from people around you when you explain your plans – it comes from a place of love but don’t let the doubts of others stop you pursuing your dreams.
Culture.
Moving abroad doesn’t just mean learning a language or buying a house or finding new work colleagues. You’re adopting a culture. You may have been stuck in your ways with the same routines but these will change as you learn about the new place you are emigrating to. You’ll be shopping, living and being entertained by new places and people who may live to different rules that you’re used to. It’s something you have to be very aware of, as you don’t want to offend locals by simply not learning the etiquette and customs in your newly adopted home. After all, you want to become a local!
Emotions.
Moving to a new country doesn’t mean your wanderlust will disappear. It’s important to be prepared for that from the outset. You may move somewhere exceedingly exotic and find that you’re still looking for adventure elsewhere. It’s normal. It doesn’t mean you’ve made a mistake in emigrating. You’re going to experience feelings of doubt in yourself as to whether you’ve made the right choice. You’re going to feel guilty for leaving family and friends behind. You’re going to feel excited and motivated to give your new life somewhere else a chance to work out and you’re going to feel sad to start again, possibly alone. Emigrating to a new country is a lonely prospect until you get to know new people and discover more about yourself and what you want.
Some will call you brave, others will call you crazy for giving up everything you know and are familiar with and chasing something totally different. But you were raised to have wings and fly, so taking that chance is a good thing. After all, you can always come home again if it doesn’t work out!
Buying property abroad, finding a new job and buying a one-way ticket to a new land is going to be a huge adventure and it’s one that, given the chance, you should embrace. When you must pack your whole life into a suitcase and move across the world, you learn a whole new appreciation for the home you came from as well as for your own strength of character. Permanent wanderlust is real and it exists in every person who makes the huge decision to move themselves to a new country and set up home elsewhere. Everything you know about migration right now needs to be expanded until you can confidently be ready to get up and go. Take the chance for permanent change while you can, and still enjoy your adventures along the way.