5 things I learned when I moved to a new country 🛬

Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash

Are you thinking about moving to another country?

Do you want to have the best experiences possible?

There are a lot of interesting things in this world that can give you some amazing life-changing experiences, but sometimes you have to move to another country to receive them.

When I moved to the United Kingdom (UK), I implemented these 5 useful strategies to help make myexperience more enjoyable, smoother, and less stressful.

Moving to a different country can be mentally and emotionally overwhelming. Not seeing your loved ones as often as you want or facing the unknown can lead to raised stress levels.

Reducing it was essential for me, and I found the following practices very helpful:

• Going to the gym

• Practicing yoga

• Using apps like Headspace, Calm, and Healthy Minds Program to practice meditation

• Connecting with expatriates at online or local community centers

• Using tools like a punching ball

Managing and saving money can also be a challenge when moving to a new country. I used to write down my goals and how much I wanted to save.

But after a while, I realized that it wasn't the best strategy as I either forgot to put that amount into my bank account, or I just didn't save anything.

However, the following practices helped me a lot to develop good financial habits:

• Using a budget tracker/money-saving application such as EasyBudget to create and manage my budget

• Talking through my income and expenditures with a family member and financial advisor

Check out this Byte on how to develop habits to reach your financial goal.

The first time I moved to the UK without properly speaking English was quite a challenge. It made me realize that this knowledge is essential to navigating my day-to-day with much more ease and confidence.

Try these tips:

• If you're moving to an English-speaking country, take a few English Language courses with the British Council prior to leaving your home country.

• Connect with a native speaker online in the new country topractice speaking the language before you leave.

• When you arrive in the new country, immerse yourself in the language by mingling with native speakers and friends who know the basics.

After I started to practice English, I was still very comfortable in my home country, which held me back from feeling fulfilled.

To get more familiar with the culture before moving there:

• Meet people from the culture you're about to get into but in your country. It'll feel slightly uncomfortable but still safe because you know everything around you.

• Sample foods from the country you're going to move to. You'll prepare yourself for the culinary differences in taste and flavor.

• Take a short trip to the country you intend to move to. You'll see whether you like it or not.

• Listen to music and podcasts in the new language.

Photo by Susanna Marsiglia on Unsplash

Enjoy every moment as you create a positive experience in the new country. Consider:

• Seeing, touching, and taste everything around you, whether that means visiting historical sites, attending an art class, or local restaurants and farmers' markets.

• Attending a local event like a music festival that'll relax your mind and body

• Joining other ex-pats for activities like bike rides where you'll beat stress while you're widening your social circle.

Are you ready to move to another country?