Meeting Hubby in a Canadian bar in London’s Covent Garden pretty much set the stage for our international lifestyle. But I doubt anyone would have guessed then that we would one day be travelling the world and living with our two boys in countries like Laos, Madagascar, Mongolia and Russia. Here we will share with you what we love about living abroad and why everyone should try the expat life.
The top five reasons we love living abroad
1. Travel
Being able to travel to new destinations with each move continues to feed our inner travel monsters. Living on 4 continents and in 8 countries has provided us with the opportunity to travel through a further 40 countries. We have covered nearly 25% of the planet! Spontaneous regional travel is much easier than the bigger international trips which require a fair amount of organisation. Having said that, once abroad, you will find you are in a constant state of travel planning. Check out the latest itinerary from our Jordan trip.
2. Adventure & new experiences
Safari’s, diving, museums and historical sites or just something simple like experiencing snow for the first time. Our adventures have taught us not just about the world we live in but about ourselves and each other. You can read about it, you can watch a documentary, you can hear about it in a classroom. But, to experience something first hand will imprint that moment into your very being for life. These experiences will help shape you into a confident, open minded person and inspire you to love life like never before. The desire to see and do more will also improve your budgeting abilities and help you prioritise what is important for you and your family. But, the added bonus of living abroad also means you will not feel pressured to see and discover new destinations, after all, your new backyard is full of new experiences.
3. People & Culture
We have found the best way to get an understanding of a destination and its people is to live there. Seeing where you are similar or different will have you embracing diversity and loving what makes each culture unique. But wait there is more. Not only will your cultural awareness grow for the place you are living in but you will meet fellow expats and nomads from around the globe. New perspectives on living abroad will be brought to the table and you will realise the world cannot be understood from only one point of view. You will also realise that it is our differences that make conversation and life itself interesting and so much fun. The more places you live in and travel to, the more likely the world will become your home as you embrace the multi-faceted cultures you and your family are exposed to.
4. Experiencing new tastes
We LOVE our food and even though three of us being Coeliac can make eating in some places a challenge, we do not allow our dietary requirements to infringe on our food adventures. Not all foods are made equal and our nomadic experience has taught us that the best way to wake up those taste buds is to feast in Asia and the Middle East. But regardless of where you will be trying new foods, the experience will bond you with locals and expats alike. In so many cultures, meal times are an experience to be savoured with your community. And really what better way is there to learn about new friends than to do a deep dive into local dishes as you share your life and travel experiences across the table.
5. Resilience
Living abroad comes with challenges but the “hiccups” we have experienced over the last few years have certainly made us more resilient. Yes, you still have moments where you lose your shit but you will learn to adapt when in difficult situations and keep functioning. Your kids will learn to see past the problem when life doesn’t go to plan and find that sometimes elusive silver lining. When the simple day to day activities such as the weekly grocery shop turn out to be challenge of the week, you will learn to ask for help. When you find yourself surviving and thriving out side of your comfort zone your confidence will grow. You will find you are willing to take more risks as you recognise what you are capable of achieving.
10 more reasons everyone should try living abroad
1. Relationships
Your confidence will grow as you become good at making new friends. The relationships you choose to invest in will be more meaningful and will last long after you have said goodbye. Few people will understand your life like these friends – the family you get to choose. When it is time to say goodbye you will know it is really just “see you later” as you take different paths to your next adventures. Maintaining these relationships and those with friends and family “back home” will also improve your communication and technology skills. Meanwhile through all the adventures and challenges, the bonds within your own little family will strengthen.
2. Loving your own company
With each move there is a period of time where we “find ourselves” while we settle in and learn about our new home. During this time you will learn one of life’s most valuable skills, being comfortable in your own company.. The process of adapting to your new home will create plenty of family bonding moments and help each of you discover more about yourselves. Find out more about Expat life from the spouse’s perspective.
3. Personal growth
Living in a new place comes with a learning curve. What you found run-of-the-mill back home could be like running a maze in your new home. To overcome challenges you will learn to be more flexible and patient. Adapting to new situations away from your support network is a skill that will prove vital in life and will turn you into a confident problem-solver and expert decision-maker as you learn to deal with challenges on the fly. Your tolerance of change and things being done differently will leave you calmer and more relaxed. And you will have a better understanding of yourself and your families needs as you quickly identify opportunities that best suit you.
4. Living in the moment
The uncertainty that sometimes comes with living the expat life will teach you to accept things do not always go to plan. You will learn to live in the moment and not stress about things out of your control but instead, you will learn to make the best out of any situation and learn from it. It will become easier to embrace the unexpected and you will realise the fun starts when you take that risk and try something new. It is okay to not have a plan. Let go of the familiar, embrace the uncertainty and have fun with it. The world is literally your oyster.
5. Career / education prospects
Working abroad can give your family a financial leg-up and will certainly add colour to your resume. Potential employers will understand the challenges of working in a foreign country with culturally diverse teams. Your broader mindset will make you more desirable and mentoring locals will be a rewarding experience. With the Digital Nomad Visa now available in many countries, those that can work from home can choose where exactly they want that home to be. Working from a coffee shop on the beach will definitely improve your office Feng Shui.
For the kids, seeing life from different perspectives will broaden their horizons as they make friends from all over the globe. Understanding the opportunities open to them will inspire success and help them think more creatively. They will also develop life skills and independence they may never have learned growing up “back home”. Find out more about expat life from the working half’s perspective.
6. Downsize
Minimalistic living is all the rage at the moment and what better way to encourage downsizing than having to pack up your world every three years. Other than the treasures you gather on your travels, material things are not as important as the experiences and memories. Cleaning out what you no longer use/need is actually very satisfying and donating to local schools and orphanages will dull the pain of letting some of the sentimental things go. Check out our post on relocating tips for more on this.
7. Make anywhere home
Home is no longer identified as your country of birth or the house you grew up in. Instead home is where you find your people and your immediate travel family. For us, being able to feel at home in a new environment and culture is liberating. Find out some tips on how to achieve this here.
8. Learn a new language
We have found it difficult to become proficient in any one language due to our constant moves the last few years. Between the boys they have studied Chinese, French, Mongolian, Italian, Spanish and Russian. Hopefully at some point, at least one will stick! If the opportunity arises to add a new language to your resume, grab it with both hands.
9. Fresh start
Who hasn’t wanted to push that reset button at least once in their lives? Moving overseas allows you the opportunity to start over and if needed, reinvent yourself or just simply take the time to reassess your goals. A fresh start can also be good for the kids. Especially now as the grow and change from boys to young men. Find out about expat life directly from Third Culture Kids.
10. If nothing else, you will ALWAYS have an interesting story to tell.
There is no time like now to move overseas
We can get very comfortable in our lives and routine but it is not our purpose to survive merely to pay bills and taxes. Life is a gift and we should be living and experiencing all this planet has to offer. To not just do different things but to try do things differently. As diverse and open-minded as you may think you are, experiencing the regular day to day life of a place will give you a broader understanding of the people and culture. If you were born and raised in a “developed” or “Western” country, living abroad will give you an entirely new perspective on the world, especially if you choose a less developed country.
Hopefully we have inspired you to take that risk and try living somewhere outside of your homeland. There are so many ways you can experience the expat life and speaking from experience, it is worth the challenges that come with it. Check out some our personal favourites.
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Anthony Bourdain
