Moving Abroad: Top Tips to Help You Settle In

Moving abroad brings with it so many challenges that most people don’t even give a thought to settling in. It’s understandable. You’re trying to sort out so many things like your visa, clearance of other travel documents, costs of travel, packing, making arrangements for how you’ll cope in the country you’re moving to, etc. With all these on your mind, who cares about settling in?

Well, you do, because we’ve talked with a few people with some experience in moving to a new country and settling in is far more troublesome than you’ll care to admit before you make the move.

In light of that, we’ve gathered top tips, needless to say from experts (expert expats, if you like), on settling in and adapting quickly to your new place of abode. We particularly appreciate Chelsea, aka The Portable Wife, who in turn got perspective from The Two Tall Travellers, a husband and wife who have been exploring the globe for the past five years.

Take your hobby items with you

When travelling, one of the biggest issues that people face is space. As a result, they are likely to leave behind many things that they would have preferred to carry along with them. Don’t leave your hobby items behind.

Unfortunately, most times with your baggage increasing, and discomfort and extra fees staring you in the face, you tend to look at those things you love spending time on and start thinking of them as unnecessary. And you tell yourself “These will have to stay behind.” You might even think that you can get new ones after moving abroad, but it’s not always so easy to fork out some spare cash after you’ve moved to a new country.

Your hobby items are important because if you’re moving to a new country, everything will be very different and very strange at first. There’s nothing better than the reassurance of doing something that you’ve always done and like doing. If you leave them behind, you kinda miss out on that chance, and it can be gut-wrenching.

If your hobby items include a guitar, piano or even a band, sorry you’re out of luck. But if you love spending time on books or cameras or any of that other mobile stuff, try as much as you can to take them with you. For me, a paperback Harry Potter book brings me alive, so it’s going. Lucky me.

Spend as much as possible on housing

The Portable Wife says:

‘You don’t want your living space to be yet another source of discomfort.’

In those first few weeks (for some, months), your house is gonna be your Fortress of Solitude. It’s your solid defence against what you might sometimes see as the hostility of the alien outside world. And you’ll be spending way more time in it at first than you like to think (more on that later).

The last thing you’ll need is for your house to prove a burden for you, even when you retreat to it for protection.

It’s a bit unfortunate that accommodation can be quite expensive in most European or North American countries. Of course, it differs a lot depending on where you go, but relatively it’s pocket-challenging. However, do your best to ensure that you spend as much as is possible for you. That comfortable experience in your home will make it far easier for you to settle in your new country.

Make some new friends

This one’s a no-brainer. After moving abroad, some new friends can be the difference between making you feel relaxed and welcome, and leaving you in bed all the time, scrolling through your WhatsApp status and pining restlessly in the evenings.

It’s not always easy to make new friends in the first few weeks though. It’s usually something that happens with time. But you will definitely get a lot of acquaintances. They could be your new colleagues at work, schoolmates, or neighbours. When possible, try not to remain inside your house. Socialise! Go out and get the opportunity to meet people and relate. Doing so will make you feel more at home, and give you less of a chance to be homesick or miss your old life. Trust me, no matter how nice the city or country you’ve moved to is, it happens!

Other ways you could meet new people and make friends after moving abroad include searching for expat groups online. These groups organise local meet-ups from time to time. You could also search for local activities to find out what they’re doing – for instance going to a museum display, visiting a town library or attending a local concert.

Pay attention to the local customs

Nothing is more embarrassing than looking out of place in public because you’re doing something very different to what everybody else is doing. And it gets even worse if you insist on not doing it because you’re not used to it, or because it just seems strange or irrational to you. This can get you feeling like an alien pretty fast, and you start missing home. Now we’re not saying you should change yourself and start doing what you don’t want to do. Just try and understand the local customs as quickly as you can, and try not to look odd out there.

For instance, it’s pretty common in many parts of the US to tip waiters. In fact, in many places it’s almost obligatory. In Germany, it’s the custom to wait for a red light before you cross the road. German pedestrians will patiently wait for a red traffic light even when there are literally no cars within sight.

In some situations, you might find these differences very annoying. In China, it’s commonplace for people to spit on the ground. If somebody spits near you, quarrelling with them would not be the best way to go because most times they genuinely have no clue why you’re upset, since it’s a normal thing in their country. The same principle applies to nearly every country in the world.

Observation is the best way to come to terms with your new environment. Where confused, you won’t go wrong asking questions. If you’re too reserved to do so, or you’d rather not draw too much attention to yourself as a newcomer, then observation remains your best bet. How easily you figure out, understand and adapt to these local customs will determine how quickly you settle down after moving abroad.

Be patient

All in all, it takes a while to fully get accustomed to a new culture and a new environment. Try to remain positive and seek out the good things. Try to enjoy the new experiences and focus less on the negative sides, and in no time you’ll be feeling like a local.

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