A friendly tip from someone who did that and stayed abroad for 15 years: be active in meeting new friends and joining in activities. They will help a lot when homesickness hits. The first hit was normally around two months in for me and my fellow students, after the excitement of being in a new place has subsided a bit. It might take the whole thing from “wow, I’m all by myself” to “shit, I’m all by myself”. That will pass pretty soon. You’re capable of far more than you know, you got this.
The second hit is about two years in and carries more of a longing feeling. If you can, put money aside for a ticket to visit home by then. Good luck, and have fun! You’re about to have the time of your life.
My advice is the same, but my timeline very different. The hardest moment was a couple of days in. I didn’t have friends or hobbies or knowledge of the place yet, a lot of time on my hands and I was staring down being away from home “for ever”. Then the ball got rolling on my social life and I found my tempo.
Other advice: make learning the local language an absolute priority if you don’t know it yet. Also because language courses are a great place to meet your first local friends.
One thing I’ll add is that no matter where you move, snooty people with their noses in the air will look down on the idea of the expat community from your country of origin, and while you should ABSOLUTELY not make them your main social connection or use them as a crutch to replace immersing yourself in your new country, there is a reason these communities form - they provide social support and connection while you slowly build up an entire new identity and social community.
I never want to move again I’ve lived at the same address (not same house, long story but basically moved to the bigger house on the property in 2022) for 20 years. My wife wants to move to an island when I retire. (She’s disabled and cannot work), but I’m like oh hell no. I don’t even want to leave my house let alone move to a different state/country.
A friendly tip from someone who did that and stayed abroad for 15 years: be active in meeting new friends and joining in activities. They will help a lot when homesickness hits. The first hit was normally around two months in for me and my fellow students, after the excitement of being in a new place has subsided a bit. It might take the whole thing from “wow, I’m all by myself” to “shit, I’m all by myself”. That will pass pretty soon. You’re capable of far more than you know, you got this.
The second hit is about two years in and carries more of a longing feeling. If you can, put money aside for a ticket to visit home by then. Good luck, and have fun! You’re about to have the time of your life.
My advice is the same, but my timeline very different. The hardest moment was a couple of days in. I didn’t have friends or hobbies or knowledge of the place yet, a lot of time on my hands and I was staring down being away from home “for ever”. Then the ball got rolling on my social life and I found my tempo.
Other advice: make learning the local language an absolute priority if you don’t know it yet. Also because language courses are a great place to meet your first local friends.
One thing I’ll add is that no matter where you move, snooty people with their noses in the air will look down on the idea of the expat community from your country of origin, and while you should ABSOLUTELY not make them your main social connection or use them as a crutch to replace immersing yourself in your new country, there is a reason these communities form - they provide social support and connection while you slowly build up an entire new identity and social community.
I never want to move again I’ve lived at the same address (not same house, long story but basically moved to the bigger house on the property in 2022) for 20 years. My wife wants to move to an island when I retire. (She’s disabled and cannot work), but I’m like oh hell no. I don’t even want to leave my house let alone move to a different state/country.
I would only move after retirement to stretch my money further till I can’t live on my own.