Becoming an Expat? How to Overcome Your Doubts
Are you thinking of becoming an expat and how to overcome your doubts? By addressing common expat challenges and 5 typical questions and how to overcome your doubts when becoming an expat, I hope you will feel empowered to take this exciting step.
1. What if I don't make any new friends?
It’s in our human nature that we want to belong and feel connected to others. Moving to a completely new place is scary in the sense that you have no idea who you are going to meet. Also, you don’t know how long it will take you to connect with people and make new friendships. This is a very common doubt for expats.
However, if you are thinking of becoming an expat there are ways how to overcome these doubts. How? It is all about your mindset towards these doubts. Be open-minded and don’t pressure yourself. Realize that you will not be the only one moving to this new country. You will meet others who are also looking for new friendships and connections.
If you don’t lock yourself in your apartment and go out to explore your new surroundings there are lots of opportunities to make new friends, for example via your new job abroad or meet-up events.
Also, another important aspect is feeling confident and at ease with your own company. So that you don’t feel desperate to make new friends quickly but can take the time to find people whose interests and vibes match with you! If you feel at ease with yourself, this will also make it easier to attract the people that you feel the most connected to and that share the same vibes.
2. What if I get homesick?
Besides the doubt of not connecting with anyone, a lot of people who are thinking of becoming an expat have doubts about whether they will feel at home in their new country. Feeling at home is not just about meeting new people. It’s also about feeling balanced with yourself and having the right mindset.
Once you realize that home is more of a feeling rather than a place, you can make an important shift in your thoughts and how you approach the doubts around your move.
However, it is still very likely that you will deal with homesickness one day. Because this is very common for expats and very normal. Don’t be afraid of this though and don’t let it stop you from moving. There are many ways you can deal with homesickness. If you want to know more about this, check out this article.
3. What if I don't speak the language?
This doubt is something you can already partially deal with before you move. If you are afraid that you won’t be able to speak the language in your new country, why don’t you start learning today?
Besides that, there are also plenty of opportunities to learn the new language once you arrive in your new country. Sign up at a language school, find other expats who want to organize a language exchange, or connect with some locals who would like to practice with you.
Think in possibilities and solutions instead of obstacles.
Personally, I only spoke about 10 words of Spanish when I moved to Barcelona. However, in 6 months I was able to speak the language fluently. Because I dove into the deep as soon as I arrived. My classes at university were all in Spanish and my housemates didn’t speak English, so this really pushed me to learn the language fast. Was it scary sometimes? Yes! But it was worth the challenge because it gave me the opportunity to learn a new language.
4. What if I feel Lonely?
I love this quote: “If you feel lonely when you are alone, you are in bad company.”
It’s all about feeling happy with your own company. If you do, it doesn’t matter where you are. Whether you are in your home country or whether you move somewhere else.
If you feel that this is a struggle for you, then start practicing this mindset before your move. Make sure you feel confident with just your own company.
Besides that, as discussed in the first question of this article, there are plenty of ways to meet new people when you are looking for more social connection.
Finally, nowadays it’s also easier then ever to stay connected with your family and friends back home. So realize that in case you feel down some day, you can always connect with others.
5. What if I fail?
Thinking about all the doubts you have in your mind of becoming an expat, this one might be one of the strongest and biggest. What if you didn’t make the right choice and this adventure is not for you?
Let me tell you this. There is no such thing as failure. Either becoming an expat will be a success story for you, or you learn that this is not for you. However, the last option doesn’t mean you have failed though. It means that you have learned some valuable life lessons and skills and are ready to move on with your life. You took the step to move to another country and worked through the challenges. This will not only boost your confidence but also will give you clarity of which direction you want to go in for your life.
Becoming an Expat?
Find out more:
If you are thinking of becoming an expat and would like more support to find out how to overcome your doubts? I have various options for you!
Read more on my blog:
– Beat Your Fear and Move Abroad: 5 Powerful Tips
– Moving to Another Country: How to Prepare Yourself?
Or find out if Coaching would be a good option for you to help you through this step in your journey. Get more support, guidance and empowerment to overcome your doubts of becoming an expat and go for it!
Connect with me on Instagram for daily inspiration, empowerment and videos in which I talk more about these topics.
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Veerle Beelen
Certified Life Abroad Coach & Mentor, and Founder of Unpackbyveer.
Veerle's mission is to empower others to move abroad & feel at home wherever they are. Through her online coaching sessions, blog and social media she empowers and inspires others to expand their horizons and create their dream life abroad.
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I”m curious what method you used to learn to speak Spanish in 6 months? I’m living part-time in Costa Rica and would love to speak the language better.
What really helped for me was to completely immerse myself in learning Spanish. My housemates only spoke Spanish, all my courses at university were in Spanish and life in general (in Barcelona) was mostly only Spanish, so in my case I felt that I didn’t have another choice than to learn the language as quickly as I could! I studied and learned new words every day and besides that I tried to practice speaking as much as possible. Even though it was hard for me in the beginning, practicing a lot was the only way to get better. You can also listen to Latin/Spanish music and read Spanish books, and most of all: enjoy the process and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to speak perfectly but be proud of your efforts 🙂 Hope this helps!