15 Reasons Why You Should Move Abroad
Have you ever wondered why people take the plunge and move abroad? Do you feel like you’re missing something? Well, you are! Here we have devised an extensive list of why people move abroad, and the benefits it can have on your life to do so.
1: Bored with your routine
The first major reason why people start to consider moving abroad is due to being bored with their current lives. Their job is boring. Their home is boring. The weather is boring. The shops are boring. The food is boring. Or maybe boring isn’t the most apt word – perhaps “worn-out” is a better phrase. You’ve been there and done it. You do the same thing every week and it’s very dull. Well, moving overseas, if only for a short period of time, can really help to “spice up your life,” as it were.
2: Hate your current climate
Another good reason for moving abroad is the climate. People don’t often move abroad to a lesser, duller climate – except for with a great job opportunity, perhaps. Generally, though, we go to seek sunshine and long summers or a more prominent, varied climate. Some love the idea of never wearing a big winter coat ever again! If you are tired of the British rain and grey skies, switch it out for endless sunshine abroad instead.
3: Negativity at home
It is never good to run away from conflict. If you are experiencing something bad in your hometown, then running away to another country won’t solve the problem. However, if you don’t feel like yourself; don’t feel happy; don’t feel like you can spread your wings and grow in your current environment, then migrating abroad may help you to finally do so. Don’t sink in negativity and bad people, instead say “I need to do this for me” and move on.
4: Mid to late life
When you are coming to a point in your life where you consider yourself to be “old” or “getting old”, you may feel like you’ve lived out the exciting times in your life already. The fun times are behind you. Well, that doesn’t have to be the case! Moving abroad in mid to late life is very popular, as it helps older people to feel enthusiastic about life again. You can experience new challenges and test what you thought you knew about yourself. This can make you feel youthful again, like a youngster on an adventure.
Change is healthy no matter your age, as it helps us all to grow in new and exhilarating ways. Self-development doesn’t only happen when we’re young – it is ongoing and that is something you can achieve through moving abroad when you’re older (whether that is in retirement or beforehand).
5: Experience in youth
On the other hand, it is really beneficial to be brave and move abroad when you are still young. A lot of us have heard of the spritely young backpackers who take off across South East Asia to gain some life experience. Well, living abroad can do that, too. It may be more daring, and involve more organisation, but moving overseas when you’re young can set you up for a very fruitful life upon your return.
Living abroad can help to build your character by testing your limits and seeing what you are really capable of – things of which you can take with you throughout the rest of your life. Sometimes, no other challenges can help you to learn who you are in quite the same way. Growing and opening one’s mind when young and curious, and without the responsibilities that may come with age, means you have invaluable life skills that you’ll forever thank your move abroad for.
6: Culture change
An obvious reason why you should consider moving abroad is due to a need for a culture change. You may not realise that you need or want a culture change, but once you get it, you’ll begin to see why it is so incredibly important. Experiencing life in a different country, surrounded by people living an unusual lifestyle to one that you’re used to (with different morals and traditions), can make you begin to question what you are exposed to every day. There is no set way to live life, and by seeing other people living there’s differently, we can take on new norms that better suit who we truly are, and perhaps encourage a healthier lifestyle, too.
Plus, you can’t accurately experience a country and its culture in a short weeklong or two-weeklong trip. By moving to that country for a time, you can better experience all that it has to offer. You can live like a local instead of a tourist, thus truly appreciating a new way of living that is wholly more rewarding than living in your home country all your life, and only reading about other countries in books instead of experiencing them first-hand.
Learn about the etiquette, language, body language, norms, traditions, celebrations, clothing, values, religion and more of other countries by moving abroad – it will enrich your life and your viewpoint.
7: Lifestyle change
In the UK, it is pretty normal to work 9-5 and buy a car and a house and always look forward to the weekend. However, this lifestyle choice isn’t the only one available. Many people, especially overseas, live their lives differently. They don’t work in dismal offices. They get breaks in the middle of the day to take naps. They pray every day or worship a greater force. They value unity over individualism, living with and for other people (mostly family) instead of valuing solely oneself.
When moving abroad, you can truly appreciate what this lifestyle change can feel like. Being in the UK, you can’t sample other lifestyles quite as much, but by detaching yourself from this environment, you can begin to see that life can be lived differently. You can cycle to work in sunshine. You can buy fresh bread and fruit from endless healthy, invigorating markets and food stalls. You can play board games in the park with a stranger. You can actually leave your phone at home, and appreciate long walks and life-giving scenery. Living abroad will definitely show you how life can be lived when you aren’t forced into a set lifestyle. This is a great move for your kids’ futures, too, if you have them or want to. You can pick a place where it is best for them to grow up – a place away from crime, a set lifestyle or other restrictions.
8: Bucket list
It may not be on your bucket list already, but moving overseas, if only for a time, can and should be something you want to do. Not enough people do it, sadly, and you can really tell the difference between someone who has sampled life abroad compared to someone who hasn’t. Give yourself a dose of true life by ticking this grand accomplishment off your bucket list. Challenging oneself to do more than the norm is a brilliant way to make your Life Experiences list long and rich. Be someone who can tell stories, wonderful stories about your time abroad that give people a sense of wanderlust, instead of having nothing very different to say about yourself.
9: Food expansion
When living abroad, you will obviously get the chance to sample an array of new cuisines. If you move to a new continent, you are likely to experience a whole other taste palette that will take you on another journey of itself. Tasting foods from other countries, which was actually made in those countries, is so wonderful. The UK may have a plethora of restaurants that attempt to offer these cuisines, but sampling the real deal will always be much more heartening. If you are a cook, too, it will do you well to move abroad for a while and learn how to cook from the country that is home to your favourite or intriguing new dishes. All of us can benefit from learning new ingredients, new styles of cooking, new dishes and healthier choices.
10: Work or study
A very popular reason why people move abroad is to work or study. Some people find there are more career opportunities abroad in certain industries, and so moving can mean they get the opportunity to take their career off the ground. Plus, a lot of countries have different tax rates to us, so doing the same job that you do now whilst abroad can end up being much more lucrative for you. Working abroad means you can meet fascinating new people and work in a new way than perhaps we do in the UK.
Studying abroad can be so rewarding for you. Not only are you enriching your mind with knowledge, but you are doing it in an entirely new environment, all alone, and surrounded by a new culture. There is no price on that feeling. You are sure to become a more well-rounded, open minded, intelligent individual through this challenging experience overseas. Plus, you will likely make lifelong friends that you can visit all over the world.
11: Cost of living
If you move abroad, to a certain area, you may find that the cost of living is a lot lower than it is in the UK. This could be housing, healthcare, transport, groceries, fuel, eating out and more – things of which we would all love to cut down on a bit. Parts of Asia are known for being rather cheap, and that is why migrants find it an appealing expat destination. Other cheap destinations are South Africa, India, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, Zambia, Poland and more. It is worth exploring a lower cost of living by living abroad, because saving money whilst still earning can mean a better lifestyle and more spare money to do new things.
12: Gain independence
Independence is an invaluable asset. Being able to depend upon oneself, and ensure your life is working for you, is truly wonderful. By moving abroad, you are encouraged to solely depend on yourself. If you move overseas alone, there is no one to lean on to do all the hard work for you. This means you can begin to trust yourself and develop self-confidence. Independence through a big move abroad can help you in so many areas in your life, and is a skill you will take with you throughout your entire life experience.
13: Career building
It looks excellent on your CV to have worked abroad. It is valuable to be well-versed in another language, and employers may pick you over someone else purely upon that fact. Even being well-informed about a country can be beneficial to a prospective employer. Plus, employers want to see skills like critical thinking, out-the-box thinking, creativity, ingenuity, independence and passion – all things of which you are likely to develop from living and working abroad. Doing this kind of thing enhances creativity, therefore writers, artists of all kinds or designers will find that moving abroad for a time can give them valuable skills and perspectives to then use in their work to elevate their careers.
14: Specialised experiences
Some experiences in life can’t be gained in your home country. This is things like living on the beach (a sunny, warm one). Doing extreme sports. Certain foods. Certain animals or plant life. Even monuments or landscapes. Our home countries don’t have it all, and that’s why we take holidays, but they just aren’t long enough. Experience much more, and find hidden gems, by living abroad rather than just visiting to adhere to a short, set list of to-dos. Be free to experience all that each country has to offer, by living in the country instead of just visiting.
15: How the country runs
Sometimes, people just don’t enjoy the way their home country is ran. This includes things like Politics, Healthcare, Rights, Crime and more. The values in our country compared to others can be startling, but when we research a country and understand that they share more values with us than our own country, it begins to make us feel like migrating abroad. Perhaps this is why Canada is an expat favourite, with free healthcare and education, forward-thinking, a brilliant president, clean streets and low levels of crime. No wonder it is voted amongst the most liveable places in the world.
There are many reasons why you should consider moving abroad, and when you do, we hope you look no further than Anglo Pacific to help you do so.
