The truth about moving abroad

Things no one tells you about moving abroad

July of 2016 I got to see a small bit of my favorite country in the world. I was in the States for 10 days and spent those days in New York and Orlando Florida, both very epic experiences. Back then I didn’t know the truth about moving abroad. I went back home after that short visit but I knew I’d be back.

2018 I took a flight back to the States, I came back with an open mind. I had been here before and planning that 2 week trip was the most stressful thing I had ever done so I figured this trip would be a lot more complex as I was planning on staying, and it was.

 

After 4 years here, I’ve been through it, still surviving and I’m here to tell the tale. I won’t sugarcoat anything but I absolutely love my life in America and I’m so glad I moved here when I did. In all honesty, moving overseas all comes down to commitment and I say this because you have to really want it in order to stay. The problems that I’ve faced were enough to make me want to go home, plenty of times but not once did I think of it as an option. I had met a few people who have had similar experiences as me and chose to go home because they just couldn’t do it. So keep that in mind if you’re planning on moving abroad.

As challenging as it was, I don’t regret one bit about moving abroad. However some things would have been nice to know when I was just starting out. Here is the truth about moving abroad..

Time Difference

Staying in touch with loved ones back home can be tedious due to time difference. It’s crucial to talk to family when you’re so far away from home but making time is a different story. There’s a 6 and 7 hour time difference between South Africa and North Carolina. I mention both because of daylight savings which I’ll get into soon. When my family’s starting to get ready for the day, it would still be night time in America. My first year here my mom would call me almost every morning when she woke up to see if I slept okay, the only problem is that it’s 2am mom! After a busy day at work I would want to call my mom only to realize it’s 12am in South Africa. I think you get what I’m trying to say here.

It’s real life, not vacation

The truth about moving abroad is that it’s real life and not vacation. I’m not out in the city, drinking cocktails, staying in hotels and shopping everyday. Life is quite normal once you’re settled in and had your fair share of exploring a new place. You experience life as you would if you were in your home country. Life is real and sometimes it sucks. You have to deal with immigration when you’d rather not, sometimes finances just aren’t what they’re supposed to be, you meet friends then lose them again, deal with broken hearts. Just normal adulting stuff.

Daylight savings

We don’t do daylight savings in my country, so when I found out that Americans were physically able to change time I was flabbergasted. The main purpose of daylight savings time is to make better use of daylight. They change the time during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. That means shorter days in the winter and longer days in the summer. I personally prefer the long summer days, it gets dark quite late which gives me time to enjoy myself when I’m out having a good time.

Finding love is not guaranteed

Some countries have great ways of only showing their polished side to the world. You’d see attractive people in International movies who end up falling in love and living happily ever after. You end up thinking that the opposite sex must be so much better in other countries. This is false. Finding love, especially in today’s world can be incredibly hard..or easy, depending on how lucky you are. I for one had to kiss one or two frogs before I found my prince. I know people who came here for college or work, ended up falling in love and settling down and I also know a handful of people who have been unlucky with love. Whatever season you’re in, remain hopeful but also just enjoy being single overseas and when the time is right, love will find you.

 

Don’t compare your new country to your old country

Don’t expect your life to look like it did, that’s why you moved. If I had a dollar every time someone from my country said:” $10 dollars for this, that’s R150 back home, it’s so much cheaper there!” I’d be rich. You will break your own heart if you compare currency and pricing from where you from and where you currently are. The truth about moving abroad is that everything is much more expensive from where you’re from. Embrace the new, accept differences, there’s so much you could learn from locals.

You’ll have a lot of highs and lows

This is normal, life is not perfect therefore we most likely will stumble as we move forward and we’ll also have celebratory moments but the lows are just so much more painful when you don’t have family or your support system with you. It’s a very lonely and painful experience but those experiences also make you a much stronger person, you most likely will become independent and barely depend on someone else, however it’s very refreshing to meet a friend or lover that turns into family and feels like home.

Friends and family back home don’t understand your expatriate life

Friends and family often times have difficulty understanding just how much you’ve changed and how different life is from home, not because they aren’t good people but it’s difficult to comprehend such a wildly different lifestyle. It’s difficult understanding something you’ve never experienced. It’s almost impossible to imagine life as an expatriate if you’ve never been one.

Immigration

Being a foreigner in a country like America feels like a joke when it comes to ensuring you visit/stay here legally. The amount of paperwork, time and money you have to put into immigration can be incredibly discouraging especially with the process going so slow. This is definitely at the top of my list of things I hate about living in America.

You’ll have friends all over the world

I’ve met so many people from different countries whom I’ve stayed in touch with. Some people I’ve met briefly but had learned so much from, their culture, food, politics and beliefs. Before that I had only known people from my hometown and a handful of people from Johannesburg.

 

You’ll have new favorites

I never imagined I’d be okay going this long without South African food. I learned that Hispanic food is the closest I’ll have to SA food, they have so much flavor and love starch just as much as we do. I’ve come to love Indian and Asian food as well. I’m always open to try new things and not just food. Hobbies, travel and interest have changed over the past few years.

Your life will be broadened by your life as an expat

Living overseas expands your horizons and opens up your eyes to a world of possibilities. I love South Africa, I’m so thankful I was born there but I’m also so grateful I had the opportunity to travel overseas to discover myself. Travel opens your mind, it changes the way you think. There’s never ending possibilities and opportunities.

Bottom line

Moving overseas was the best decision that I had ever made however it’s not for everyone. If you’re a person that thrives on routine then maybe just take a vacation but if you are up for a challenge, by all means move abroad. Life as an expat is one big adventure.

xoxo Shernice