There I am, my bags packed, waiting to board a low-cost flight to ”my new home”. Just three hours and I’ll be in Spain!
I’ve moved abroad several times, to a diverse range of countries. I often get asked how it feels to move abroad, to start a new life. And that’s exactly what I’ll try to describe in this article.
But, if you’re looking for more practical tips on how to move countries, then I highly recommend reading these articles:
- Things to Consider Before You Decide to Move to Another Country
- Moving Overseas – 12 Practical Relocation Tips
- Things to Do Before Moving Abroad – A Checklist
What It Feels Like to Move Abroad
I packed up everything. I have rented out my apartment so all my personal belongings ended up in a small number of boxes. Boxes that most of these belongings have seen many times before.
It felt weird though. Putting some clothes in a suitcase and getting on a plane feels a lot less permanent than having that same suitcase in your hand but now while looking around an empty apartment. Placing a note on the dinner table for the tenant, knowing that this will be his home for the foreseeable future and not yours…
Every time I leave I feel both very excited and very sad.
Although I have moved to more than a handful of countries by now, still each time I wonder if this is the right thing to do.
I have just spent some time living back in The Netherlands, my home country, and enjoyed myself quite well. It was great to catch up with family and with friends I’ve known for years.
I traveled around the country quite a bit, made some new friends, enjoyed the comforts of a (reasonably) well-organized country and got to stay in my own house, surrounded by my own things. Even the weather was quite favorable most of the time.
So why would I leave all of this behind? Is there something wrong with my life? No, I don’t think there is. Is there something wrong with The Netherlands then? Well, no country is perfect, that I do know by now, but The Netherlands definitely does have a lot going for it.
I think the reason I choose to move abroad, or travel long term, is simple: it’s the excitement of traveling or temporarily moving abroad and the challenges it will make you face.
I love the thrill, even the fear of things going wrong, and especially the joy of things working out: when you meet a few amazing people, see new things, taste new food, and learn new life lessons.
Moving abroad can feel scary, at any age and no matter whether you move abroad alone or with the whole family.
But believe me, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life.
Moving abroad teaches you a lot about yourself, about the world, about the kindness of strangers, and about how much more resilient you are than you thought.
My Destination This Time: Mallorca, Spain
I’m flying to Valencia today, a city on the east coast of Spain. From there I will travel south to a small coastal town called Moraira.
And after a few days in Moraira, I will fly to Mallorca, where I will spend at least four months living and working in a dive shop.
Moraira is the place where my life abroad started. I was 17 when I first spent a summer working here and I eventually ended up living in Moraira for more than four years.
So the beginning of this move abroad really isn’t new. It’s catching up with a past life.
And that’s another great thing about moving abroad: you get to live different lives. My life as a young waitress in Moraira was very different from my life in India with a steady office job, my life as a scuba diver in the Caribbean or my life in a remote town in Honduras…
Moving Abroad Means Starting a New Adventure
With a one-way ticket and only a verbal agreement on a place to live this is one of my more spontaneous moves abroad for sure.
But I have to admit I often accept an international opportunity without overthinking the details.
I just have one rule: if the experience abroad really starts to make me feel unhappy, I’ll buy a flight home, I’ll appreciate the experience I’ve had and I’ll have no regrets.
And it really is that simple: you can always leave if things don’t work out.
In a way, I like the excitement of not knowing exactly what will happen once I arrive at my destination. The less I know, the more difficult it is to have clearly defined expectations, which could turn out to be all wrong and disappoint you.
Therefore I try to go into any move abroad with an open mind. And I’m sure it will turn into an interesting new adventure one way or the other!
Also Read: 5 Great Reasons to Move Abroad
More Useful Articles About Moving Abroad:
- How to Find a Job Abroad and Make It Work
- Living and Working Abroad: What You Thought vs What It’s Really Like
- What It’s Really Like to Move Country All the Time – My personal experiences
- Things to Do Before Moving Abroad – A Checklist
- What Nobody Tells You About Living Abroad Long-Term
- Moving to San Diego, California: Am I Living the American Dream?
- Interviews With Expats Living and Working Abroad
- Reverse Culture Shock – What it feels like to move home again
Are You Interested in Moving to Spain? Then You Might Want to Read:
- The Best Places to Live in Spain
- What’s it Like to Live in Mallorca
- What I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Spain From the USA
- The Best Places to Live in Valencia
- Working Remotely in Spain
Or you can find an overview of all my articles about Spain here.