Everyone considers moving abroad at some point in their life. Perhaps something life-changing has just happened, it could have always been your dream to live in a specific country, or maybe you’re just bored of your life as it is right now. Whatever the reason, you can’t move abroad with your eyes closed; You need to be prepared. There are pros and cons to everything in life, and moving abroad is no exception, so here they are for you to consider, before making any big decisions.
Pro: It’s an adventure
If you’re at a point in your life where everything you do just bores you, then moving might just be the best option for you. Moving house is always an exciting adventure, but moving to somewhere completely new, with new sights, new people, and a new culture is going to give you a whole new lease of life. You will experience something different every single day, making your life just one big, exciting adventure.
Con: It’s stressful
As adventurous as moving house is, you can’t deny that it’s also one of the most stressful experiences that a person can put themselves through. Simply moving across town can take months of planning, so moving to another country is going to be ten times more difficult. You need to figure out how you’re going to get all of your belongings overseas and may have to rehome your pets.
Pro: Better job opportunities
One of the biggest reasons that people choose to move abroad is because there are better job opportunities in other countries. Dubai is a very popular country for this, but so is England. America is usually dubbed “the land of opportunity”, but since a simple search here can bring up hundreds of jobs, I’d argue that England is too. Moving to another country might also be a great opportunity to change your career completely and try out something different; You could even start your own business.
Con: Homesickness
Even a short holiday abroad can sometimes be too much for people, and they spend the entire trip miserable and wanting to go back home, so you need to think about this before you make any big decisions. You might have spent a few weeks in your chosen destination before, but you need to remember that most of that time would have been spent having fun, and you always knew that you would be coming home. Sometimes knowing that you’ve left your home forever (or at least for a while) can bring on awful homesickness, and you might not be able to stand it.
Pro: Meet new people
Moving abroad is a great opportunity to meet new people. If you’ve spent your entire life surrounded by the same group of people, then it’s likely that you know all there is to know about them. There is no risk of this abroad; You can spend whole months learning about the people around you. You can build new friendships, and might even find a partner to spend your life with.
Con: It can be lonely
While you have the opportunity to meet new people abroad, if you’re particularly shy, then you might not seize this chance. This could leave you feeling incredibly lonely and isolated, which will only increase your homesickness and longing to return home. You need to think about this before you decide to move abroad. It’s great to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but it’s not great if you can’t cope residing there. Even if you move abroad with someone, you can still get lonely, as the change and only knowing each other might put a strain on your relationship, causing you to argue and avoid one another.
Pro: Learn something new
If you move somewhere completely new, then every single day you will learn something new. This could be about the lives of the people around you, their culture, their history, and so much more. One of the biggest reason that people choose to move away is to learn, whether this is formally at a college or university, or just learning day-to-day as you experience new things. If you’re a particularly curious person, then this could be a great way for you to expand your knowledge of the world.
There is no denying that moving abroad is a great opportunity for anyone, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the right opportunity for everyone. I hope that this has given you some things to consider before you make any big decisions.