Living abroad can be the adventure of a lifetime. At the same time, adventures can be as stressful as they are exciting. Culture-shock, language barriers, and social anxiety can ruin your experience. If you and your family have decided to live abroad, here are some ways to keep everyone’s stress levels to a minimum so you can enjoy your new home.
1) Connect with the Locals
Shop, dine, and play where the locals are. Avoid tourist attractions and minimize visits to expatriate hangouts. It might be tempting to spend time with fellow immigrants, since it is easy to relate. However, isolating yourself from the local culture will only make you feel more alienated. Befriending locals will go a long way in making you feel at home. Clubs, churches, and parties are great places to meet your new neighbors. Make it a goal for each family member to have at least one international friend.
2) Be Prepared
Invest time in the beginning to get organized. Have phone numbers on-hand for your bank, international health care provider, and the authorities. Being prepared for any situation will help you rest easy. Just as you would in your home country, have a disaster plan. Everyone in the family should know where to meet in case of emergency. Have your important documents and valuables in a secure yet easy to reach place.
Depending on your situation, you may require the help of an attorney. According to one L.A. immigration attorney, “Immigrants can face harassment from a massive government machine. Having a dependable advocate who knows the law can help you navigate the bureaucracy and give you piece of mind.”
3) Focus on the Positive
Remember why you moved! What interested you about the place? The cuisine? Make sure you are trying new foods! It is important to remind your children and teenagers about the positive aspects of the move, since they may cling tightly to what was left behind. Help them to see the many opportunities to learn, grow, and explore.
4) Spend Time Together
While it is important to stay connected to your friends and family back home, the most important support network you have is each other. You are in this together. Spend time each day sharing your experiences. Give each family member a chance to open up about difficulties, homesickness, new discoveries, and new favorites. If you can laugh together and cry together, you will survive very well together.
The whole family is brave for making this move, so remind each other of that. Support one another. It is healthy to acknowledge challenges that come up, so be there to listen to each other. However, don’t dwell on the hard stuff. Always look on the bright side. Above all, relax and immerse yourself in this new place so you can enjoy it to the fullest!
