Moving to a new country is one of the biggest changes you can experience. Everything from the climate to the language to the people is likely to be different.
This change is not easy to adjust to, but it’s important that you make the effort to adjust so that you’re not left feeling homesick and isolated. Below are 7 tips for adjusting.
Learn the lingo
If you’ve moved to a country that speaks a new language, this is likely to be the hardest change to get used to. Unless you force yourself to learn the local lingo, you won’t be able to communicate with people and integrate yourself into society. It’s worth trying to learn some of the local languages before you move. Once you arrive, you could also consider looking into classes, as well as continuously challenging yourself to speak to people. This guide offers a few tips on how to learn a new language when moving to another country.
Go out and make new friends
It’s important to try to form new friendships. This can be difficult when moving to any new place – let alone a new country. A few ways to meet new friends in a new country include joining local social clubs, finding people via meeting sites, hanging out in bars and coffee shops, or simply getting to know colleagues at work. Try not to turn down social invitations in the early days – even if you are trying to get used to the language.
Keep in touch with old friends
Regularly keeping in touch with old friends is just as important for beating homesickness. Video calls are a great way to still experience face-to-face interaction with friends and family, while social media can also help you to keep in contact with people.
Explore your local area
Exploring the local area can help to make it more familiar and less intimidating. By exploring different cafes, shops and bars you can find places to regularly hang out. You also won’t have to ask for directions as much or rely on GPS.
Get to know the laws and customs
You don’t want to be accidentally breaking any new laws when in your new country. For this reason, it’s worth researching things like road laws, alcohol laws and gambling laws.Additionally, ensure a seamless transition by understanding the importance of a driver license translation if you plan to drive, helping you navigate the roads within legal bounds. It’s also important to get to know some of the ‘unspoken laws’ in social settings such as whether to bring gifts to people’s homes, what hand to shake with and how much to tip at restaurants.
Indulge in some home comforts
You can also beat homesickness by indulging in some home comforts while in your new country. For example, if you’re from Canada and you’re missing certain branded foods, there are plenty of places where you can buy online Canadian snacks. There may also be TV shows that you can stream using a VPN.
Make your new home feel like a home
You can make your new home feel more comforting and familiar by adding a few personal touches. This could include photographs of people and places back home or various special heirlooms and souvenirs collected over the years.
