10 Reasons Why Working Abroad Changes You Forever

The 20-somethings of today have the good fortune of being part of a generation that travels, seeking culture and self-discovery.

And although we are appreciative of this luxury, one aspect of travel is vastly underrated; that of living and working abroad.

So what makes it so different and so, so much better? :

1. You learn to take risks

Travelling has its risks, but they’re not the same as the risks you take by diving into a competitive job market in an unfamiliar country where the outcome is uncertain. And so, you simply take a leap of faith, and learn not to fear the unknown.

2. Your rhythm of life will never be the same

Inevitably, you have to take on the work schedule, and therefore the daily schedule, of a nation, and understand what makes them tick. In the end, you start to forget how you structured a normal day because…

3. You realise that ‘normal’ is relative

Culturally and socially, you have always understood ‘normal’. Living and working abroad makes you realise that you have been fooled; normal is different for every country and every person! You become more tolerant and accepting of people, customs, and ways of life.

4. …and wealth is relative too

You flip between currencies; you become accustomed to living with different costs of life; you are surrounded by new types of people in different walks of life. It takes some time to settle, but eventually you stop counting the numbers on the screen and start collecting experience and memories instead.

5. Your eyes are opened to many truths about your home country

It may sound paradoxical, but bit by bit, you see your country as an outsider sees it. You defend and explain your customs and debunk the stereotypes. Living abroad helps you realise which things are important to you; you understand why you think in a certain way… The likelihood is that you leave behind your preconceptions about other cultures too.

6. Travel becomes a part of your life

This cannot be compared to a ‘traveller’, who spends long periods of time on the road. You get so used to going back and forth between your ‘daily life’ abroad and home, that for the rest of your life, this is normality. Not to mention the fact that you’ll make friends who you’ll never be able to fully abandon, wherever you go.

7. Your communication skills will excel

A million small misunderstandings are made a day while living and working abroad, whether for linguistic or cultural reasons. You become sensitive to the other person, and learn to express yourself in a way that cannot be misconstrued.

8. Your time abroad will be so formative, you annoy everyone with it

Unfortunate but true. Conversations will lead back to “ooh that reminds me of that time while I was working in [insert country]…”

9. You gravitate to a cultural/ multicultural way of life

Whether this means naturally becoming friends with the foreigners at the party, or attending more cultural events, you will never tire of learning about or relating to other people and cultures.

10. You know that the sky’s the limit

The whole process was so much more challenging than just finding a job in your own country that you feel you could tackle anything!

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Have we convinced you to move abroad yet? Check out the opportunities in Europe available in your native language.