Is living abroad for you?
August 23rd 2020 is a special day for me. This year it marked four years since I moved to Limoges, France and it has been one of the best decisions that I've ever made for myself. I'm a huge advocate for living abroad, if I had it my way, it would be a rite of passage for everybody. In total, I've lived overseas for almost five and half years, between France and Spain, and I moved away from my family home when I was eighteen years old. Let's be clear, living abroad is amazing but it isn't for everyone, some people are homebodies and they want to stay in surroundings that feel comfortable and familiar to them. That is perfectly okay. But if you're part of the 52% of Brits that are dreaming of taking the plunge and living abroad but are still on the fence, then this candid guide is perfect for you. Whether you're dreaming of relocating stateside or heading down under in Oz, this guide will take you through the advantages of moving abroad from my own personal perspective and why this could be an option for you.
What are the advantages of living abroad?
Independence
In my opinion, the main advantage of living abroad is the complete unbridled and independence that you have. When I moved to Limoges, for the first time in my life I had no one else to rely on but myself. I had a set of rather peculiar circumstances; I arrived in the middle of a global pandemic, alone in a French town that I had never visited before with two suitcases and no return ticket. When I moved to Paris and Valencia, my parents had accompanied me to help make the transition easier, but due to the travel restrictions I was on my own this time. It was a really daunting prospect but it taught me that I either had to sink or swim. This experience forced me to think for myself and be proactive, I had to apartment search alone, set up electricity and phone contracts by myself and learn how to navigate the city. It's a huge task list, but one that I'm so proud of myself for completing. Whilst it may feel scary to think that you're living on your own, I took pride in the fact that I was the master of my own destiny, that I had to make decisions for myself and trust them, listen to my gut and trust that I was going to overcome any possible obstacles. This are key skills and the foundation of resilience which is something that I know I'll need and use for the rest of my life.
Improving or Learning a new Language
When I moved to France I had just completed a Liberal Arts degree in French, Spanish and English Literature. I'd lived abroad before in Paris and I was confident that I was well equipped with the necessary language skills to thrive in France. Boy was I wrong. I think I definitely needed humbling and I would say that the first two years of living in France was like learning the language from scratch. There is a huge difference between textbook French and real life French. I had to get to grips with slang, verlan and different regional accents, not to mention the speed at which native speakers converse. Immersion is the key to fluency for a language; as an educator I'm from the school of thought that in order to really learn and understand a language you must live and breathe the language.
My French improved vastly through my day to day interactions, I learned so much by simply heading to the bakery, local markets, taking a dance class in French and even reading the newspaper every day. I've mentioned the paralysing fear of speaking a foreign language before, but living abroad really forces you to put yourself out there and speak. It's easy to find friends who speak the same language as you and we Brits have a reputation in France and Spain of not integrating into the local culture. As scary as it may be, don't shy away from the opportunity to practise your French. Of course you will make mistakes, mispronounce words and it is bloody tiring but is part of the process. I can confidently say that my level of French is at C2 (native equivalent) level because of these past four years, speaking, listening and reading French everyday in real life situations and not because of my degree (although it did give me the building blocks for the language).
Personal development and self growth
I've already mentioned independence when living abroad but I'd like to talk about the space for personal growth and development. I've spent my formative years living abroad and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have the space to figure who I am. You may have heard of the phenomenon "New Kid syndrome" where you may feel uncomfortable or familiar in a new space. I've kind of turned this on its head and learned to embrace it. I loved the anonymity of being a stranger in a new place, it gave me the opportunity to lean in and try new things. I've tried new hobbies like salsa dance and pole dance which I may have been afraid to do back at home. I've also experimented with fashion and my personal style. Each year that I've lived abroad I've learned something new about myself, I'm more confident and adaptable than I ever knew and I'm actually more open to taking risks and trying new things.
Opportunity to make new friends
Making friends is hard wherever you are, especially as an adult. Without institutions like school and university where you're forced to gravitate towards people, you have to go out of your way to make friends. When I first moved to Limoges I actually made friends with a Spanish speaking group of students from Latin America. Whilst this wasn't my intention I was really grateful to have the opportunity to practise my Spanish and bond with other foreigners living in Limoges. I'll be honest, making French friends in my twenties in Limoges has been tough. When I arrived, people already had established friendship groups and they weren't necessarily looking for new friends. It was difficult to meet new people, especially those who were open to practising French with me, but what I learned was to force myself out of my comfort zone and to be the person that starts a conversation or makes the first move. It can be really challenging to do this, at first I felt really self conscious about my level of French and my accent but it's been totally worth it. Most people are actually happy that you make the first move and if they aren't, then they're not the right person to be friends with! I've made friends through apps, dance classes, work and even meeting at language exchanges. As humans we're social beings and connection is important to us, I can confidently say that I've met some of my best friends and my partner by putting myself out there.
Travel Opportunities
Living abroad opens you up to unlimited travel opportunities. This can be anything from taking an inter city train to flying across the continent. Since living in France I've had the fortune to be able to travel locally in my region like Eymoutiers and Bordeaux as well as further afield like Spain, Portugal, Amsterdam and many other European countries. I remember when I first moved to Valencia, Spain and I was terrified of taking the train to a nearby town Castellon, the thought of navigating the Spanish train system was overwhelming, what if I got lost or took the wrong train? These mishaps are all part of the adventure of living abroad . Moving abroad is the hard step, so travelling whilst you're already away is easy.
Experience a new culture
Thanks to globalisation we can all experience a new culture from oversees, but there's something different about immersing yourself into that culture firsthand. Since living in Limoges, France I've learned about the culture of the Limousin region, I've been able to attend events like 'Les Frairies des Petits Ventres' in Limoges and try new, authentic French cuisine that I wouldn't have been to do if I was back home in Manchester and party at a bal de pompiers for Bastille day in Paris. When I lived in Spain, I was able to attend events like Las Fallas festival in Valencia, celebrate Midsommar in Sweden and experience Semana Santa in Seville. I got to see firsthand the festivities from beginning to end and speak to locals about the importance of preserving this cultural event. Whether it is visiting local museums, trying local cuisine or cultural events, living abroad opens up the door to delve into a new culture.
Career advancement and opportunities
When I meet new people they often ask me "Why did you pick Limoges?" or "What drew you to the Limousin region?" and honestly it was because of a work opportunity. When I moved to France it was because I had signed on to be a lectrice d'anglais (English language Teacher) at Limoges University. At 22 years old, the opportunity to work at a renowned university wasn't an option for me in the UK. I started my career in marketing in France because I'm bilingual and had some experience from interning in Paris. Don't get me wrong, my life is nothing like Emily in Paris, in fact I don't know anyone who is living that "Parisian fantasy", but my career and CV have definitely had a boost since working abroad and I've had the amazing opportunities to travel to Dublin and Berlin for work. Emigrating opens up a lot of doors and allows you to tap into an international work network. Even of you decide that it's not for you and you don't want to stay oversees, that experience is valuable for any future employers as it demonstrates resilience, adaptability and the drive to try new things and seek opportunities.
So there you have it, those are definitely the highlights of living abroad. I'd be lying if I said these past four years had been easy, there are definitely a number of challenges that come with living overseas (both emotional and physical). I'll dive into those in part 2, so stick around!
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