Some of the difficulties you will encounter in life may be overshadowed by the excitement of moving abroad to teach English in a brand-new, distant nation. But let’s face it; adjusting to your new life overseas won’t always be simple. Moving does involve some emotional ups and downs as they do everywhere, emotions like bewilderment, doubt, and frustration occur. You will have to face challenges and stumbling blocks that will put you to the test in ways you probably never thought of. You will emerge from the experience stronger and more resilient.

Common Difficulties of Relocating Abroad & Living Abroad

The following are topics that are believed to be taboo while residing abroad:

Missing home and family occasions

Even though it’s a bitter pill to chew, life at home continues whether or not you’re there. Does it make you feel bad that your family and friends are having birthdays, Christmas, marriages, job offers, and promotions without you? Sure. Is it worse than you can seeing everything go down on social media? Definitely Even while social media may be a double-edged sword in these situations, I like to think of it as a chance to see how happy your friends and family are at that very moment.

Another drawback is missing out on less enjoyable occasions, such as a loved one passing away while you are still away from home. Even though it is always feasible to return home to be with family and friends in times of need, take into account scenarios like Covid where borders close and individuals are unable to fly home.

Finding your community and passions in a foreign country and language

There are hurdles associated with beginning a new life abroad. For starters, unless you are fluent in the language, you will probably encounter language problems. Even though you usually don’t need to speak the language of the nation where you work as a teacher, understanding the fundamentals will be quite beneficial. Even when you have the fundamentals down, you may still encounter difficulties on a regular basis. For example, it may be difficult to open a new account at the bank, place an order at a restaurant, or even go to the doctor.

Language problems can make you feel alone, unable to locate your community, or unsure of your place in a strange environment. These kinds of situations might exacerbate social anxiety and harm your mental well-being. If you have never felt anxious before, you might not know how to handle these brand-new, intense, and overwhelming sensations of unease, restlessness, and dread. Don’t allow these emotions to discourage you from following your passions or engaging in novel activities. Make the most of the opportunities that teaching abroad offers because not everyone has the chance to do so.

When something unpleasant occurs, it always feels 10 times worse abroad

I’m sure that’s accurate. When we went into lockdown in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 epidemic, I can vividly recall feeling sick to my stomach. Even after eight years of living overseas and getting used to the fact that I rarely saw my family, I still felt helpless.

Ever had a breakup while traveling? 10 out of ten people would not advise it since it would make you feel more alone than ever. The worst scenario is when a family member passes away at home and you are unable to attend the funeral. And sure, this is definitely a difficult life event to go through wherever you are, but being overseas at this time and being apart from family to seek that sense of comfort and support really magnifies the issue and, at least for me, made it the worst feeling in the world.

After living overseas, you come home only to discover that you no longer connect with your family and friends

Not to mention that the things that used to make you happy now seem even further away. Actually, the last few years you’ve spent living and teaching English abroad have been the best of your life. You made the most incredible connections with people from all over the world, picked up a new language, went on trips, learned to appreciate the little things, found new hobbies, and attained a level of independence you’d never known before. You feel like a completely different person and have a fresh outlook on life… then you go back home.

There will always be challenges you must overcome on your own, but you’ll learn to accept them. You will make errors and grow from them. Even if you don’t like burdening other people, you’ll learn to ask for assistance when you need it. Even though there will be times when you try to take on more than you can handle, you’ll manage to succeed. Living overseas will help you develop resilience, appreciate what you have, and become the strongest, most independent version of yourself. If anything, it will show you how strong you really are.