‘Welcome that feeling of foreignness!’ – #ExpatWisdom – The Home Wanderers

Expat Wisdom

August 19, 2018

Hey everyone,

Welcome to the first post in the Expat Wisdom project! I am so excited to have so many of you involved in this project, sharing your stories and your advice with each other! The first story in this project is from Kate Johnson, from The Home Wanderers. In this post, you can read about her story and her pieces of advice for any new expats, travelers, or international students. I hope you enjoy reading what she has to say!

Hey everybody, my name is Kate and for me, the question ‘Where are you from?’ is very difficult to answer… I was born in England, l grew up in France and I have now lived and worked long-term in 5 different countries – So I am definitely a person who has plenty of experience being the ‘foreign’ one in the room!

Living abroad adds such a different and unforgettable dimension to traveling that a quick vacation can never provide. I find that the best way to learn a new language, experience a different culture and grow as a person is to completely immerse yourself in a new country. At the age of 13, my parents told me and my brother that our family was moving to the South of France. With (VERY) little knowledge of French and no idea what to expect, I look back on that time and I cannot believe how brave I was at such a young age. I battled out the rollercoaster of struggle and adjustment and I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without that experience. Since then, I have actually craved that feeling of being out of my comfort zone. Stepping away from your home comforts, relationships and sense of familiarity forces you to meet new people from around the world, embrace adventures and the lessons you learn about yourself are endless.

Living like a local for an extended period of time gives you a window into a completely different way of life and you learn so much more about the world around you, but IT IS NOT EASY. The tough times that come hand in hand with moving abroad can often take you by surprise which in turn make you feel even more lonely or unsettled. Read up about other people’s experiences, seek support from Facebook groups and know that you are NOT ALONE when feeling the unavoidable emotions that you will experience.

My number one piece of advice for anyone moving abroad is to NOT BE AFRAID. It may be easier said than done but if you wake up every morning and actively set your mindset to WELCOME that feeling of foreignness and the unknown, then the sky really is the limit. For more advice and resources for those living abroad, check out my website: www.TheHomeWanderers.com  or follow me on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/TheHomeWanderers

ks (1 of 1)-32I hope you all enjoyed reading Kate’s story and hearing her advice for anyone moving away from home. Her story is very similar to mine, and it was interesting to see what her most valuable advice is. I really enjoyed collaborating with someone and having the opportunity to share another inspirational story on my blog, and I hope that it’s something that you guys like reading!

Let me know in the comments section if you enjoyed this kind of post. It was the first in the #ExpatWisdom project, if you don’t know what it is, you can read all about it here. If you would like to be a part of the project, email me at littlemissexpatblog@gmail.com or dm me on Instagram @Little.Miss.Expat. I hope you enjoyed reading someone else’s story and hearing their advice!

See you next week!

Little Miss Expat

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