Becoming a short-term expat is a constructive life experience

Becoming a short-term expat is a constructive life experience

Becoming a short-term expat is a constructive life experience

Becoming an expat for at least one year should be mandatory.

Whatever the reason for moving overseas, it’s an experience everyone should be forced to take for at least one year. Basically, moving overseas as an expat worker is scary at best, as it involves leaving familiarity behind and taking on a whole new way of being. The same is true whether the move is temporary or intended to be permanent, as different regimes at work, in study or in expats’ personal lives need to be taken into account.

Those going it alone have the hardest task, as there’s no job waiting and no help from family and friends if things don’t go as expected. Of course, the upside of all this is that, every time you manage to successfully solve a problem, the more confidence you’ll have in your own abilities. Moving to a foreign land means seeing new cultures in a very different manner than on a short holiday. You’ll need to learn the language, be aware of local customs and possible adapt to the local way of life – all experiences you don’t have as a tourist.

Managing all this will be useful for your resume, as potential employers don’t want or need to babysit new workers who’ve already adjusted to their experiences of life in the new country and are able to successfully interact with local people. Another aspect of moving to an unfamiliar land which doesn’t get enough attention on advisory websites is the need to make new friends outside the local expat community. It’s fine to make friends in your new workplace, but social life doesn’t end at the same time as the working day.

Joining up with expat-aimed groups who also interact with their local equivalents is a good way to make new friends, as well as being useful as regards tips on how to get the best out of your expat experience. Basically, self-reliance and a flexible mindset are two of the most essential aspects of becoming an expat, even for just one year, and will stand you in good stead in your ongoing career. Even if you decide the country of your birth is where you need to be on a permanent basis, you’ll have learned so much from just one year’s absence you’ll be able to cope with whatever life throws at you in the future.

Related Stories:

Latest News: