10 things that happen to anyone who turns out to be abroad

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Kimberlinn Boyce, author of a popular blog for expats, talks about how life in immigration usually looks.

Life abroad is, of course, a reward. Even if it was short-lived, this experience can completely change you for the better.

Here are the 10 things that inevitably change if you started living abroad. At least for a month or two, writes the Internet portal AdMe.

You are constantly learning a new language. And forget the old one

I am not an expert on the structure of human brains, but something tells me that if you stop speaking your native language, you will forget it sooner or later. At first, you will begin to increasingly more and better understand what you are talking about on the streets of new compatriots. Then you will be happy about how quickly they learned a foreign language. It will take another couple of months, and you will begin to think on it! Hence the direct road to oblivion in relation to Russian.

Do not forget to forget, when you get into the Russian-speaking environment, you will again speak perfectly well in your own, but without the constant support of the environment, you will become very stupid to make mistakes, say wild things, like “wear pants” or “take a bus” (not by storm, but sit on him in the sense of) and constantly stumble:

- He did ... how is it in Russian? Radio? No, not the radio ...

-A television?

- You yourself are television! BUT! X-ray!

Suitcase will not just be a convenient bag for things.

I thought that after I moved, my suitcases with things collected for the journey would be gathering dust on the far shelf. I even thought: “What will I do with all these suitcases when I get settled?”. But I continue to use them even after years of life in immigration.

The fact is that immigration has freed me. I began to travel more and more. And get pleasure from it. I think with the majority of those of you who decide to change their place of residence, the same thing will happen: once you get out of the cage, you want to continue doing it again and again. And yes, I'm not sure that I will live the rest of my days in Brazil, where I live today.

This is not a trip. This is your Life!

You can live 5 abroad for years, then come home to visit your relatives, and your friends, meeting you at the pub, will ask: “Well, how is your trip?”. Sometimes I want to shout, “I'm not on a trip! I live there!". But they still will not understand.

Therefore, I always answer this question on this polite pattern: “So much has happened during these 3 years ... We can have lunch together sometime, and I will tell you my most vivid impressions!”.

You will always keep in mind the exchange rate

You can live in another country for 10 for years, but you will still keep in mind the exchange rate. You will go to the stores at home and in the new home and constantly compare prices. Now this habit is that part of you that you will never get rid of, no matter how much you want.

The line between “normal” and “strange” will now and forever be a bit blurred.

Despite the fact that many believe that the world today is one global McDonald’s, it is not. And each culture, even the neighboring ones, may have its own ideas about what is acceptable and what is not.

Somewhere it is normal when young people kiss on the street, somewhere - no. Somewhere the inhabitants of the smoke feel marijuana calmly, somewhere - no.

I left America in 23 of the year. Then I thought wrong when someone on the street was picking his nose. At the same time, I myself always used a toothpick after dinner. Now imagine that, where I am today, everything is exactly the opposite. I can calmly clean my nose here in a public place. But I was not used to the fact that public use of sticks for brushing teeth is not normal.

But what is really great is that understanding this difference makes you a much freer and more tolerant person.

Time is measured differently in different countries.

In America, you can not invite anyone to the cafe right today. There, people live by the calendar. And wildly rage every time they have to wait for someone longer than 5 minutes.

Now imagine that where I am now, being late even by 30 minutes is normal. And at first it didn’t make me happy at all: I got into glue, everything happens in slow motion, you don’t have time ...

But then you get used and adapt. Although you continue to be amazed at how some people are fixated on time, while others don’t think about it at all.

The word "routine" will disappear from your vocabulary

Regardless of whether your life will develop in a new place as you planned, or not, you will never be bored and "ordinary" there. A miracle will happen every day.

One day, I dedicated a FULL DAY to paying all 2 utility bills. Now I'm not sure that tomorrow I will have electricity and water. This is so unpredictable ... I just always have a "backup plan" - in case the working day is ruined by the irresponsibility of local electricians.

In general, unexpected things abroad with you in any case will happen ten times more often than at home.

You will lose everything, but it won't matter much.

And here is the main argument against immigration, which is often mentioned in agitation: nobody needs you there. It's true. But I’ll tell you a little secret: you don’t need anyone anywhere. You only need yourself.

In fact, people are often afraid to move somewhere, because “they will be nobody there” or because they are afraid of losing their usual job and their usual social circle.

I will say more. When you move, you will lose everything that you had (except for the macbook and clothes). Habitual routes for walking. Family gatherings. Favorite shops. Favorite products (if it is not Coca-Cola). And also smells, colors, weather and tastes.

On the other hand, it will not bother you. You will be able at least for a while (often - a couple of years) not to think about your social status or what you are used to at home. The new world will swallow you up completely. And you will understand that material success is not all.

Before you go to live in another country, you will not even think that everything you want to take with you fits in a couple of suitcases. You do not even remember half of the things that seemed to be very important.

Now it will seem "Maybe everything"

Now you know for sure: you can get together and get out of anywhere from anywhere for 1 day.

Start life from scratch? This thought now not only inspires me, but also comforts me. I know that you can always start over. Anything.

Everything will be different

At first, you will often feel humiliated ... You will have to ask (often strangers) people for help in the simplest situations. Every day everything will seem so complicated and unusual that sometimes it will even be scary.

But it will take a couple of months, and you get comfortable. And your heart will be overwhelmed with the feeling that you are capable of something much more than you thought.

“If you are brave enough to drop everything decently comfortable, but it can be anything: a house, old resentment, and go on a journey to find the truth, search for the truth in yourself or in the world around you, if you are sincerely willing to take everything what happens on the way, if you accept as a teacher everyone who you meet, and most importantly, if you are ready to accept and forgive the difficult truth about yourself, then the truth will be revealed to you. ” Elizabeth Gilbert.

Read also on ForumDaily:

30 reasons for the surprise of the immigrant

How I became a citizen of America: the process of naturalization from A to Z

How I handled depression in immigration

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