The challenges of living abroad

How many times did you call your mom this week to ask her about something? When we're facing a problem, it's the easiest to call your parents, most of the time they know a solution. When you need something in particular, you know where to go. You have your dentist, your doctor, your favorite book store. But what if everything is new for you, you don't know anybody and nobody even speaks your language? These are just some of the challenges you have to face when you’re living abroad.

The moment you put your first foot through the security check at the airport, you’ll be alone. Your family and friends are standing at the other side of the glass waving to you and that’s the moment you realize, it’s just going to be you.

Life gets easier as soon as you start school or work in a new country. You make friends, learn more about the city and slowly but surely you realize how things work.

When I had my first day at work here in Vancouver, our Human Resources person asked me if I had a bank account here and a Social Insurance Number. No, of course, I didn’t have either of these and I’d never heard of a Social Insurance number before. Then I made my way to the bank to open my very first Canadian bank account. I was unbelievably nervous because I didn’t have the vocabulary and the experience for doing such a thing but nobody could help me with that. The only way to get things done here in Canada was to do it for myself.

The first time I got sick in Vancouver was just a normal flu, nothing spectacular. At home, I would call my doctor who had been taking care of me since I was a baby. But here in Vancouver I had no clue where to go. Thanks to Google, I found a close Walk-In clinic. Once again I was quite nervous because getting a doctor’s advice in English was something new for me.

The worst of all challenges is dealing with homesickness. It hits you the most, when you absolutely don’t need it. When you’re totally stressed out by college or you are busy at work, homesickness hits the hardest. You become paralyzed and unable to get anything done. But you don’t want to call your family all the time, because first of all the time difference makes it impossible and second of all, you don’t want them to worry about you. You’ll be fine. 

Even though living abroad can be challenging, every single challenge is worth it! It's a life experience that I can recommend to everybody. You will learn so much about yourself and what you are able to do. A couple of years ago, I would never have seen myself living somewhere else and now I have been doing it for already one year. Besides that, you have an insight in a new culture and a new society. However, the price you have to pay for it is that you are going to lose a part of your heart forever to your new home.