You might dream of living in your favourite travel destination, but some people actually go ahead, up sticks, and move away permanently. It’s a big decision and not something for everyone, but it can make a massive difference to your quality of life.

Imagine living in your favourite holiday destination year-round. It would be great, wouldn’t it?

Moving abroad is both exhilarating and exhausting. Here’s what happens when you finally take the plunge and decide to live in your favourite holiday destination.

Big Life Challenges Suddenly Seem Small 

Moving to an entirely new location to start a new life can seem like an enormous undertaking, but once you’ve done it, it can actually make the rest of the challenges in your life seem small. Once you’ve moved out of your home country and set up in a foreign land (many of which don’t even speak the same language), other things in life suddenly seem much more manageable. Strangely, moving can give you the courage to do the things that you’ve always wanted to do. With mortgages for holiday lets, more and more people are choosing to experiment with the idea of living abroad.

Your Friendships Will Change

When people find out that you’re moving, some will be thrilled, and others will distance themselves. Most people find that moving abroad actually intensifies links with their friends back home, making the occasional visit all the more special.

Of course, when you move abroad, you immediately start meeting new people and get a new circle of friends, but there’s no hiding the fact that existing relationships tend to become more special. After all, seeing each other is a much bigger effort than it ever was in the fast.

Life Goes On As Normal Once You Leave

When you live abroad in your ideal travel destination, it doesn’t mean that things grind to a halt back in your home country. People continue to get married, have children, and die. They find new work, develop new interests, form new relationships and start new projects, always looking for ways to improve their lives.

As somebody who lives abroad is it often interesting to see how much things can change in such a short amount of time. As a relative outsider, you have a greater perspective on what has changed and what stays the same.

You Start Behaving Like The Locals

When you first arrive in a new destination, the culture can be a bit of a shock. Most people don’t immediately jump into all of the customs and start doing them themselves. After a while, however, that all changes, and you soon find yourself adopting the local way of life – at least to some degree.

For instance, you’ll soon find out where all of the best coffee shops are and which bus routes to take. You’ll also learn more about local politics and may even become passionately involved in them. Finally, you might join local groups who indulge in hobbies that you would never have tried in your home country. In fact, this is highly likely since something obvious drew you to the destination in the first place.

You Might Miss Home

Even if you’re utterly passionate about living in your favourite holiday destination, you might still miss home. After all, home is where the heart is, and that’s hard to change.

Some people miss home, but often when they return; they soon realise why they left. Nostalgia is no substitute for adventure. Sure, you could go back for the odd Christmas or wedding here and there, but once you’ve experienced somewhere radically different, going back isn’t an option.

You Get Better At Saying Goodbye

Packing all your stuff and moving to a foreign country is the ultimate “goodbye.” You have to say farewell to friends, family, and colleagues. It’s a big deal. But once you’ve done it once, it starts to get a lot easier. By the fifth or sixth time, you’ve become something of a goodbye aficionado, able to leave people in your past and stride forward towards that new horizon.

You Gain A New Perspective On Your Home Country

The way that the foreign news media talks about different countries is often radically different than the domestic media. Expect to be shocked by how other countries view yours and don’t be surprised if they speak their mind. Remember, you’re probably in the minority if you decide to live overseas in a random country. Use it as an opportunity to learn about your country and see its blind spots.

*Collaborative post