Living abroad is a dream, a life project that brings many fears, insecurities, hopes and a huge mix of important feelings. At first there is anxiety, then the fear of the new and out of the comfort zone that both struggled to find. There are the language, the food, new habits, missing your family, a different culture and many other things that enter in the package of who decides and chooses to live outside their country.
Check out 10 things that will change in your life:
1) Resistance to Fear
Do you know the fear you feel about leaving your country? Enjoy it, because then you'll never feel it. That's right, it seems a crazy thing, but the fear of all the new things will stop after you arrive at your destination. If you have the courage to leave in the first place, perfect. You will have other times, even if they are different times of life to begin to create a resistance to fear of the new. CAUTION: lose the fear is addictive and does very well.
2) Learn to deal with the people that are far away
The missing of loved ones for those who leave their country, it's like you feel sleepy. Are you sleepy, but it can work, go to school and life must follow. With the missing is the same. When you are Living abroad you learn that it is always there, watching you. Whether is a sunset or the time you drink a beer, the missing will make you remember your parents, brothers, sisters, friends and your loved dog. But missing is good. The miss motivates, gives courage, makes you wake up early, does someone get screwed in a good way.
3) Finding out that Skype is your best friend
Even your godmother who is averse to the use technology will surrender to Skype. The missing of the previous topic will soon be murdered when the Skype connects. Your goddaughter will kiss the screen, your mother will come running to give you a kiss and your grandmother will do the most funny things in front of the camera. Skype: the best friend of those who live far away, for sure.
4) Making new Friends
Even if you are a shy person, when you are abroad will received a click in your brain that make you automatically a public relations. You will quickly learn that a smile given at the right time and good education are keys that fit into any lock. When you realize you will be friend of that funny Portuguese, that sweetheart American and that shy Chinese. Living abroad is to open the heart, is to have friends on every continent and believe: it is easier than you think and only depends on you.
5) Passion for the New
The new is addictive. Yes, it is constantly changing, starting a new job, leaving things behind, moving on without fear. The new kills fear and fear is averse to the new. You want to lose the fear? Embrace the new and different things.
6) Travel Addiction
When you leave your country, you will became an addict of jet fuel. Work for hours to save some money and... TRAVELING. The game of PlayStation will become expensive for the boys, as well as the new shoes for girls will be unsustainable if you compare a passage to France for € 20 round trip. Money becomes airline miles and sleep at the airport is not that bad.
7) The Missing Market
Every time you see a steak, Brazil will flash in your mind (or your favorite homemade food). The wish of eating tapioca, Guaraná Antarctica, Brazilian cheese bread, feijoada, acarajé, a bowl of açaí... well, you learn to ask friends and relatives who are coming to visit you, to bring a little of what comforts you. It is the famous market of nostalgia (saudade) in action. Maybe this time you are introduced to the concept of comfort food, the food that brings you peace.
8) Violence
If you leave Brazil or your country to a smaller and more secure one, you will understand how we base our lives on the basis of violence. In Europe, for example, you will come across people going to the center of the cities in the dead of night to have a coffee or smoke a cigarette. It is common, it is normal and, at least for me, different. Violence makes us alert and you may take time to get used using your wallet behind your pants in the crowd or take your iPhone to make a photo in the night without looking at all sides.
9) New Flavors
You know that food you never thought you would like? It will be part of your daily menu. In England is the famous fish and chips that will give comfort, Portugal will be the “Francesinha dish”, in France is the baguette bread, etc. It seems not, but you will get used to the new flavors and, occasionally, will wish to eat something you didn't know existed when you were living in your country.
10) Cultural Blends
Some night you be at home of a stranger person for dinner. There will be people from all over the world, with drinks of all over the planet, strange foods, different smells and songs. Item 4 will be implemented and this cultural mix will bring wanderlust (item 6) and you will feel alive, will want to know, will fall in love with the new (item 5) and will make the engine of your life continue to work.
Leaving your country can be difficult, but worth every minute. It is an experience that no one can take away, it is friends who you have never thought, landscapes that will take your breath away, it is the problems that give the meaning to everything. So then? When you will start to lose your fear and enjoy the new?
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Kisses, Amanda
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All photos by me - Portugal, Netherlands and Germany