Getting out of your home town is something that everyone needs to do at least once in their lives. It helps to push you out of your comfort zone making you a better, more-rounded person and will also provide you with memories that will last a lifetime. And while moving out of your home town is good, taking the time to move abroad is even better. This will open your eyes to new cultures and new ways of living that you never could have imagined before. Whether you decide to move and live in one place or if you want to go and travel around, it will be one of the best things you’ve ever done in your life. Here we’ve put together some of the top tips to experience living abroad that will make your experience as good as it can be. 

Budget appropriately

Moving abroad for a year can be expensive so you want to ensure you have the necessary funds in order to do so. The last thing you want is to have your plans cut short because you can no longer afford it. Make sure you write down how much money you think you’ll need for things such as rent or accommodation, food, living expenses and more. It’s also a good idea to save some extra cash just in case of emergencies. By doing this you will feel a lot more relaxed when you are over there.

Decide how you will make your money

If you don’t have a huge savings pot, it could be that you want to travel around but also work at the same time. There are many local jobs you could pick up, or you could alternatively ask your current employer to work remotely. By working remotely you can be a lot more flexible and also have better job stability as it’s a job you already do. You won’t need to apply for a job or go through that hassle. Alternatively, you could look to work for yourself through something such as a blog that can make you money on the side.

Think about whether you want to stay in one place or move around

When you move abroad you need to decide if you want to plant your roots in one area or if you want to move around to different places. There are pluses and minuses to both so it’s up to you to decide what’s the best decision based on your personal preference. If you want to stay in one place, you can really immerse yourself in the area and discover living like a local. You can get to make friends, embrace the community and more. If you move around you won’t get to fully immerse yourself or feel settled anywhere, however you will get to experience more places on your journey that you wouldn’t have got to otherwise.

Pack cleverly

When heading abroad for a long time you can’t take everything with you, but you will need a lot of items. So this involves packing cleverly. Do your research into what the weather will be like and make sure to pack for all alternatives. Perhaps it’s going to be cold for some months and hot for others. Or maybe it’s hot all year round. You will also find that when you’re there you can pick up new items so try not to worry too much about packing too many items before you go. If you’re planning on moving around you will want items that can fit into a large backpack but if you are staying in one place you have a lot more freedom and flexibility in the number of items you can take with you.

Consider what you want to get out of your trip

Why are you heading abroad? Is there a specific reason? If so, how can you get the most from your trip? Think about if you’re doing what you’re doing so you can immerse yourself in other cultures, if you want to soak up better weather than where you’re from, or if you want to live right on a beach or in a city. How can you make the most of it? Decide on a plan of action before you go as this will help you choose the places best suited for you when you are there.

Will you go alone or with someone else?

Think about if you want company during your trip. Do you want to travel alone? Or with someone else. Do you want to go with friends? Or a partner? Whatever you choose you’re sure to have a fantastic time, just make sure you pick someone you get along with well so it doesn’t taint your trip!

Do you need any appropriate visas to stay?

Depending on where you are going and how long you might need a Visa to be there. Ensure you do your research ahead of time to avoid any unnecessary delays when you get to the new country. There are many visas, and it could be that when abroad you fall in love and decide to marry someone from another country, which requires a visa in itself. For example if you are a US citizen who falls in love and wants to marry a non-citizen you may need a k-1 visa to bring your partner to the US for your wedding.

These are just a few top tips that should help you with living abroad. As we said above, living abroad or travelling abroad can really enrich your life and enable you to live experiences and do things that you’ve never done before. You will return a much more well-rounded person with a host of memories that will last you a lifetime. You might even find that you fall in love with a place so much you end up moving out there! Have you lived abroad before? Do you have any top tips that can help someone? If so, let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.