Why You Should Live Abroad At Least Once

“Cortado, por favor,” I say to the barista at my favorite cafetería in Barcelona.

I take a seat and grab the local newspaper that’s patiently waiting for a fresh set of hands to explore its words. I would never read the newspaper back in the United States, but here in Spain, it’s my textbook. It teaches me about the local and national news of my new home, of course, but also it’s a chance to put my Spanish comprehension to the test.

“Gracias,” I say with a smile.

“De nada, guapa,” says the barista as she delivers a creamy cortado over to my table for one.

The doors are open and the warm sunlight and light breeze lingers into the coffee shop as I sit, read, and admire the architecture of the building across the quaint street. I’m content.

Taking the leap to move abroad is a big one. You’re taking the opportunity to place yourself in an entirely new culture with different customs and ways of life, perhaps even a new language. It may seem nerve-racking, and you’re hesitant to take the leap — but don’t worry, it’s not as scary as you may think. It’s an incredible opportunity that I truly think everyone could benefit from in one way or another. As I’ve already lived abroad in two different countries (and have more on the list!), I want to share the benefits I’ve found from living abroad, and why you should make the move yourself.

1. To take on a new challenge

No one says that life abroad is always going to be easy, but just having the strength to put yourself out there, navigate a new country, and leave all your comforts back home is a challenge within itself, with big rewards in return.

It’s a challenge, but nothing you cannot handle. The visa process, house hunting, and language-barriers can become tedious and tiresome, but the payoff is always worth it.

2. To learn more about yourself

Moving abroad sets you up to truly dive deep into the core who of you are, allowing you to form a more intimate relationship with yourself. You’ll have opportunity to explore the undiscovered sides of yourself as you’re putting yourself out of your comfort zone, leaving family and friends, and social and cultural norms back home. You’ll find that your open-mindedness will expand as you meet new people and begin to try new things.

3. To become more independent

With everything new and unfamiliar, you have to learn to navigate your new home by yourself. Exploring the streets and shops of your home abroad will set you up with a dwindling sense of fear as your newfound independence takes over. You’ll begin to lose the fear of navigating unfamiliar areas, talking to new people, and dabbling in a new language. You’ll learn that you have to put yourself out there in order to reap the benefits.

4. To become acquainted with a new part of the world

Maybe you’ve been abroad before, but taking the time to actually settle in and unpack some bags is a completely different experience. Instead of bopping from monument to museum to squeeze every bit into your week-long trip, you have more time to see everything. You can sit outside of a cafe and watch the world around you. You can befriend the locals and begin to pick up a new language. You can truly learn the way of the land – and that’s an experience you can only have when you decide to move abroad and spend an extensive amount of time in a singular place.

5. To learn a new language and culture

You’ll not only begin to learn a new language, which is insanely rewarding and beneficial, but you’ll also learn more about the culture. Living in Barcelona, I have learned so much about both Catalan and Spanish culture and it’s been extremely eye-opening and tons of fun. Among my favorite Catalan traditions are El Correfoc, which is literally “devils” with fireworks who run down the street moving in sync with a drum band as locals run and dance around them and try to get as close to the fire as possible. It might sound frightening but it’s an adrenaline rush and immense amounts of fun. It’s things like this that you’re only likely to experience if you take the time to live in a place and experience its customs and traditions.

6. Looks good on your CV/resume

Having had lived abroad looks marvelous for potential employers. It shows that you’re adaptable, independent, and willing to move out of your comfort zone and try new things. Bonus points if you learn a new language to go with it.

7. Experience changes in taste

As you begin to try out new foods and drinks, you’ll find a change in your meal preferences and you’ll begin to incorporate new foods into your meals. I had never eaten Polish food — or Eastern European food in general — until moving abroad, and now it’s one of my absolute favorites, but I probably would have never discovered it if I hadn’t traveled around, met Polish people, and lived abroad. Now I’m always in search of a pierogi and borsct meal.

On top of changes in culinary tastes, you’re likely to see changes in your fashion taste too. Living abroad, you’re exposed to more unfamiliar trends in fashion that have yet to — or never will — make it to your home country. As I live in Europe, I’ve certainly seen a flip in my wardrobe as compared to a typical outfit I would have worn in the United States. My sense of style has become far more European by this point.

As long as you keep an open mind, your preferences and tastes will continue to evolve and broaden.

8. It’s rewarding!

You’ll leave with a new set of skills, passions, and friendships along with a brand new attitude and sense of self-confidence. You’ll look back on your time abroad with many stories and experiences to share with yourself and others.

Taking the time to live abroad is a tremendous and life-changing thing, and it’s the absolutely the best medicine for the soul. There’s no experience you can compare to living abroad, and there’s no time like the present to make the move happen. You’re in control of your life. Enjoy it to the fullest. Seek the world and find yourself along the way.

“What makes expat life so addictive is that every boring or mundane activity you experience at home (like grocery shopping, commuting to work or picking up the dry cleaning) is, when you move to a foreign country, suddenly transformed into an exciting adventure. Try finding peanut butter in a Japanese grocery story or explaining in broken Spanish to the Guatemalan pharmacy that you need cough drops and you’ll understand. When abroad, boredom, routine and ‘normal’ cease to exist. And all that’s left is the thrill and challenge of uncertainty.” – Reannon Muth

What are your thoughts on living abroad? Have you taken the leap and moved abroad? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!