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PROBLEMS EXPATS FACE ABROAD

In this article, we'll list some of the most common struggles you might have faced or will still encounter in the future and how to overcome them.
August 1, 2022 16:33


The expat life could seem like a double-edged weapon for some. On one hand, you’ll find it interesting while exploring your new city, talking to new friends, as well as being exposed to a new culture and its traditions and everyday rituals. And on the other, you might find it hard to face some problems like trying to fit into your new community, feeling like an outsider, in addition to trying to adapt to your new surroundings.

If you ever feel stressed or overwhelmed about settling into your new surroundings with all its challenges, always remember that you’re not alone. every expat worldwide has been in a similar position before and that it is normal for you to feel this way.

Here’s a list of some of the most common struggles you might have faced or will still encounter in the future and how to overcome them.

1. Homesickness

Sometimes feeling homesick can be inevitable, at some point during your time abroad you will feel how it can affect your decision making and test your ability to handle your anxiety. The feeling that you don’t have your support network around you, whether it’s friends or family, can really be challenging at times especially when you’re also having trouble fitting in. And in order to overcome this feeling, you must overexpose yourself, live like you were a local and don’t be afraid to establish new connections. They don’t necessarily have to be expats too by the way. And the easiest way to do this Is just by having the eagerness to explore both the people and your new city, make sure you try to attend conferences, concerts, workshops and even big sporting events in which you can make new friends that share your interests.

And for your support network back home, just make sure you call them daily. Keep them in your life’s loop by telling them about your time there, make them updated with your new lifestyle, and always remember to share your new experiences with them. So, don’t forget to download an international calling app like BlaBla Connect which can help you stay connected with your loved ones back home with ease while getting the best in-call voice quality with the lowest rates and many other features.

2. Managing your finances

With all the challenges you may face as an expat, you never want money to be a part of them. Managing your finances could either make your experience as an expat a great one or it will make your life abroad seem like hell. Start off by figuring out your taxes and all your personal expenses while differentiating between your needs and wants. And since you’re an expat then you’ll defiantly have a reason to send/receive money from home. And because you can never expect a worrying situation before it happens and that it’s normal for you to forget your little cousin’s birthday, it’s a must that you download a Fintech solution application to help you out with your finances and your money remittance.

Try out PassTo, the latest Fintech solution/money remittance to help you with transferring money to your family without having to stress about bank hassles like standing in queues and wasting a lot of time with just a single transfer. 

3. The language barrier

Unfortunately, you can really expect the language to be a challenge for you when moving to a new country if you don’t speak it beforehand, and you’ll mostly need to learn it if you haven’t already because if not you’ll have a hard time fitting in. But honestly, you should never let the language barrier stand in your way in exploring what your workplace and your neighborhood have to offer. And with that being said, it’s definitely not impossible. You can always start enrolling in language classes, download a language app on your phone, and also try to catch the basic words and phrases like the greetings, some road names, and other basic wordings, and use them in some chats with your co-workers and your neighbors.

4. Culture shock

Cultural adjustment is one of many factors that can affect the amount of time you take while fitting in a new country, and that process can be vastly slowed down if you experience a culture shock, which can cause a lot of tension and anxiety out of the feeling that you’ve lost your cultural cues or your inability to communicate properly with others. It can get frustrating at times with all your workload and all the stress of having to meet people’s expectations of you. But know that there’s no need to panic, all of what you’re going through right now is normal. Almost everyone who lives abroad has had such an experience before to some degree, all you need to do is just be patient, stay positive, and try to adapt to your new surroundings. And if things get tough for you, talk to your friends or family who experienced living abroad before, and try to make your own community with people you can relate to.