Living in a foreign country

I had the chance to travel to a foreign country three decades ago. Living in a country other than your own is a life journey in which you can acquire experience, learn about other cultures, customs, languages, and so on. The feeling of living in a foreign country can be both daunting and thrilling, and it can also contribute to the acquisition of useful information. People who have lived away from their families, let alone away from their country, face significant consequences and/or challenges. Living in a foreign world has three general consequences that can alter people’s personal lives. The major effect, and obvious common one, is missing anything that reminds you of both your family and hometown. When you encounter some issues which require an emotional support, it would make you realize how valuable your family is. Not to mention, the simple things would remind you of your family traditions as well as the community life around you.

The second main effect is adjusting to new cultures and traditions of foreign societies. Living abroad would open your eyes somehow on how to appreciate and embrace our differences. In addition, it will be an opportunity to develop your opinion for societies and value different opinions in which you can achieve the true knowledge.

The last and probably the most important effect is personal development and learning a new language. Living away from home helps you become confident and independent. It will also teach you how to organize your life and achieve your goals. Living in a foreign country could give some people both hard things and a new life. Living far from family could be difficult in your life, but it can lead to growth, to independence, and to learn other cultures and traditions. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be presented with this type of opportunity, so you should take advantage of its benefits.

Living in a foreign country excites the imagination and ignites every adventurous spirit. The experience inspires one to explore the other part of the world. However, the experience can be overwhelming while trying to make yourself understood and expressing yourself to strangers. One is expected to unlearn old ways of doing things and stick to the foreign life. It is expected that one accepts their new home, which in many cases involves changed expectations of yourself and others. One suffers lost identity and familiarity with friends and family who are pillars of encouragement and fun.

The first challenge in foreign country is loneliness. Loneliness is a challenge that affects people with personality issues. For some people, living in a foreign country implies making new friends and networking. Social people find making new friends and exploring the world in a different style exciting. For the rest, social life may be challenging and loneliness dawns most of the time. If you are not good at making friends, you find yourself calling back home often and trying to catch up with events of your home country. The internet especially skype can be used to reduce episodes of loneliness. However, keeping in touch with family does not reduce loneliness and one would eventually feel comfortable if they make connection with friends in the foreign country.

The best way to deal with issues of loneliness is by developing networking skills and striking conversations with strangers. The little conversations create confidence with other people and eventually one discovers that the “stranger” had something in common. There are also online sites that offer opportunities for people to socialize. It is obvious that people with similar interests and hobbies form interesting social groups hence reducing loneliness.

Living in a foreign country can be challenging while trying to adopt to new culture. Language barrier is often a problem for most people. Different countries use different languages and one would be lucky enough to find a country that uses a language known to them. It is required that one learns basics of the foreign language before they travel to a new country. It is only convenient to understand foreign language so as to avoid confusion when expressing oneself. Good communication skills facilitates learning of a new language as one is able to express themselves in an acceptable manner. Skills such as use of body languages and gestures that are well known bridges the gap between foreigners and the visitor.

Culture shock describes the little things that will face you by surprise. In most cases, one finds themselves paying a price for sticking out and acting different from everyone else. Sometimes it is the speed at which people are moving and the inefficiency of services offered. In most cases, one finds themselves thinking differently from everyone else for instance, the way one is dressed, the way they speak or even drive. It is surprising how everyone seems to enjoy the environment while you are the only one bothered. It is necessary that you observe the environment around before doing something crazy, only for people around you to realize you are a total stranger. Although fitting in is a challenge, doing research in advance of the foreign country helps reduce the challenge on culture shock.

Food may not seem like a big deal at first but it is rare to find restaurants that offers similar food to what is offered back home. Not everything will be to your liking since different countries have different local dishes. Adapting to new dishes requires psychological preparation as well as a backup plan just in case one fails to adapt so fast. Regular visits to tourist destinations offers an opportunity to eat your home food but at a high rate. Adapting to foreign food greatly saves money and significantly reduces challenges experienced during your stay.

Living in a foreign country presents various benefits both for personal growth and personal development. First, an opportunity to meet amazing people with amazing stories is presented. The opportunity expands our way of thinking and a better perspective of viewing life is presented. You might be even lucky enough to find someone who inspires your life. Secondly, it is an opportunity to learn another language and culture. Learning new culture presents an opportunity to interact with many people hence a foundation for creating networks with the world. The third benefit of living in a foreign country is ability to obtain a global perspective. One starts to see life through a different perspective. As perspective and values are inspired, one experiences personal growth different from those inspired by your home country.

Life in a foreign country presents both challenges and benefits. Challenges include language barrier, culture shock and loneliness. The challenges depend on the personality of an individual. Social people and those who are equipped with conversational skills find it exciting exploring the new culture. They make friends learn the new culture which is often inspired by their adventurous spirit. It is fun to explore new places, new dishes and making friends in a foreign country. One gets an opportunity to develop themselves into becoming better people. The opportunity presents a chance to learn new language, make friends and appreciating life in a better perspective. Life in a foreign country is a life changing experience that inspires one to explore and stretch their abilities in learning becoming better people in the society. Although the experience might be shocking and difficult, the results are incredible and everyone should aspire to live in a foreign country at some point of their life.