Deciding to leave your native country to open the door to new opportunities in distant places is a very difficult decision to make. But when you decide to throw your life in a suitcase and leave, you’ll grow. I did this just two months ago. There will be times when things won’t go according to plan, you’ll feel alone, and you’ll want to throw in the towel and return home, but every situation will teach you a valuable lesson. You’ll get to know a side of yourself that you didn’t know was there, and each experience will cause you to blossom into a greater person.
I lived in Ecuador my whole life. Despite knowing that I was moving to the United States for college, some things that I’ve come to learn I never would’ve known if it wasn’t for this experience. If you’ve ever lived or plan to live away from home for a while, pay attention to these simple, yet powerful things that change forever when you live in another country.
1. Emotions will always be present.
From the moment you leave home, your life becomes a roller coaster of emotions. Everything will surprise you, but that’s expected. Now you live in a totally unknown place and every day is a new experience. Even the most insignificant thing will thrill you. You’ll undoubtedly miss home and the people you left behind. You’ll experience things that will make you so happy, and you’ll instantly feel nostalgic for not sharing your new adventures with your loved ones. You’ll feel the fear of the unknown and anguish for what’s to come, but it’ll be worth every second.
2. Nothing is ever “normal.”
In college, you’re immersed in so many different lifestyles and introduced to new personalities. It’s inevitable that your mind will open to a world of possibilities. For this reason, the word “normal” no longer exists in your vocabulary. Culture varies by country, so your concept of “normal” most likely will not be someone else’s concept of the same word. Soon you end up adopting those customs that wouldn’t have previously been in your behavior or wouldn’t have ever thought of doing.
3. You make friends that become your family.
The distance between one country and another may prevent you from going home for important dates you spent with family, such as Christmas or New Years. That’s why, now, the friends you’ve made in your new country are a new family with which you share everything.
4. You grow.
Many people say that traveling changes your life, and so it does. A new country will make your life turn a full 180 degrees. Every moment, good or bad, is a learning experience that will make you evolve in every way. Your way of seeing things will change completely, even if you may not realize it in the moment. You’re no longer the same as you were when you left home. You’ve changed, you’ve gained experience, and now you’re different.
5. There’s no turning back.
Once you’ve lived the experience of packing your bags and moving to another country; giving up comfort; starting from scratch and giving yourself the chance to live a life that will surprise you day by day, there’s no turning back. The world is so large that it is impossible to give up continuing to discover it.