Two months ago I packed up to move across the world without knowing a single person. As I sat riddled with fear and anxiety hours before leaving, I never could have imagined feeling what I am now: comfort, stability and ease. So, here are some messages that I wish I could have told myself two months ago:
Practical tips
First, listen to weather forecasts! If they say summer is yet to arrive, consider saving the luggage-space for a warm coat instead of tons of bikinis.
Also, don’t buy a sim-card fresh off a 15.5-hour flight from a phone provider salesman who clearly knows you are a tourist! Save it for once you’ve done your research and had a shower.
people
There is an inherent ‘found-family’ feeling amongst the friends that you make here—you are all starting from scratch, and you are all navigating the uncomfortable. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
That being said, boundaries are still cool on the other side of the world, and they may be more necessary than you realize. Putting meaningful limits on your screen-time or social-time may just salvage your feelings of anxiety or instability. What you think to be your daily routine can change instantaneously but remaining firm in your boundaries will certainly help you navigate your emotions.
Pay attention to the company who make you feel ‘homesick’. You will be surprised at how many new people make you feel right at home, and those who make you think about hopping on the next flight.
Step outside your comfort zone, and if you can, travel! Those days may be the ones where you learn the most about yourself by exploring and changing your routine. Go with people you trust and who will make you laugh until you cry.
Dating
A first date will either be a second date or a funny story to tell your friends. Relish in the silly, exciting and novel experience of watching your friends go on first dates, and maybe try some yourself. Trust your gut and trust your friends. You will miss the mornings where you huddle over a broken coffee machine in your PJs, eager to spill the tea from that awkward night out on-the-town.
And if that first date does turn into a second date, and many more dates to follow, embrace it. Protect your heart and be mindful of the future while lowering your guard just enough for them to really know you. You may never look at the iconic Harbour Bridge the same following the movie-like first kiss you shared under it, but that’s okay—what you have here is special, and don’t let a time-stamp damper your connection. Every relationship is one to learn from, especially a foreign and potentially doomed one.
in the moment
Check in on your friends back home but remember that you are here to be present in the moment. Be happy that they are having fun and living life to the fullest in their space, while you do the same in yours. You will always support them, as they do for you, and they know that you can’t wait to giggle and share stories together when the time comes.
Don’t get caught up in how this wild, unusual and blissful time will end. This experience is once-in-a-lifetime, so don’t wish it away by worrying about what you will feel on that flight home.
