With all the things going on in the world right now from COVID-19 to the uncertainty of the upcoming US Presidential election, there are a lot “what if” types of questions. Difficult events such as these often lead people to want to reevaluate their lives and start considering the idea of moving overseas and maybe trying to start over in a different place. I can speak true of this on a personal level. The Great Recession made it next to impossible for me to find a job in the US and led me to seek work overseas. It has now been almost 10 years since I left, and I absolutely love my life as an expat.

Even though the idea of becoming an expat in the age of Coronavirus seems extremely difficult now considering all the travel restrictions and bans that have been implemented throughout the world, it is never too late to start thinking about the possibility of becoming an expat in the future. In fact, because travel has slowed to a trickle in many places, this is probably the best time to learn about expat life since you can learn about the ins and outs of expat life from the comfort of your own home without having to leave. Once COVID-19 gets under control, you will have the knowledge to be able to make the jump into expat life.

I want to emphasize that I do not endorse the idea of just dropping everything and heading overseas without a plan. While some people do that and are fine, I truly believe that in order to be successful as an expat, it is imperative to do research beforehand and learn as much as you can before departure. The more prepared you are, the more successful you are likely to be.

Here are 6 reasons why you should become an expat:

1) Change of Pace

I’m not claiming that if you decide to become an expat that life will become easier or more relaxed. While that can be true in some cases, it is certainly not universal. It depends on the kind of work you’re in. However, when you become an expat, you will find that the pace of life is likely to change in accordance with the country you relocate to. For some people, this could be a welcome respite and allow for a bit a slower-paced life, especially if the country you move to tends to take things at a more leisurely pace.

2) Immerse Yourself in a New Culture

One of the most common reasons why people travel is because they want to experience a new culture. However, immersing yourself in a new culture can be difficult when you only visit a place for a week or two. Why not truly immerse yourself in a new culture by becoming an expat and staying in a place longer than a typical visitor? When you become an expat, you will truly learn to live like a local. You are extremely likely to interact with local residents on a level that a short-term visitor is not likely to do since you will probably live in a residential area some distance from the tourist centers (not always true though).

3) Have a New Adventure

For people who have maybe grown tired or exhausted of their day-to-day life, becoming an expat in a foreign country is a great opportunity to seek a new adventure that is bound to be exciting yet also frustrating at the same time, yet it will probably be one of the best experiences of your life.

4) Develop New Skills

Because becoming an expat can require considerable effort depending on the country you want to relocate to, and what kind of work you do, the various challenges you will inevitably face will help you develop new skills that can help you throughout your life.

For instance, aside from learning a new language, you will likely learn to develop a strong tolerance for government inefficiency since government offices in many countries can be notoriously slow with getting work done. Becoming an expat can also be a great way to develop patience since in many places, things tend to work slower, and items sometimes get done when they get done.

5) More Opportunity

Becoming an expat is a great way to discover new opportunities in terms of life, love, and career that you might not have ever considered. For me, this is particularly true when it came to my career. Prior to moving overseas in 2010, I felt very stuck, and I felt like I had limited opportunity in the US. A colleague actually suggested I go overseas, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Moving overseas has opened up literally a world of opportunity for me, and I no longer feel bound to just one place. In this way, you literally can have unlimited opportunities if you’re willing to look and make the jump into expat life.

6) Learn More about Yourself

I truly believe that we all are a lot of stronger mentally and emotionally than we often lead ourselves to believe. When you become an expat and are forced to live and immerse yourself in a local culture, you learn a lot about yourself, and you find that you are more than capable of being able to handle what life throws at you. In my own personal case, I never thought I would be able to live overseas since I had a huge amount of questions such as, “What if I don’t speak the language?,” “How do I use the transportation system?,” “What if I get lost?,” “How do I find what I need?” Questions such as these kept me from making the move to expat life. However, I was determined to prove to myself that I could handle living overseas. With trial and error and help from locals, I was able to overcome these issues. Now, I actually feel more comfortable overseas than back in the US.

Overall, even though becoming an expat right now seems like a faraway or even unreachable dream with everything going on the world in terms of the pandemic, things will eventually work out. Please trust me when I say that becoming an expat is not an unreachable dream for anyone. While travel has been severely curtailed for the near future in many places, this is an excellent time to start learning as much as you can about expat life and thinking about the possibility of becoming an expat sometime in the future.

Are there any places you would like to live in the future? I’d love to hear your thoughts!