What Nobody Tells You About Living Abroad | The Truth About Moving Abroad...

Summary

In this heartfelt video, the creator shares her personal experiences of moving to five different countries, highlighting the challenges of language barriers, homesickness, and the emotional turmoil of adjusting to new environments. She offers practical advice on learning a new language, staying connected with loved ones, and coping with loneliness. The video serves as a relatable and motivational guide for those considering or experiencing the journey of relocation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker has moved to different countries five times, experiencing various challenges and adapting to new environments.
• 📚 Feeling unintelligible due to language barriers is common, and the speaker emphasizes the importance of learning the local language to overcome this.
• 🗓 The speaker structures their schedule around language learning to maintain consistency, suggesting a method to manage time effectively for language acquisition.
• 👥 Seeking help from native speakers and using Google Translate are recommended strategies for improving language skills and communication.
• 🏠 Missing family and friends is a significant struggle when moving abroad, and the speaker suggests scheduling regular calls to maintain connections.
• 🎮 Engaging in online activities, like board games, can help bridge the gap created by physical distance from loved ones.
• 💭 The speaker faced doubts about their decision to move, and to address this, they created a pros and cons list to evaluate their choice.
• 🧘‍♀️ Learning to be alone is a personal challenge when moving to a new country, and the speaker found solace in going to public places like coffee shops.
• 💰 Allocating a 'loneliness budget' for activities that alleviate feelings of isolation is a strategy the speaker used to cope with being alone.
• 🤝 The speaker acknowledges the difficulty of making new friends as an adult and suggests attending social events and joining online groups to meet people.
• 🌟 The video is a personal account of the speaker's experiences, offering hope and strategies to others considering or experiencing a similar move.

Q & A

How many times has the speaker moved to a different country?

The speaker has moved five times to different countries.

What was the first country the speaker moved to from Moscow?

The first country the speaker moved to from Moscow was New York.

How does the speaker feel about not understanding Spanish at the beginning of living in Mexico?

The speaker feels 'dumb' for not understanding Spanish and has to deal with the feeling of not being able to communicate effectively.

What strategy does the speaker use to learn Spanish?

The speaker structures her schedule around Spanish classes and blocks out specific times for studying the language.

How does the speaker deal with the feeling of loneliness and missing family?

The speaker schedules weekly calls with her family, plays online games with them, and considers the possibility of visiting or inviting them over.

What is the approximate cost for a round trip plane ticket from Russia to Mexico for one person according to the speaker?

The speaker mentions that a round trip plane ticket from Russia to Mexico costs around four thousand dollars for one person.

How does the speaker handle the struggle of questioning her decision to move to Mexico City?

The speaker creates a list of pros and cons of living in Mexico City versus living in Russia to evaluate her decision.

What does the speaker suggest for coping with loneliness when moving to a new country?

The speaker suggests going to public places like coffee shops, spending money on a 'loneliness budget,' and participating in social events.

How does the speaker approach making new friends in a new country?

The speaker recommends attending language exchange events, speed dating events, joining Facebook groups for expats, and being active on social media.

What personal struggles does the speaker share in the video?

The speaker shares her struggles with language barriers, missing family and friends, questioning her decision to move, and learning to be alone.

What is the speaker's overall message to those who are planning to move or have just moved to a new country?

The speaker's overall message is that one is not alone in the struggles of moving to a new country and that there is power within oneself to overcome these challenges.