Should I Move Abroad? The Pros and Cons of Moving to a New Country

In this week’s home moving blog you can expect to discover:

• Is Moving Abroad a Good Idea?
• 9 Benefits of Moving to Another Country
• 9 Disadvantages of Moving to Another Country
• International Removals

After spending a few weeks on holiday, or watching a couple of episodes of a Place In The Sun, it is easy to get swept away with the dream of living abroad.

But the reality of living abroad is often a far cry from a holiday or a well-edited TV show. The majority of us still need to work, kids still need schooling, and bills still need paying, normal life still goes on no matter where our home is.

That said, it does still feel like you are on holiday every day, the language, different things in the shops, the weather, driving on the right, and the architecture all add to that feeling. Even after 7 years of living and working in Europe, for me it somehow does not feel like you are part of the rat race, every day does feel like a vacation, everything is so much more relaxed, and life is so much easier.

There is no denying that there are life-changing benefits to moving abroad.

So, in this week’s blog, we offer you a balanced view to help you decide if moving abroad is for you, and I will share my experiences of being an expat in Europe which may help you in your decision-making.

You may also like to read: Is the UK a Unique Mess? Is Living in Europe any Better? in which I share my experience of living in Europe compared with life in the UK. Take a walk through my village comparing it with the average UK street and see just what different worlds they really are.

Is Moving Abroad a Good Idea?

Yes, absolutely, it is a wonderful experience. OK, so things are not always easy, in fact, they can be really hard, but the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Of course where you intend to move to and the type of person you are affects the experience immeasurably, and the positives for one person may be negative for another.

Only you can decide why you want to move abroad, what your expectations are, and why moving to a different country will provide you with what you cannot get by moving to another location in the UK.

However, moving to a well-chosen country, and moving with the right mindset, will give you so many rewards, and so many amazing experiences, it will help you grow and develop in many ways, and will improve your quality of life so much.

I made the move abroad quite late in life, it was a massive change of lifestyle, culture, of language, and absolutely nothing is comparable to the UK. Do I have any regrets? Yes, I wish I had moved when I was younger, looking back there is not a stage of my life when I could not have made the move, but there was always some excuse not to.

It is easier to stay with the status quo, to just get on with life, doing what society thinks you should do rather than doing what is right for you.

So if there is even the slightest question in your mind as to should I move overseas, make that decision now, life passes by so quickly, if you have that opportunity, consider your options, make an informed decision, and then go for it if it makes sense in your circumstances.

I vowed that it was a one-way ticket, come what may I was going to make my new life work, but for you, there may always be the option of moving on, circumstances change, people change, and nothing is permanent in life.

Do you want to look back in years to come and think ‘if only’?

You may like to visit our international home moving blog where we have numerous country guides as well as lots of useful guides on how to have a safe, stress-free, and cost-effective international home move.

9 Benefits of Moving to Another Country

Moving to another country will present different challenges and different benefits for everyone. So make a list of all the things that a move abroad will improve for you, what your expectations are, and how it will make your life better.

These are just some of the benefits you might include in your list:

#1 To Get Out of a Rut

It is easy to get bogged down with life, to do the same things day in and day out, doing nothing that stimulates and excites you.

Moving abroad will expose you to so many new experiences, it will help you realise your full potential, and every day you will learn and discover something new not only about your new surroundings but about yourself.

#2 Self Development

Even mundane things can be a challenge when you live abroad. But when you overcome those challenges, the first time you make yourself understood in the local language, the first time you are able to read a road sign or product label feels hugely satisfying.

Your self-esteem will go through the roof because you have to work at and overcome so many obstacles, and soon you will realise just how capable and confident you really are.

#3 Experiencing Different Cultures

Moving to an international city you will be exposed to numerous cultures and languages whilst if you really want to get to learn about a country, its language, and immerse yourself in its culture, then a small town or village is ideal.

#4 Improved Quality of Life

Good weather makes a huge difference to your quality of life, just being able to sit outside at midnight in a t-shirt and shorts makes the world a better place.

You will find that family is hugely important as is the history for many countries. There are proper communities where people look out for and help each other, where generations of families gather together daily, and where if you make the effort, you will never be short of someone to talk to.

Depending upon where you move to you may find a very low crime rate, a good education system, and excellent healthcare facilities.

And most countries do not subscribe to the rat race as the UK does. There is a calmness, a sense of what is important and what is not, and an emphasis on work-life balance.

Food is usually home produced and is healthy and nutritious and an outdoor lifestyle is normal.

Of course, there are unquantifiable benefits to moving overseas, those little moments when something happens, when you get a feeling of complete happiness or contentment, when a feeling is unique to that place, to that moment, when you just know that you made the right decision moving abroad.

The sum of all these parts adds up to a superb quality of life.

#5 Opportunities to Travel

Move to Europe and it is easy to country-hop. Connections between countries are quick, easy, and cheap.

Imagine living in France and being able to cross the border for a weekend in Spain or Switzerland.

#6 Survival Skills

There are plenty of social media and expat groups that will help you with invaluable information when you first arrive in your new country but there will still be times when you are on your own and have no safety net.

You soon learn self-survival skills. You will discover the shops to avoid that may rip you off because you are an expat. You will learn who you can and cannot trust very quickly.

Because everything is so new you are far more aware of your surroundings, and you learn to navigate by necessity.

You will learn to budget because you never know when an unexpected local tax or bill will pop up, many things that are free in the UK are not abroad. And there are often not the lines of credit that there are for nationals.

#7 Improve or Learn a Language

There is no better way to learn a language than immersing yourself in that country.

Whilst some people never really need to speak anything other than English as generally it is so widely spoken, the opportunity to learn and even become fluent in a language is invaluable.

And if you make the effort to speak the local language you will be accepted far quicker by the locals and it will make your life so much more enjoyable.

#8 Career Progression

Many people move abroad to progress their careers, gain international experience in their field, and make international contacts.

The fact that you have taken the opportunity to move abroad shows that you have a strength of character, are resilient, willing to learn, and are adaptable, all essential and very attractive attributes that many employers would pay a premium for.

#9 To Live Life

Probably the most important benefit of moving abroad is to feel that you actually have a life and are not working to live.

Even everyday life is different in one way or another. There is just something exhilarating in knowing that the sun is guaranteed to shine tomorrow, that you will have time to spend with loved ones, that the kids are getting a rounded education, and more likely than not you will still have money in the bank at the end of the month.

You will have time to explore, relax, and have numerous social activities, to expand your social circle, and will be able to get back to family values in a safe and happy environment.

And it is often the case that homes and the cost of living abroad are cheaper so you may end up debt free, which in terms of relieving stress and worry, is invaluable.

Life abroad gives you a different perspective, gives you different priorities, and makes you realise what is important and what is not in life.

You may also like to read: Does Moving Home Make you Happier? in which we discover whether you leave your troubles behind or do you take them with you to your new home.

9 Disadvantages of Moving Abroad

Your advantages list has probably painted an incredibly idyllic and wonderful life once you leave the UK behind. But it is important to be aware of the disadvantages of moving abroad, it is not going to be easy.

So, what are the common problems of moving to another country?

Here is a list of things to consider before moving abroad to add to your own cons list.

#1 The Unknown

It does not matter where you move to, across town or abroad, there is always the unknown factor to consider.

Will you like the area, will you fit in, will you like the neighbours, what problems will you discover with the new home, will the kids like their new school, or is this the right career move?

No matter how many times you have visited a place, living there is going to be totally different.

The truth is until you jump you will never know where you will land, and how soft or hard that landing will be.

#2 The Language Barrier

Even if you have a basic grasp of the local language, there will likely be accents, slang, or situations in which you just don’t have the right words.

This can make things like visits to the doctor extremely difficult if you cannot explain exactly what is wrong.

And the older you are the more likely that it is that you will struggle to learn the language.

Making friends may be harder if you cannot make yourself understood and the more rural you are the less likely it is that people will speak even basic English.

That said, there is always somebody who can help, you learn at first to go to self-service stores so that you can take time to browse and understand what you are buying.

Pointing is universally understood, and a smile is worth a thousand words. You will likely struggle at first but you will survive and get better and better as time goes on.

No matter how difficult the language is you will get by and learn the basics fairly quickly.

And most road signs are easy to work out as the depictions are fairly universal.

If you have the opportunity to learn some basic words before you move take that opportunity, it will make life so much easier.

#3 Culture Shock

Nearly every expat experiences culture shock at some point, the feeling of being an outsider and not belonging. In some cases, this can lead to depression and anxiety.

But you can experience culture shock moving within the UK, it is not exclusive to international home moves.

Bear in mind that many countries are not as tolerant or as diverse as the UK and you may experience discrimination, sexism, and exclusion which may come as a massive shock to some people.

However, there are many ways in which you can overcome or even prevent culture shock and in How to Avoid Culture Shock we offer some proven ways to help you. This guide helps you identify culture shock, and describes the symptoms and ways to manage it. It is invaluable help for anyone moving to a different area.

#4 Homesickness

Homesickness can be triggered by the smallest and most insignificant thing such as not being able to get your favourite biscuits.

Missing your family and friends, just yearning to hear a familiar language, or seeing familiar shops or brands can trigger that feeling of being outside your comfort zone with no feelings of security or familiarity.

Homesickness can be triggered at any time, even after years of living abroad.

But often we look at our home country through rose-tinted glasses when we are away from it. When you concentrate on all the positive aspects of living abroad, what you have gained rather than what you have lost you will realise that homesickness is a temporary feeling.

Must read: What to Do When Homesickness Strikes. From students to children to adults, even pets, we can all experience homesickness at some stage after moving home. In this guide, we look at how to know if you are homesick, what the symptoms are, and how to overcome it.

#5 Healthcare

Of course, it is country dependent upon the quality of healthcare your new home country will have. It will likely be a fee-based system and depending on how rural you are may not be as readily available as in the UK.

In my experience, however, healthcare has been excellent. There are no waiting lists, you just turn up at the doctor’s and you will be seen almost immediately. There are no waiting lists for operations, you decide when you want it done, and the ambulance service is very quick, even outside the cities.

That said you have to pay for everything, albeit a very moderate fee, from an appointment to an operation, although emergency treatment is free. For this reason, most expats have health insurance.

And most big cities have things like dental universities where you can get treated by students for almost nothing. The equipment is usually state of the art, the facilities are spotless, and all treatments are overseen by a professor.

Healthcare is a very important consideration if you have long-term health issues or are of an age when you are likely to start needing treatments.

Finding the right health insurance package is essential so do your homework.

#6 Education

I have placed this on the disadvantages list only because it is a serious consideration if you have kids and because there are so many options when living abroad.

Many countries allow homeschooling, there are national schools where the lessons will be in the native language and then there are international schools where the lessons are likely to be in English.

The school years may be different so your child may have to drop back a year.

However, it is often easier for a child to pick up a new language and many international schools focus on one discipline, so if you have a talented piano-playing child there is likely to be a music school.

If you are thinking of moving to Europe there is also the opportunity for attending far more universities as travel is easy within Europe.

#7 Finding Work

Unless you are a digital nomad or have your own business, finding work abroad can be difficult, depending on where you are moving to.

Some countries will require you to have a certain visa to allow you to work, so ensure you are familiar with the requirements for the country you are moving to.

Even if you have the correct visa you will likely struggle to get any work unless you can speak the local language to a good standard.

Also bear in mind that labour laws may differ from the UK. I know people who have worked for months with no pay, who have been sacked for no reason, companies that close down with no notice and no compensation, and firms where sick pay may be non-existent. 

Also bear in mind that if you are moving abroad with no job but need employment, that it may take months to find a job so ensure that you have the finances to support yourself during that time.

That said, in my experience, there are always people looking for help gardening or building, there are odd day jobs available, and if you have the right work ethic you can find work, especially if you have a skill like an electrician.

#8 Bureaucracy

The bain of my life. Every expat will tell you that bureaucracy abroad is a nightmare and there is absolutely no doubt that you will have the same experience.

The same person at the same office will tell you totally different things every time, you will likely make numerous trips for the simplest of forms and waste days of your life in the process.

It is just the way it is.

It pays to take someone who knows the process with you, to have every bit of paperwork in original form and with numerous copies.

The only way to deal with the bureaucracy is to be incredibly patient, be super organised, or pay for an authorised person to do it all for you.

#9 Making Friends

When you don’t speak the language or are an introvert, then making friends abroad could be difficult.

But you will find that most countries abroad are rich in traditions and have far more celebrations and cultural events than you are used to back in the UK.

Communities, especially in villages, tend to be close and you will find yourself invited to each and every social event.

So, although you will find meeting people easy, making real friends may be harder at first. It takes time, but the more you integrate and become involved in the life of your new community the easier it will be to find lifelong friends.

Most countries have an expat community where you may make friends, you will get to know mums at the local school or playground, and colleagues at work may become friends, it just takes time.

When making your pros and cons list it would be easy to exaggerate or dwell on either the positives or negatives of moving abroad depending on your preference either way.

Your list should be realistic, without making excuses, or ignoring obvious drawbacks. And of course, it has to make financial sense, moving abroad is not cheap.

You may also like to read: How Much Does it Cost to Move to Europe? In this guide, we give cost estimates for moving to various countries in Europe from various parts of the UK.

This brings us to the topic of international removal firms.

International Removals

Moving abroad can be a complicated, bureaucratic nightmare, depending upon which country you are moving to.

For this reason, most people would hire a professional, reputable, international removal firm to transport their household goods.

Some international movers will assign you a move manager, somebody who is familiar with the country you are moving to and who knows exactly what documents you need to clear customs for example.

In nearly every case it is worth paying for professional packers who will not only give your items the proper level of protection they need but will be able to complete the inventory of each box which will be required by customs in most cases.

It is especially important to understand the process of international moves, how your items will be transported, how long it will take, any likely surcharges, and the proper documentation that is required. A professional international mover will be able to answer all these questions but it is essential that you read and understand any contract you are given.

A good mover will make your move stress-free, and a bad one will not only make the move stressful but could end up in the loss or damage of irreplaceable items.

For this very reason, we have written extensively about international home moves and would urge you to carefully read International Home Moves. The Ultimate Home Moving Challenge?

We hope you found this guide useful, moving abroad is a wonderful experience, whether you choose to move for a few years or as a permanent relocation.

Make your decision wisely, choose your destination carefully, and you will have the most amazing time.

If you are considering moving to Bulgaria check out www.realistimo.bg to find some stunning properties at very affordable prices.