Moving abroad: How to adapt to a new culture

Moving abroad is like a rollercoaster. It can be pretty scary at the beginning since you’re getting out of your comfort zone. But something I’ve always told myself is that we start living as soon as we get out of our comfort zone. And if you’re scared is because you’re doing something right and challenging. Overall, the process of moving abroad and getting used to another culture can be really overwhelming. So keep on reading! These are tips that helped me get used to living abroad.

A little background of myself is that I’m Peruvian and I lived there pretty much my entire life. During high school, I had the opportunity to travel and live in Germany during 3 summers in a row (in different cities). After that, I ended up moving to the US for college. I stayed in Florida for a bit, then moved to Cincinnati for a year and a half and then, I decided that I wanted to live in NYC. And I’m 19 years old!

Related: Why I decided to move to NYC

Learn about the city/country before arriving

I know it may sound obvious but try to learn as much as possible to avoid having a huge culture shock. Learn about the culture, find out the customs and try to learn the language (knowing simple words can help a lot!). What do people do for fun? What do they eat?

Some things that aren’t illegal in your country could be illegal in the country you’re going to, you never know. For example, chewing gum is illegal in Singapore.

Also, be sure that the place you’re moving to is the right place for you. If love small towns, but are moving to a big city, it might be a bit shocking. And if you are a city girl moving to small town it can take some time to get used to it… Make sure that the place you’re moving to has the potential to be a fit for you. Do your research about topics that are very important for you, like maybe nightlife?

Get into the right mindset

Something I did the first time moving to a small town in Germany, was to compare everything to my home. Which pretty much ruined the whole experience… So, have an open mind and avoid making assumptions for the first couple weeks, at least. Each country is super different and has positive and negative aspects.

Explore

A reason why you might have decided to move abroad is that you wanted to get to know another country from a different perspective (not the tourist perspective). So, do that! Go out and explore. Explore like a local. I know it might be tempting to stay at home and FaceTime with your friends and family the entire day, but you’re missing out a lot by doing this. Instead, get involved in your city, join a club or a sports league, visit touristic places or just walk around! Do things you normally wouldn’t do. Make a bucket list of all the things you want to do and stick to it. Get out of your comfort zone and explore!

Coping with homesickness

As mentioned before, moving abroad is challenging. No matter how hard you try, one way or another, sooner or later, you’ll be homesick. It is inevitable. And that is totally okay. It is understandable to miss home. So here are some tips to cope with it:

• Try making your new home as cozy and comfortable as your old one. Bring some pictures of friends or family, and/or bring an item that reminds you of home.
• Communicate regularly with friends and family, but not too often. Wanting to be at home and missing friends won’t let you enjoy the new experiences you’re living.
• Have someone to talk to. Sometimes we just need someone who will listen to us and will give us great advice. There were times when I just missed home so much I would be really sad, having a friend there who would just listen to me and would cheer me up was great, it definitely helped me to overcome homesickness.

To sum everything up…

• Before moving abroad, you should learn about the country you’re moving to.
• Keep an open mind – During your first days there, you shouldn’t make conclusions, since you haven’t been there long enough to find the beautiful things that country has to offer. In the meantime, keep an open mind about things.
• To cope with homesickness, have someone you can talk to and communicate with your friends and family regularly.
• By getting involved in your city, you can make the most out of this experience.