It’s been 3 years, 4 months, 13 days since…
I got on a plane and moved to a country on the other side of the world.
All I had was a suitcase full of necessities.
It changed my life forever.
My decision helped me realise a few things.
1. Freedom. It’s something you longed for while living in your parents’ house. Although you were born with it, it means something different as an adult. Giving up comfort and familiarity is definitely easier said than done, but you’ve done it. And now you can say that braveness is overrated!
2. Choices and responsibility. For every decision there are two faces of reality and one of them is consequence. More responsibility. Gotta keep track of personal, professional and everything in between. Freedom comes with responsibility. And more often than not, your actions reflect who you are in those personal and professional situations.
3. Language. Gain some, lose some. Living in a country that speaks another language, helps you pick up a phrase or two? More like 20+ for every year that you live in that country! But beware you forget words in your native language. You won’t believe how many times I’ve heard, “Olivia, are you forgetting English??” and then I go home pondering and afraid that I am.
4. Who you are. Travelling and living away from home, you get to learn so much about yourself. Being emerged in different cultures helps you realise your beliefs and opens your mind to new perspectives. Jessie J. says it in her song, “Don’t lose who you are in the blur of the stars.” When in Rome, do as the Romans do but keep those morals and values in check no matter what!
5. Independence. If you thought driving yourself to work, making money and THINKING you don’t need anyone’s help made you independent, try living abroad and building a whole new life. That was me and did I ever get a reality check when I moved away from home.
6. Gratefulness. For your family, comfort, and basic living. I didn’t know what living on less meant until you deal with late pay checks, overdue rent, and $10 left after you’ve paid for all your bills and you realise that there are still 3 weeks left before the next pay check.
7. Homesickness. The very place you couldn’t stand, sick of seeing the same things, dealing with the recurring situations, same job, same driving route but after some time those are the very things that you miss.. the things that bring you to tears because you miss them so much.
8. New everything. New home, new people, new opportunities, new disappointments, new memories. My whole life, I was afraid of the concept of ‘new’ because it meant change. Endurance of all things good and bad, taught me that ‘new’ can be good. The best part is that my new love showed me how to see the world differently. It’s amazing how someone that you had no idea existed can change your entire world. In my experience, new=happiness!
To all the adventurers living abroad, this one’s for you!
Travel Is by The Perennial Plate
