It's hard to get things done
Your first few days in your host country can be much more complex than you imagined. You were probably planning to tour the neighbourhood or do some essential shopping. But what if unpacking your suitcases and the jetlag have got you exhausted? Once you feel ready to go out, you'll probably head to the nearest grocery store, but you can't find any of the foodstuffs you usually buy! Yet you were convinced that you could find anything there as you had read it somewhere.
What if you needed medication or health care, for example? There must be a reason why it is recommended to expats to have medical insurance. You might have had universal health care in your home country, but this might not be the case in your host country. And there are chances that the treatment you were given may not meet your expectations. Or maybe you have trouble communicating due to the language barrier? And yet, you have been complaining about so long about the health system in your home country. But that's not all. Paperwork can be slow and complex, too, especially when you don't know who to talk to on particular issues.
Keep in mind that thing you might have found unacceptable in your home country can be even more complicated in a country where you haven't yet grasped the culture.
Spending
If you were looking for a better career, higher wages and a higher standard of living than abroad, perhaps you've found all these in your host country. But are you living your dream life, or are you rather struggling to pay your rent and bills and to save some money these days? Add to this your grocery shopping, transportation, medical insurance, subscriptions, etc. When's the last time you have yourself a treat at a nice restaurant dinner or bought jeans from your favourite brand? It didn't seem so difficult in your home country, though. So don't underestimate the cost of living in your host country and your financial responsibilities as an expat.
The importance of a support group
No doubt it was hard to bid farewell to your family and friends before moving. You probably thought it would be easy to keep in touch and that it would not be so difficult to start all over from scratch. But here you are, between the excitement of your new adventure and struggling to get things done. You would agree that things would have been so much easier if you had your support network. Remember when your friends would drop by after a phone call and your visits to your family whenever you need comfort. Whatsapp, Skype and social media can't really fill the void as you would have imagined. As your neighbours or colleagues are having a drink or spending their weekend with their loved ones, you're sitting on your couch looking at family photos and thinking of all the comfort food your mum used to make for you and those after-work parties with friends. In the end, things are not as easy as they seemed to be.
The language barrier is real
You may believe that the language courses you enrolled in before your move are enough to overcome the language barrier unless you're moving to an English-speaking country. Obviously, you did the right thing, but this might not be enough. You will agree that practice makes perfect, and this would help you adapt more easily to your host country. So don't be surprised that the restaurant waiter mistakes your order for something else, or that people feel amused when you express yourself in a particular way. In reality, there may be dialects that you are unfamiliar with, depending on where you have settled. But that doesn't mean you should give up.
How to make new friends
You might have thought that it would be easy to make new friends in your host country since the people are hospitable and friendly, as you have head it somewhere. While this might be true, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy to bond with them. In some countries, it's common to engage in a conversation with people on the street, in a park or a bar. But this might not be the case in your host country. While some people beware of foreigners, others can take longer to open up. So it can take quite a while to create a new social circle and even longer to have real friends you can rely on through hard times. And that's the moment you'll miss your friends back home even more.
Everyday things matter
Some things might have seemed trivial to you in your home country, for example, newspaper delivery, finding the ingredients you need to make your favourite meals, or ordering pizza over the phone. Have you thought about how to get all this done in a new country? Regarding news updates, perhaps you're used to news websites and surfing social media. But what about ordering a pizza when you know neither the menu by heart nor your new address? What about making comfort food to chase homesickness when you don't even know where to buy your foodstuff? Maybe you will need to order some online or send a list to your dear ones who might be visiting you soon.
When people move abroad, they soon realise that many things they used to take for granted can become real challenges. Giving up old habits and adopting new ones isn't an easy thing to do. Fortunately, this is going to be temporary as long as you're willing to make extra efforts. In a few months, you will start getting used to your new environment, and these challenges will have made you stronger and more determined.
