I’m about to embark on my own journey as an expat. I’ll be living in Paris with my EU husband.
I speak good French and having lived in France twice before for 9-mo stints each, I am familiar enough with French culture to empathize with the negative and positive critiques that people share on this subreddit. In other words, I know what to expect.
Nonetheless I am still nervous about the move; fitting in, finding a community, finding my tribe. I’m nervous about feeling like I’ve made a colossal mistake to sell everything and move here.
The truth is is that reading this subreddit does not make me féel very optimistic. I read posts lamenting the move abroad, the regrets you have, the challenge adapting, and none of which are unwarranted! I get it Expat life is difficult!
……But my question is…is there anyone here who is happy with their decision to have moved abroad?
I’m Finnish and I’ve lived in Sweden, Scotland and Canada so far. I enjoyed myself in all of those places and my only reasons for leaving were studies or work. Next year I’m moving to Portugal to be closer to mine and my husband’s families and I’m expecting it to be yet another smooth transition. I think the key is to know the language, the good and the bad (it seems that you do), and to manage your expectations. Life there might not be at all what you expect so keep your goals flexible. At least that’s what I always did and it worked out nicely. Good luck!