Quote: (04-08-2016 07:05 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:
Shit is getting real. And to be perfectly honest, I'm starting to get cold feet. Not saying I'm backing away from going through with it, but feelings of apprehension are starting to creep up.
It's normal. You'll feel a lot of strong emotions as you become an expatriate.
after a few days... typical holiday rush - everything is new. You'll be on a high at this stage, probably not thinking too much about the long term.
a few weeks... strong sense of freedom. You will have proven to yourself that you can strike out on your own; you're no longer dependent on family, friends, the community you grew up in, etc.
a few months... some frustration creeping in. You'll find a lot of simple tasks difficult and time-consuming due to your lack of local knowledge. Try to 'invest' in local and expat friends as soon as possible to reduce the frustration. RVF will likely be very useful at this stage... I wish there were such forums when I first moved away.
after a few years... feels like home. You'll know the system and will have established a base. You'll probably lose interest in US TV and news, and may lose track of the gossip that usually does the rounds amongst groups of friends.
Some people never really reach this stage. They hold on to their home culture, refuse to integrate and often become quite bitter because of it. After 15-20 years abroad, they still import their Doritos, go to extreme lengths to find Budweiser, watch satellite broadcasts from back home, complain about how terrible everything is, and constantly grumble about leaving.
Keep in mind that while it won't be an easy process, it will really make you grow stronger and wiser. I can remember visiting my home town after about five years of living abroad. All I can remember of that trip was thinking was how lame and clueless all my old friends were. It's surprising to see how many people hang off their friends, family, the State, etc.