Settling in the first few months

1. Move in to your new space and make it feel home, e.g. hanging up pictures, getting flowers
2. Get familiar with the area you live in, e.g. take walks to find the next grocery store or your next new favorite restaurant/bar
3. Get your doctors and first appointments set up (e.g. dentist, vet, …)
4. Sign up for group activities to find new people (e.g. Meet up, Facebook Groups, Yoga Class, …)
5. Write down a list of what you want to achieve in your first few months
6. Write down your thoughts from what you experience each day to what you are grateful for

No one ever tells you this

1. As much of a word traveler you might be, you’ll feel lonely at times and miss your familiar space
2. It’s a ton of administrative work that comes along with moving abroad
3. Although you might have a degree in the language of the foreign country, actually practicing the language on site is a whole different story
4. Lost in translation is a thing and you’ll face lots of misunderstandings

Most importantly : Be proud of yourself. It’s a great achievement to spend time abroad and these memories will last forever. So above all: ENJOY!