It's been almost 3 years since I moved to Japan.
I was halfway through my 26th year then and now I'm halfway to my 30th year.
Wow! Time flies fast indeed.
But it's not all sorrow and sadness. Living abroad is also freeing. I didn't have to live up to anyone's expectations. I'm free from my own culture. I'm free to discover who I really am and who I wanted to be. It's when I live abroad that I became honest with myself. I didn't realize how I needed to be away from home to feel at home with myself. Living abroad is not only discovering a new place but also a journey to self-discovery.
Let me share great articles on what other people learned living abroad. I've picked the following articles because I can personally relate to them:
10 Important Life Lessons You Learn from Living Abroad
I love how practical the things listed on this post. The lessons are so applicable even after you return to your home country.
7 Things You'll Learn About Yourself By Moving Abroad
10 Lessons Learned from 17 Years of Living Abroad
These post are more on how living abroad improve one's character and attitude. The first article was written by someone who lived abroad for less than 5 years while the other was written by an expat for 17 years. Nevertheless, you'll see the similarities in their perspective.
6 Things No One Ever Tell You About Living Abroad
This is the not-so-good truths about life overseas. For anyone planning to live abroad, I suggest you read this so you won't be shocked when you move.
17 Things That Change Forever When You Live Abroad
At first I was overwhelmed with the list because it's just too much to read. But I still included this because everything on the list is so true. You'll never be the same when you lived abroad.
The Most Important Things I've Learned By Living Abroad
I love this list because of two things. First, the writer is also an expat in Japan. Second, because what he wrote are the same things I want to say.
For my own list, here are 5 Things I've Learned Living Abroad.
1. I learn to cook and love it!
I started cooking for survival purposes. I was surprise I enjoy it.
2. I learn to communicate with people in another unknown language.
I can't speak Japanese and most people can't speak English. But somehow, we can understand each other. How? I don't know exactly.
3. I learn to look beyond people's differences.
As long as my friends respect me and my values, it doesn't matter what their race or skin color is.
4. I learn to dream again.
I gave up being a writer. But surviving in another country gave me the strength to dream again and believe that somehow I can be a writer. I'm surviving Japan, perhaps I could survive my own ambition.
4. I learn to accept myself.
I'm a nerd. I'm an introvert. I'm opinionated. I'm a bore (by some people's standards.) I'm emotional. I'm sensitive. I like politics. I'm picky with friends. I don't have any special skills. And I'm okay with that and I'm okay with me being all the above. I used to cover it up and tone these down. I realized, what the heck. I only live once and I can't hide who I am forever,
5. I learn to let Life lead me.
I used to plan every hour of my life. Imagine how strict I am with myself! But living in an unknown environment, I can't predict that things will always go my way. So I learned to compromise and let go of things I don't have a hold on. I'm glad I lose some of my control streak cause Life has a way of surprising us.
