Friday 16 December 2016

Five Ways to be a Happy Expat


Five Ways to be a Happy Expat


Spain is one of the most open societies and more
and more Expats are moving to Spain
It can be quite peculiar to live life as an expat in Spain. You have the opportunity to be somewhat of an ambassador, while also the anxiety that comes with living somewhere brand new and different.

Unfortunately there is no single path to success for expats. Putting in more than you take out, keeping your mind open, and leaving the people you meet and the places you stay richer is certainly the ideal but it’s just that; an ideal. The reality of expat life is often very different. So why not focus on being a happy expat rather than being a perfect expat?

Here are five ways to be happy expat and ensure that no matter how long you live overseas, you’re happy for having done it.

Don’t be so Hard on Yourself


You’ve probably already met the perfect expat; they are able to move between English and Spanish at the drop of a hat; have a wide range of friends from the world over; they get involved with the local community but still raise their family and, to top it off, they have a brilliant car. There’s someone like this in every expat community. There’s someone who seems to have made it without any effort at all.

It’s incredibly daunting for you to be around these people, but you should go easy on yourself. You can’t imagine the ways that life overseas will test you. Some people are able to thrive and really prosper in the brand new environment and some people have a harder time of it. Never forget that you are who you are; if you were introverted back home you will likely still be one when living abroad. That’s just who you are and you need to remember that.

Be Open Minded and Willing to Leave The Comfort Zone, But Only if it Suits You


With that said there’s still no better chance to broaden your horizons and try something new than when you move overseas. It’s obvious you’ll meet a new language, see new faces, and try new foods; these are unescapable facts of expat life. There’s plenty of other new things to try though; the new surroundings you live in have the potential to get new hobbies, learn new skills, or chase that dream you gave up on long ago because there’s no one to around to judge the “new you”.

It’s truly liberating. One of the best things about living in a new country is that you are able to try all of these new things and figure out just what you want to get out of your new life and how you want to live it.

Be Magnanimous and Avoid Taking Sides


When you become an expat you have the country you were born and the country you live. It’s likely that you’ll come to see what’s good and bad about both countries with a kind of clarity you never had before. If you want to be a truly happy expat you need to avoid taking sides. Don’t complain about your old home because you will get home-sick eventually. You should also take off the rose-coloured glasses and avoid thinking that life back home wasn’t all that bad. Remember that you moved away for a reason; remember that reason.

With this said the country you move to is going to delight and annoy you in equal amounts. So for the sake of your sanity, and the sanity of those around you, that there’s nowhere that is truly perfect and no one wants to hear you boast or complain about how your new life is going.

Keep Things Balanced While Still Enjoying Variety


When you move to a new country you will be tempted to avoid expats that come from the same country as you. This urge can be understandable but sometimes it’s just irrational. You don’t want to find yourself stuck with an expat who sees you as fresh meat that they can invite along to anything and everything, but at the same time there’s not much better than sharing an evening with someone who have the same cultural background as you.


It’s important to find a balance. You shouldn’t avoid the British pub; just don’t spend every evening there. Take a trip to the tapas bar and the bodega. Make some local friends and find time to visit the establishments and enclaves of other nationalities. Having such a diverse range of influences and opinions is part of the fun of being an expat so allow yourself to embrace it.

Head Back Home When you Want; Flights are Pretty Cheap


Brits living in Spain have it pretty easy when it comes to flying home regularly. It’s easy and cheap to fly from Malaga airport to the UK all through the year. Make use of these cheap flights. Keeping up your connection to the mother land will ensure you enjoy both destinations as much as possible. Regular visits home stop you from getting too homesick and it can be liberating to leave that expat bubble you’ve been living in every so often.