Five
Ways to be a Happy Expat
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Spain is one of the most open societies and more
and more Expats are moving to Spain
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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.
