4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving Abroad

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As someone who lived in 6 different countries over the years, I've gained some interesting knowledge that can help those who are just starting their international journey.
Moving abroad is never easy. It comes with many challenges and problems. At the same time, it can be the most rewarding experience ever! Today I will talk about what I did to integrate into the new country, how did I build my social circle, and what to do to build a ''home away from home''.
The most important thing when you move to a new place, which is the number one predictor of one's happiness is building relationships with other people.
So, building a good quality social circle is a must. No matter where I went I would take this step very seriously and I build strong and lasting friendships all over the world.
The second important thing is to settle in the new country, and build ''homey'' feeling that you used to have back home. This can mean getting a house and decorating it your way, getting a car, building routine, etc. I noticed this is the big thing missing from many digital nomads' lives. Lots of them didn't manage to build a home away from home, and they're just hopping from one place to another without feeling like they belong somewhere. This can be fun for a while, but I find that after a few years many people want to settle in one (or multiple) country, and feel like they belong there, as opposed to living in a suitcase.
Having a home base is a big thing for many people.
The third thing, that feeds a little into the first point, is the importance of keeping your past relationships and contacts with people that you had before.
The last thing that I recommend is trying new things all the time. This way you will get to learn a lot about the new place you moved to, and properly explore it. Every week I go to at least one new place in Dubai, and I try at least one new thing.
Who are we and what do we do?
We are Offshore Citizen team. We help people become global: get a second passport, set up a second residency, pay less taxes, do banking abroad, etc.
We have lots of interesting articles on different topics, we have relevant information up to date.
Author: Michael Rosmer
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[@300rivers4]

Those are all good thing to know and to keep in mind. You gave great examples, too. Our experiences are not just going to happen abroad, we have to create them. Offshore Citizen is my favorite way to start my day.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thanks!

[@jonathangat4765]

I got lucky here in Uruguay. I found a social circle farily soon after arriving and I have built on that. Oh yes, and I bought a nice coffeemaker.

[@SmallLiving958]

Thank you for this content. My husband and I want to move to the Philippines in a few years and I'm doing my research. I liked how you talked not only about what to do, but gave suggestions and examples for how to do it. And I liked your use of the word "investing" and applying it to the decisions we make about our time and relationships. This really made me think!

[@tinglestingles]

There is certainly culture shock moving to another country. We've now celebrated our eight months. The first seven months for us were very hectic New home, new friends, new language, new culture, new environment, new foods in supermarkets, and new connections day to day. It does become tiring - felt burned out too. Yes, the honeymoon period has ended but we still love the place and people but knowing it's inevitable to go through the cycle, just like the grief cycle. The local people in Portugal are very friendly and forgiving of us and our English ways.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Congrats on 8 months! It's a great growing experience if you let it be I think we are richer for it.

[@tinglestingles]

@@OffshoreCitizen Yes, we are definitely slowing down - I blame the adrenaline! Merry Christmas to you and your wife and staff.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Merry Christmas to you

[@geraldineh.5093]

Glad to have found your channel. Good, solid information. Interesting comments too. Thanks for sharing.😊

[@zeroflaghu]

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only introverted person in the world, because I don't give a sh*t about my "social circle".

[@OffshoreCitizen]

How do you think that affects one's professional advancement?

[@zeroflaghu]

@@OffshoreCitizen It depends on the profession.

[@VERTICALWisdom]

Real world advice and content... brilliant thank you

[@OffshoreCitizen]

You're welcome! Suggestions for other content?

[@jforza]

What a great video, perspective, etc.. all things that I haven't really considered but make perfect sense as a new expat.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thank you! Any tips you'd like to share?

[@EGO0808]

Great video again, love the energy and natural enthusiasm, inspiring. I have been (and am) living abroad for years and years now, I feel the world is my home. But I have learnt that insight and understanding of the culture of the country / region to live is essential. Next to that, as you state, the social circle. Money, tax, it’s all not important if the first two are not in good order.

[@peaceonearth8693]

Watching this, I now feel the confidence with others to come-out about my sponge and shellfish migration study/ hobby. Okay, seriously, Super Great video that's very well timed for this holiday and new year season. Best wishes to Offshore Citizen and crew! 🌲🎅🌴

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thanks!

[@JDGxyz-t7c]

This was an incredibly helpful and insightful video, Michael. Thank you !!

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Always a pleasure! Any tips you'd like to share?

[@NewCastleIndiana]

I’m very self-sufficient by nature. My wife is as well. While I appreciate, social interactions, I don’t rely on any in my current location and phase in life. But I would like to establish some should I choose to live overseas. Especially just to help pick up any additional language skills. And of course, local pragmatic solutions to solving problems in every day life

[@cindycindy7978]

How to build new social circles. Get contacts, turn contacts into relationships by inviting people to variety of activities. Invest locally in creating a concept of home (stuff, meals, activities ) invite these new people into your home. Keep old connections with family and old friends via telephone/text/voice message/photos/video/etc. Learn to communicate this way, invite interactions in these ways. Try new things … frequently.

[@brezl8]

would love a video about Lugano BTC adoption, the city in general and some info regarding crypto taxes in Switzerland! ❤

[@jesselloyd207]

One thing my core friends and I did was set up a group chat text (on Signal, but any platform would work). It’s great we just post funny or interesting things to it. Lots of memes, links to videos, market, stats and discussion, general topic of the day, basically anything that if we were in the same room would share. One of us is back and forth to Estonia, I’m on the road for months at a time, and we’re all connected. We’ve been doing it for 6 years now.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

100% also great to be able to share your experiences as you travel

[@HexAlchemist5555]

Timely episode, Michael. I recently moved to Dubai and will soon face the problems you've discussed here. The advice is practical. I have similar thoughts and have acted on it on a more subconscious level, but thanks to you bringing the issues and solutions up front and center, I can make a more conscious effort to intentionally address it. I notice for the first time you mentioned your wife, whereas she was your girlfriend in previous videos. I believe congratulations are in order 👏 🎉

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thanks I've mentioned her before we've been married for pretty much all the time we've been doing videos

[@RFXZ67966]

Tip 1. Find a 2 or three expats that have been in the country for five or more years. They'll have done all the hard work so you don't have to. Tip 2. Learn some of the language. It goes so far

[@OffshoreCitizen]

What would be your advice for the tip 1? How/where to meet them?

[@RFXZ67966]

@@OffshoreCitizen I've always found expats frequent the same kind of areas, neighbourhoods, cafes and restaurants . In most countries I've lived in, especially if there are a limited number of expats or seeing another expat is rare, people are very receptive to you striking up a conversation and sharing their knowledge

[@geraldineh.5093]

Good advice. Expats can be a valuable resource.

[@relaxingnaturesounds-sleep5072]

Great content. And you have a wonderful voice. Do you sing?

[@fabiogoncalves9728]

Been there / done that (expat since 2000). First move was in a commuting basis, though. Had to travel 11,000 nautical miles from home in S America to East Asia every 3 weeks. 12 hours time zone difference. Most people couldn't speak English there, at that time (nor any of my other languages). Was weird leaving in a hotel for 2/3 of the time in the opposite side of the Planet, but at the same time bearable because I had 10-12 days off at home (or at the place of my choice) every month. Other than that, I am fortunate because being alone has never been a problem for me. I don't mind socializing once in a while, but not most of the time. Nowadays I totally dislike crowded spaces, and I think this was ultimately what made me quit from my last job in the region. Middle East felt more like home to me (even though I also had to "live" in hotels). We tried moving abroad (me, wife & the gsd's), but did not feel comfortable with it, so - after some 2 years - we moved back to the old country and I resumed the commuting lifestyle (if one can put it this way)...

[@Funky420Infotainment]

Also having lived in a few different countries, I fully agree.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

What countries have you enjoyed most?

[@BlackLabelExpat]

Language exchanges are the easiest in to new social circles in different cultures

[@vismaykhant5992]

Thanx sir

[@youtischia]

Good video. But title is wrong. It should be "4 Things I Wish I HAD Known Before Moving Abroad".

[@crossroads670]

Michael, would you be able to do an episode on the technicalities of buying foreign property? Say if I lived in Dubai, and was tax resident nowhere else, but wanted to buy a house in a country like the UK, Australia or New Zealand as a holiday home or investment. Is it possible to not become tax resident in those countries? There may be a simple answer to this, but I have no idea.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Yeah you're not necessarily tax resident just because you own property in most places

[@crossroads670]

@@OffshoreCitizen do you generally become tax resident if you rent out that property?

[@dimebagg1]

Good video bro

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thanks! Are you moving abroad?

[@jordihako2867]

Interesting life experience is moving from place to place but for many people moving so much during your adult life may harm your older retired life, since each country has a different retirement scheme and you may loose what you had, ok footballers ,high profile , high savings individuals is one thing some people can move constantly, but for the regular people is an issue preparing for the future , that could be a good topic !

[@parthmittal9569]

hii michael a small doubt what if you you got st kitts citizenship by investment or any other CBI passport and you renounced you USA or any other high tax country passport for tax or visa free travel purpouse but after sometime you cbi passport get revoked due to some error made at the time of application what will happen in that situation will you become stateless. ?? just a thought..

[@p.c.h.6721]

Maybe all your followers can get together, bring the beers 🍺, leave the chessboard at home please , wouldn’t that be a great video, all of us together and drunk 🥴

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Haha great idea!

[@kleffbois]

You will outcompete other similar channels by providing these sort of videos - concrete, practical, human oriented tips for living overseas. The other main competitor channel that sounds like yours... he speaks so much yet says soooo little

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Thank you! Anything you'd like to see next?

[@jeremyleonbarlow]

Immigrating from Canada to the US or the US to Canada aside from the process for students accepted and enrolled at a university in the other country can be difficult, but relatives of a Canadian or an American visiting a child, parent, niece, nephew, or cousin settled in the other country is definitely not any harder than visiting a relative in another Province for Canadians or another State for Americans. The biggest culture shock for citizens of either country may be where the goal posts are placed on a football field. I mean having grown up on the US-Canada border, having had teachers who grew up in Canada while I lived in the US, and having friends who are married to Canadians who themselves were Americans and commuted from a home in Canada to work at the same place I did in the US, I can't think of many countries outside of the Americas which are more alike. I mean even with the prevalence of French and German in many of their neighboring countries in Europe there are definitely differences that are greater than those between the US and Canada, or neighboring countries in Latin America.

[@OffshoreCitizen]

Yeah, Scandinavian countries are pretty similar, countries in ex Yugoslavia, etc

[@elsbells8545]

….Correct….., contact persons are important for building your better understand culture, of that country…..

[@OffshoreCitizen]

How do you build your contacts?

[@elsbells8545]

@@OffshoreCitizen : nearly similar as you……