Men and women in their twenties are under a lot of pressure to make big life decisions, but the problem with that is a lot of us don’t know what we want our lives to look like. Like the great Carrie Bradshaw said, “Enjoy yourself, that’s what your twenties are for. Your thirties are to learn the lessons. Your forties are to pay for the drinks.” So that’s why in 2015 I decided to live abroad, although moving from Australia to Canada isn’t a huge culture shock, being in a different country can teach you a lot of lessons. Below I’ve put together ten reasons why you should live abroad in your twenties.
1) It Forces You To Be an Adult
Even though when I moved to Canada I wasn’t 100% alone, I still had a support network of my brother and sister-in-law, there’s something about leaving home that forces you to get sh*t done for yourself. Having to organize practical stuff like travel insurance and submitting a tax refund for the first time without any help makes you feel like you could literally take over the world!
2) You Become a Ninja at Paperwork
Unfortunately, applying for a Working Visa or any kind of Overseas Visa isn’t as easy as many people think. You have to first apply for an application to see if you’re eligible, once that is approved you can finally submit the visa application itself, along with countless other documents. Between that and other little (but time-consuming) documents you’ll need during your time overseas, like Travel Insurance, an International Drivers License, an ESTA if you’re traveling through the US, any paperwork from now on looks minuscule in comparison.
3) It Forces You to Meet New People
I’ve always been painfully shy and it has always taken me a long time to get comfortable around new people. However, since moving abroad and being introduced to new people on a regular basis, I am slowly but surely becoming more and more outgoing.
4) It Pushes You Out of Your Comfort Zone
It can be something big like moving to a country where you don’t speak the local language, or something small like just learning to drive on the wrong side of the road in heavy snow and freezing roads; no matter how big or small, doing something that’s out of your comfort zone and that makes you a little nervous is really important. Because once you accomplish it, you truly feel like you can do anything.
5) You Never Know What Opportunities will Arise
You don’t even have to be looking for great opportunities for them to present themselves, by getting out of your comfort zone and everyday routine you create opportunities that may not have come about otherwise. By meeting new people and creating new contacts you never know what could happen, it’s how I met the MISSBISH family!
6) It Will Make You Appreciate Home
You would think being away from home you would miss the bigger things, and although that is true, it starts to be the smaller, little comforts you miss. Whether it is your local coffee shop or family brunches on a Sunday, you begin to realize nothing really is like home, and it makes you appreciate it even more when you go back.
7) You Have Nothing Holding You Back
A majority of us in our twenties don’t have any major responsibilities, thus, this is the time to get out there and travel. In a few years time when you may have children, a mortgage or a full-time job that doesn’t allow you to travel, it’s going to be a lot harder to get out there. Life is short, travel while you literally have nothing holding you back.
8) You Become More Open-Minded
By gaining greater experiences you become more open to another way of thinking. Not to say you’ll change all your views on everything completely, but you’ll definitely learn to look at things with another perspective. Or at least understand someone else’s point of view and perspective.
Sometimes it’s hard to see what’s right in front of you if you’re too close. By taking some time away, and out of your norm, you’ll take a step back and ultimately look at the bigger picture. It’ll also allow you to figure out what you truly want from life, and it may even be something you never knew you
9) Taking a Step Back Allows You to Gain Greater Clarityeven wanted.
10) It Gives You a Fresh Start
Sometimes the easiest way to get a fresh start is to move to another city. By living in a city where people don’t know who you are, where you’re from, and ultimately may not care, you’re able to become who you truly want to be without any outside distractions or influences. You get to truly embrace a blank canvas and follow your heart and instincts for who you truly want to be!
10 Reasons Why You Should Live Abroad in Your 20s
