Expat Life 4 Months In – Advice for the Early Stage of Expatriating

This week marked four months since I arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark to reunite with my partner, Mike and begin our journey as American expats. I was also featured on an awesome blog, Young American Expat, where they asked me to talk about my experience and provide advice. I decided to reflect a little deeper on this and share some advice for the early stage of expatriating.

Advice for the early stage of expatriating

Expatriating to Europe was an easy decision, and happened very quickly. Mike made his first trip to Copenhagen in November. A few weeks later we were planning to expatriate to Denmark indefinitely. The first week in December we made the decision to expatriate. Mike was back in Copenhagen a week later and he fully moved there the first week in January. 

 Things. Moved. Fast. The normal planning period is at least six months and usually both partners are around to navigate the process. This involves closing life in the native country and preparing for the next chapter away. This wasn’t the case for us. While I took on a lot of the burden of the move, Mike was simultaneously working two jobs. His two offices were also separated by 6 time zones. By late March of this year, the finish line was close and I was boarding a plane to my new life in Copenhagen. 

 It’s now been four months and we are getting ready to board another plane back to America. We’re heading “home” just as Copenhagen is starting to feel like home. The extra work load for Mike and the insanity of moving our entire life abroad in 90 days is long in the rearview mirror. During the last four months I’ve learned some things about life as an American expat. Here’s a little advice for the early stage of expatriating. These are my tips on surviving and thriving as you begin your expat life. 

You’re a Local Now:

When you first arrive it’s easy to live like a tourist or a business traveler. It seems like an obvious statement, but you live there now. Take a few weeks and avoid going out to eat, buy your food at the local market and cook. It’s not easy, trust the guy who was struggling to google translate labels and figure out weird settings on the oven. The worst thing you can do is continue living like you’re on vacation and not in your adopted country.

Do some research and go to cultural events and festivals, markets and hangouts that locals frequent. I didn’t make Copenhagen home by visiting castles. I did it by doing the mundane everyday life events and finding ways to participate in Danish culture. Persevere when it seems tough, because it won’t always be easy but you cannot adapt to your new home if you don’t live life as if you belong there (because you do). 

Communication:

If you’re moving abroad as a couple or family, communication with one another will be more important than almost anyone else in your expat experience. Share your feelings – you’ll have a lot of them. The highs will be higher and the lows can be lower.

Mike and I each had trepidations throughout our time here so far. Heck, some of mine may have bordered on melt downs. Be open about how the experience is affecting every member of your family or each partner in your relationship. You may be in the same physical location, but you may not be in the same mental place with the journey.

As the trailing partner, I had to wait several months before being given a work permit. During this time, I didn’t have the chance to participate in Danish classes or other career workshops that are offered to expats. This meant a lot of time alone. I had to be upfront with Mike and explain how some days he is the only native English speaker I encounter all day. I also know how it feels getting home from work and needing to decompress. Mike’s job in Denmark was even more draining. We had to communicate to understand how we were each being impacted by the new lifestyle we were thrust into. We has to realize how to meet each others needs.

If you’re moving abroad alone, keep a journal of your experience and take time to let yourself feel. It’s important to have a sounding board and mental check in, even if it’s in the form of a journal.

Community:

Get involved as soon as you can and meet everyone and anyone. Whether it’s through work, classes and workshops that are offered to expats, get out there. There are different expat social organizations and people that you can meet in social settings. MEET EVERYONE! Having a community to lean on makes things easier for you and keeps you engaged in your new home.

Read Next: 8 Tips For Making Friends Abroad

With the help of social networking, there are a myriad of expat groups in every major city. Most groups coordinate group events and social gatherings. The online expat community is strong. Join them even if you aren’t in a major city. They can help if you merely need advice from someone who has been in your experience. From questions about finding housing, going out to clubs or finding ricotta cheese, these groups can be a lifesaver. They also help you get connected to the community. 

Look Ahead or Hold On:

Depending how long your expat assignment is, this can be a tough thing to decide. How much do you hold onto your old life? How much do you dive into a new life that may not be permanent? You can keep in close contact with friends and family back home. However, you cannot succeed as an expat if you don’t make new relationships and build a new life abroad.

Maintaining a deeply engaged life in two places is unsustainable. It’s impossible even with all the technology and social media in the world. Strike a balance that works for you. Know that you’re going through experiences that some friends may not understand. To help, you should develop relationships with others expats and locals that can help you look forward.

Routine:

Developing a routine is extremely important for an expat. Decide when you’re going to complete daily tasks. Create a schedule to Skype or FaceTime with family back home. Plan out your vacation schedule well in advance of your travels. This is something that I struggled with at first, but has made a tremendous difference in my time abroad.

Because our initial commitment to Copenhagen was six months, but would likely turn permanent, we erred on the side of caution. We did a lot of traveling in our first few months. We called it the Travel Trap. This made building a routine tough. We were finding it hard to live like locals when we were traveling to other European cities so frequently. We also hosted a lot of visitors for the same reason. They didn’t know if we would be staying in Denmark beyond the six month marker. Once we settled into a routine, we were able to experience a little more expat harmony. Things felt more like home and there was a lot less stress. 

See more about how to get through the first month of life abroad in our post: Life Abroad – Expat Advice for the first 30 Days.

Culture Shock:

I did a lot of research before moving to Denmark about how leaving home to move abroad can drive anyone to some degree of culture shock. Depending on the source, the timelines were different, but everyone agreed that it happens between 3 and 6 months. It is true that the novelty of your new surroundings wear off. You eventually feel like an outsider in your new country, but it’s important to remember that you’re a cultural guest. You have to keep learning and plugging along.

There have been several times where I’ve turned to Mike and said, “I’m so sick of how f*cking Danish everything is here. There’s a Danish way to do this, and a Danish way to do that…” and it’s true. There’s a nuanced cultural way of doing things that I always noticed. I eventually came at odds with it when things started piling up that didn’t work the way they do in America. As frustrated as I was in those moments, all of those things eventually resolved themselves. I learned to keep in mind that I was a guest in Denmark. Some of those moments I talk about in my blog post: “Celebrating” July 4th Abroad. 

Final advice for the early stage of expatriating

 Overall, the experience of an expat is challenging but incredibly rewarding and worth every moment of stress. The highs are higher and the lows can be really low. However, being open to these experiences has tested me, Mike and our relationship in a positive way. We have grown closer and tougher because of it. When you expat, you pick up everything and move to another country. Few people do that unless they have to. Their reasons are also a lot worse than career advancement and adventure. I try to keep that in perspective through this crazy ride.

Are you an expat? What advice for the early stage of expatriating can you share? Comment below and let us know your experience:

Read more on Expat Life here: RobeTrotting - Expat Life