How to Stay Connected When Living Overseas
Living overseas can be lonely at first. You likely won’t know anyone in your area, and new routines and a different time zone can make keeping up with old friends and family difficult. This can leave you feeling disconnected from loved ones, yourself and the place that you’re trying to make a home.
Taking simple actions from the start ensures socialising is included as a core and important part of your lifestyle rather than a nice-to-have, making it easier to stay connected even when your energy is focused elsewhere.
- Schedule long-distance catch-ups
It might feel rigid at first, but scheduling catch-ups in your calendar is the safest way to ensure you remain linked with loved ones back home. Between competing schedules and different time zones, leaving it to chance with random calls will result in short, sporadic chats at best. As your new routine becomes busier, this can lead to calls dropping off entirely and a sense of separation from those who bolster you most.
Having calls planned gives you something to look forward to, which can be incredibly encouraging in challenging times. It also reduces messaging admin, letting you throw yourself into local life more fully each day.
- Plan meaningful visits
Organising your trips home in advance is key to making the most of the time. Providing friends and family with dates ahead of time gives them the opportunity to book time off work or reserve days to spend with you. Leaving it to the last minute risks everyone being booked up, and your holiday feeling flat.
Careful itinerary planning will also help to make your home visits more socially rewarding. Focus on experiences that honour shared bonds and will strengthen your relationships. This might include indulging in your favourite hobbies or bringing groups of friends together for larger, longer celebrations all together. Why not tick off one of the UK’s unique experiences you’ve always wanted to do?
- Stay prepared to travel
Living overseas sometimes means travelling home at short notice. You never know when family emergencies might strike, or equally when spontaneous happy occasions will be held. Staying prepared to travel means you’re able to attend important events without feeling rushed or concerned about leaving.
Maintaining an emergency travel fund means you can book flights and accommodation without worrying about the impact on your essential spending. Save towards it each month, so it feels sustainable rather than a financial drain. If you end up with a surplus, you can always use it towards another holiday. Having an expat travel insurance policy in place and reviewing and renewing this each year ensures you’re covered while abroad whenever you happen to travel.
- Build new connections
Developing relationships in your new country will help you stay connected to yourself and within the area while making everyday life far more enjoyable. Sustaining ties back home is important, but forming local friendships is crucial in the short-term to providing the social connection that all humans crave. You might find that some of these ‘temporary’ friendships are for life.
Expat communities accessible through online networks and local events are a great place to start, but don’t feel limited to this. These communities can change rapidly, making them an unstable base for lasting local support. Join groups that reflect your interests, such as a running club or art class, to meet people with shared passions and gain regular opportunities to socialise. Language classes are a great place to meet other people new to the area, and knowing the local lingo can have a profound effect on making you feel at home somewhere new.
- Resist the comfort zone
It’s instinctive to gravitate towards familiar people and easy environments, especially when you’re building routines from the foundations. However, what’s initially comforting and beneficial can quickly become limiting, leaving you missing out on amazing experiences hiding in plain sight that could help you form deeper links in your location.
Challenge yourself to accept any invitations that come your way and go to community events solo. At the weekends, explore areas outside of your usual stomping ground, following local advice to find gems away from the tourist trail. Small acts of participation often lead to the most genuine relationships and connections, and the strongest sense of belonging.
Photo Credit: Image by ptrabattoni
