Why Starting Life Abroad Is the Best Decision I have Ever Made
And why you might want to consider it too
A few years ago, my family and I felt stuck.
Stuck in the constant balancing act between work and life. Stuck watching inflation rise while the cost of living climbed higher and higher. Stuck trying to manage everything at once: careers, family, responsibilities, expectations.
And honestly? We were exhausted.
Maybe it sounds a little dramatic, but the feeling of constantly trying to keep everything under control, anytime, anywhere, can become overwhelming. It felt like we were always running, yet never really moving forward.
One evening, my husband and I sat down and had a conversation that would change everything.
We decided to change our situation. Completely.
We decided to move abroad.
Luckily, my husband works for an international company with offices around the world. Just a few days later, he asked if a transfer might be possible. One week later, his company offered us three different destinations in the Middle East.
We were excited, confused, nervous and somehow very certain at the same time.
After some research and long conversations, we chose one destination. Then things moved quickly: we arranged a shipping company, booked our flights, and started preparing for a completely new life.
Within two months we were organizing visas, healthcare, school arrangements, and housing.
Then we boarded a one-way flight.
The first six months in our new home
When we arrived in our new country, everything felt like a vacation. We visited the famous sights, tried countless restaurants, explored playgrounds with the kids, and experienced the culture of the Middle East for the first time.
But the surprising thing was the vacation feeling didn’t immediately fade. Of course, when my husband started working and the kids started school, daily routines slowly returned. Life became more normal again.
But it was still different.
Some days were hard, of course. Moving abroad isn’t always easy. We had less family support, fewer social connections, and sometimes we felt a little helpless navigating a completely new system. In the beginning, almost everything was trial and error.
But somehow, we figured it out.
We found incredible support in the expat community, met people who had gone through the same experience, and received a level of service and hospitality in our new home country that we had never imagined before.
Slowly, what once felt unfamiliar started to feel like home.
Why you should consider expat life too
Expat life is not for everyone. And not everyone feels the desire to live abroad. But if the opportunity ever comes your way, I truly believe it’s something worth considering.
Moving abroad is like jumping into cold water. At first it feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar. But it also teaches you resilience and pushes you far beyond what you thought you were capable of.
It shows you that more things are possible than you ever imagined.
Living abroad allows you to grow in so many ways. You meet inspiring people from all over the world. You learn about new cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Your children grow up in an international environment, speaking multiple languages and building friendships across cultures.
At the same time, something unexpected happens.
Living abroad doesn’t just teach you about your new country it also deepens your appreciation for your home country. There are so many things I once took for granted in Germany. Distance creates a new kind of connection. Being away somehow makes you value home even more.
It’s a feeling I never expected.
If you ever get the chance, take it!
Moving abroad can feel scary. There are so many unknowns.
But here’s the truth: you can always decide later that it’s not for you.
What you can’t always do is go back and take the opportunity you didn’t take. So if life ever offers you the chance to live abroad (even just for a few years) consider saying yes.
You might just discover a version of life you never knew existed.