5 Things No One Tells You About Moving Overseas
Embarking on a working holiday can be an exciting and enriching experience, working holidays are an amazing way to see the world, experience different cultures and travel for an extended period of time, but there are aspects of it that may not be immediately apparent.
As with everything in life, working holidays come with their own unique challenges and pitfalls. I moved to Canada in 2021 for a working holiday and I share a lot about all the amazing things that came with that decision but today let's chat about some of the things that aren't often discussed and to be honest, are the less glamorous side of it.
Loneliness - It can be overwhelming
While the excitement of a new adventure is thrilling, homesickness can creep in unexpectedly. Missing family, friends, and familiar surroundings is a common part of the experience, and it's important to acknowledge and find healthy ways to cope.
For so many of us, the build up for a working holiday is a long time coming. Visas may take months to come through and planning to leave a country and move to a new one is a huge choice. That excitement and nervousness builds for months, always in anticipation of what's to come. Once you finally move to a new place, the reality of it all hits at once. I know so many people who have had breakdowns not long after arriving, wondering if they made the right choice, facing the reality of knowing no one and starting from the beginning. This feeling passes as you settle and make friends but the emotional journey can feel isolating.
Navigating a new time zone can be challenging. You won't have the same access to your friends and family at home as you once did. I know I can't speak to anyone at home until early afternoon and sometimes when you need someone, it can be difficult knowing they are asleep on the other side of the world. That's why creating a network in your new home is so important.
After moving internationally with a partner, I truly don't think it matters whether you come alone or with someone else. Loneliness can hit just as hard regardless.
From a couples perspective, when Tristan and I first moved here, I was so grateful to have someone to experience it with and that in itself was a blessing. I do think it made the initial culture shock easier but… I also felt like because we had each other, it was harder to meet others. People in working holiday towns look out for each other and are generally quite inclusive but when coming with a boyfriend, people weren’t as interested in including us, or it was more of a challenge to include ourselves in situations because we already had each other. It was almost like we were holding each other back by travelling together. If that doesn't make sense to you, that's ok, but for us it was our reality at the start.
When you travel alone I think you're more inclined to put yourself out there and meet people but travelling with someone else is very different. Not in a better or worse way, just different.
Moving abroad alone has a whole other set of challenges. It's the intense feeling of independence, of having to rely wholly on yourself to make the most of your experience. Building a social circle takes time. Seasonal jobs are the quickest way to meet people in the same situation as you but also joining local activities, clubs or events is a great way to meet others and establish a support system.
Loneliness comes and goes, the initial hit is the worst, but it doesn't subside completely. A year, two years later you may still question your decision but ultimately this lifestyle is worth it for so many of us and hey - who doesn't get lonely at home anyway. May as well feel it from somewhere that makes us happy.
Admin - it’s never-ending
Moving overseas is not simple. There are so many things to organise at home before you leave and then more to organise when you arrive, sometimes it feels like the life admin just never stops.
Navigating the legalities of the visa process can be complex and draining. Some visas can be quite simple, but if this feels overwhelming, it can be worth getting a lawyer or a company to help you through this process.
Once you land, all the basic requirements of getting a bank, tax numbers, phone plans, a house, job contracts and even a car can take a bit of time. There is a lot of paperwork involved and it's tedious.
Once you get settled, I feel like this aspect of things does decline but if you decide you want to move or extend your visa, it starts all over again and it's a lot of work.
Savings - what are those?
Having enough money is crucial.
Scraping the bottom of the barrel is not fun and it's meant to be a working holiday - aka you should holiday as well.
The longer we have been in Canada, the more we are feeling the effects of life here financially. Coming from Australia, the wages in Canada are hard to adapt to. Minimum wage is truly bare minimum and work in a tourist town can be unreliable.
If you are going into a set salary position, this doesn't apply to you. But if you take a casual job or even a seasonal, full time job, we have found our hours have never been guaranteed.
Working 5 days a week as a server, I find my wage covers my rent and bills and then I rely on tips purely to be able to afford groceries, nights out and travel. After a few years, it's not the most sustainable way to live and it can be hard at times. I struggle with the concept that I rely on other people to value the worth of my service in order to afford my life. Tipping culture can have great benefits at times, serve the right person and it can be the best thing but at the end of the day, financial security is worth so much more than the gamble on others.
Don't drink or party? You’re in for a shock
If you’re thinking of moving to a working holiday town, be prepared for drinking to become a larger part of your life. Whether you choose to drink or not - it’ll be there in the background.
I had never given thought to the party culture I'd be entering when moving abroad. I was excited to live in a mountain town, spend my days snowboarding, camping and adventuring, and I hadn't given a thought to nightlife, drink culture or drug culture.
I was never a huge drinker back in Australia and I don't like clubs. An occasional night out is fun but I hate the feeling of being squished in a hot bar and feeling terrible the next morning, it's just not for me anymore.
When we first moved to Banff we went out a lot, everyone seemed to and it's the easiest way to meet people and establish friendships. But after living abroad for a few years, it's not our priority any more. I still drink more than I’d like to, it's easy in a town where there's no real weekdays, everything just blurs into one. But we have found the less you go out, the less people you meet. Sometimes it sucks feeling like you have to drink or be around those taking drugs in order to have social connection and that can be challenging.
Alternatively if you love to drink and party already, that will probably be amplified here so be prepared for that financially.
I'm not saying this culture is either good or bad, I just think it's something to be mindful of when considering what you want your working holiday to look like.
Reverse culture shock is real
Just as adapting to a new place can be challenging, returning home may bring its own set of adjustments. Reverse culture shock is real, and it's likely you will see your home country through different eyes after your experiences abroad. I read a great post on instagram recently where someone talked about how hard it was to move back home. How everything feels like it's stayed the same but you feel like a completely different person and that can be a really isolating feeling.
I haven’t moved home yet, but just as moving to Canada was hard, I know moving back to Australia will be too.
Once you leave your hometown, everyone continues about their own lives regardless and to be blunt, you aren't a part of their routine any more. While you may still have friends who love and care about you, they have their own lives to move on with. I know in our case, we have much more friends in Canada now than we do in Australia. I have a few people who I’ve held close over the years and we touch base and send life updates now and then. But all those casual friendships and acquaintances have lost connection. That's the reality of living on the other side of the world, maintaining connections is tough.
Moving home and going from a life of adventure to routine may be a startling change. That alone is not a reason to miss out on a working holiday, simply something that may take a toll at some point.
Despite all these challenges and the many more that exist, challenging yourself in life and seeing the things you want to see outweighs all of that. You have everything you need to live the life of your dreams and if you want to work to live instead of live to work - this lifestyle may be for you.
You will only regret the choices you don’t take - It may not be easy but its worth it!
