Packing for a vacation is one thing. Packing up your entire life to move abroad? That’s a whole different beast. And let’s be honest—most of us have a tiny hoarder tendency when it comes to things that “might come in handy one day.”

We’ve seen it all—people shipping winter coats to tropical countries, stuffing entire spice racks into their luggage (only to find the same ones in the local supermarket), or insisting on bringing all of the kids toys to make sure they don’t miss any.

 What to do instead: Pack for your new reality, not your old one. Be honest—will you actually use those baking trays if you’re moving to a tiny city apartment with no oven? Declutter aggressively. If you haven’t used it in the past year, you probably don’t need it abroad. Sell, donate, or gift it to a friend. Ship wisely. Some things are worth the hassle (a high-quality mattress, for example), but bringing every piece of furniture? Maybe not.

But there’s another element to this. Moving abroad isn’t just about what fits in your boxes—it’s about what you choose to carry with you emotionally, too.

This is actually an opportunity to re-evaluate yourself, your life, and decide what from the current life you want to bring to the new country. The lighter you pack—both physically and emotionally—the easier it will be to step fully into this next chapter of your life. So pack smart, stay flexible, and leave a little room in your suitcase for the unexpected.

You’re friendly, charming, and can hold a great conversation—so making friends abroad should be a piece of cake, right? Well… not exactly.

If you’re an extrovert, you might think you’ll just walk into a café, strike up a conversation, and boom—new besties. But even for the most social butterflies, friendship abroad doesn’t happen effortlessly. And if you lean more towards the introverted side? Just the idea of walking into a room full of strangers might be enough to keep you curled up on your couch instead.

Here’s the thing: making friends as an adult is already tricky, but throw in cultural differences, language barriers, and the fact that locals often have well-established social circles? It gets even trickier. And while expat communities can be a great starting point, they come with their own challenges—they can be transient (people come and go), and just because someone speaks your language doesn’t automatically mean they’re your kind of person.

 What to do instead: Be intentional about socializing. It’s usually easier to start with other expats (because, like you, they’re also looking for connections!), but don’t stop there—gradually open yourself up to meeting locals. Say yes to invitations, even if it feels a little awkward. Join meetups, hobby groups, or take a language class, and—most importantly—give it time. Friendships don’t happen overnight, but if you put yourself out there consistently, they’ll come.

We all do it.

“The coffee isn’t as good as back home.”
“The customer service is so slow here.”
“Why do they do this instead of that?”

It’s natural to compare, but constantly doing it will make your adjustment much harder. You didn’t move abroad for things to be exactly the same—so why judge everything by your home country’s standards?

 What to do instead: Shift your mindset from comparison to curiosity. Instead of thinking, “This is weird,” try asking, “Why do they do it this way?” You’ll be surprised how much more enjoyable your experience becomes when you embrace differences instead of resisting them.