Introduction
It’s no secret that Albania attracts a large number of tourists. Albania is so popular that the country received over 6 million tourists in 2019. And with Albania handling COVID reasonably well, it’s no surprise why so many tourists would choose it as a potential vacation destination after the pandemic.
Some of those tourists end up staying in the country longer than anticipated, while others may decide to stay and become an expat. It’s not as rare as one may think! But the process of moving to a new country is never easy, and it’s easy for an expat to feel stressed, anxious, or even depressed.
For one, moving to a new country means leaving friends and family. It can also be hard to meet new people and make new friends in a new country, especially if they don’t know the local language(s).
This article contains a few tips on how expats can improve their living situation and feel more at home in a new country.
Tips for Expats
1. Using a VPN to Enjoy TV From Home
One of the best ways for expats to feel at home is to bring a piece of home with them, whether that piece of home is furniture, an electronic device, or TV shows and movies.
If bringing memorabilia like favorite movies isn’t an option, they can also use a VPN to stream their favorite shows and movies while away from home. What’s important is that expats have a piece of home they can rely on when feelings of homesickness increase.
2. Learning the Local Language
It’s common for expats to speak two or more languages. However, some expats are monolingual; English-speaking expats often forgo learning a second language.
Not knowing the common language(s) spoken in their new country will make an expat feel isolated from others, preventing them from socializing and exploring what their town/city has to offer. Because of this, it’s important that expats learn the basics of the common language(s) prevalent in where they are moving to.
3. Keeping in Touch With Family and Friends
It’s easy for someone to lose touch with their friends and family while experiencing significant shifts in locale, schedule, work, etc. As tough as it may be, it’s important for expats to keep in touch with loved ones. Many expats would agree that both friends and family can act as bedrock in times of turbulent change or regret.
So, how does an expat keep in touch? It goes a lot farther than calling family once a week, saying hi, then hanging up. Daily calls to relatives can ease a lot of the stress one may feel after arriving at their new home. Expats should also make it a point to frequently message and talk to friends to regain a sense of normalcy during the moving process.
4. Reaching Out to Other Expats
Feelings of isolation lead many expats to live their lives in continued isolation, refusing to go out and explore what their new home has to offer. It’s not healthy behavior—far from it. Fortunately, many countries are host to thriving expat groups that give new expats a way to feel welcome and experience a sense of community.
Finding these groups is easy. From websites dedicated to helping expats find a local community to online forums that allow expats to vent their frustrations, there are dozens of ways for expats to get in touch with people who used to feel the same way they do.
Conclusion
Moving to a new country is never easy. Not only is the actual moving process difficult, but finding a community and integrating into it is a challenge that many expats feel is impossible to overcome. With the tips listed here, expats can begin turning their new country into their new home!
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