How to Move to a Different Country (in your twenties)

Are you dreaming of living in a different country? In this guide on How to Move to a Different Country, I’ll show you that your dream of moving to a different country in your twenties is entirely possible! With a dream, self-belief, a plan and a will to make it happen, you can make your living abroad dream a reality!

And, in all honesty, I booked my flight before I was ready. Before I had a ton of money saved, before I had total certainty and without a thorough plan, but with a good enough plan.

My first move to a different country was at 19. I had always wanted to travel the world and I was ready to go ALL IN.

I booked a flight solo to Italy to live with an Italian family that I had never met before in person. I then went on to live in Berlin, Germany and returned back to Italy for another summer the following year. Trust your gut and made bold decisions typa thing! I had the most life-changing experiences living abroad in my twenties.

Before I made the decision to live my abroad adventure, l watched YouTube videos of people who were living life abroad and living life their way!

They inspired and encouraged me, “If they can do it. If they can have it, so can I.” I just knew it was true for me.

I’m here to encourage you that you’re absolutely capable of making your dream of travelling the world and moving abroad a reality! And, with a whole lot of courage, self-belief and trust, anything is possible.

So, what is it that you are waiting for?

If you’re thinking of moving to a different country and want some motivation & inspiration about why it is a good idea, you’re in the right place. Moving to another country can feel scary, and it can also be one of the most incredible and life-changing experiences of your life! My time living abroad was truly life-changing and I’m so glad I did it. The experiences and the people I met helped show me what’s possible and it all taught me so much about myself, the world and its people! Sharing my story brings me so much joy!

Reasons why living abroad in your twenties is a good idea:

• Self-discovery
• Meet new people!
• Expansion
• Learn a new lanaguage
• Experience new cultures and different ways of living
• Personal development and a chance to GROW
• A chance to explore your creativity
• Develop your skills and knowledge
• Learn new things
• Adventure! Make memories that last a lifetime
• Provides you with an opportunity to discover how you want to live your life and what you want

When thinking about how to move to a different country, it goes without saying that you’ll need to decide which country to move to! With so many countries to choose from, it can sometimes feel like an overwhelming decision. However, my best recommendation would be to trust your calling/ where you feel most drawn to living.

Journal Prompts to find out which country you want to move abroad to:

• Where have you always wanted to live?
• Which country do you want to live in most?
• Which language/languages have you always wanted to learn?
• Which cultures have you dreamed of exploring?

Allow yourself to dream!

My strong interest in learning German was one of the factors that supported my decision to move to Berlin. Two, I thought it was a cool city to live! And three, I was offered a great job opportunity there that would enable me to live the lifestyle that I wanted of working as an Au pair with all my bases covered (food, accommodation + pay) and plenty of time to travel.

It’s time to do your research! 👏 Not only can it be research, but dreaming! Doing your research on how to move to a different country can be so enjoyable.

Ways that you can research to prepare for your moving abroad adventure:

• Watch YouTube videos of other people living in your chosen country to get an idea of how it’s like and what’s the go in their opinion
• The cost of living
• The language
• The budget you’ll need to afford to live
• Your flight cost

When doing your research and listening to other opinions, remember at the end of the day, it’s your final judgement that matters the most.

Now, it’s time to plan your move abroad!

Journal prompts for planning your move to a different country:

• How much money do you want to approximately save? How much money do you want to have in your bank account?
• What date/ time length will you give yourself to make your move abroad?
• What is your intention for living in another country?
• What do you want to do or focus on while you’re living abroad?

If you’re serious about moving abroad, you will need a passport or to renew your passport asap.

Make sure you have plenty of valid years left on your passport to save you any stress abroad. The cost of passports ranges from $201 to $576 depending on which nationality you are.

Are you wondering how to move to a different country and get a job?

If you’re determined, passionate and courageous enough to make your moving abroad dream come true, there is always a way! Firstly, have a brainstorm of what jobs you would like to do. Maybe, it’s teaching English abroad, Au pairing or doing something that you are already skilled and trained in.

💃🏼 If you need some help, here are some jobs you can work abroad below. ⬇️

• Au pair
• Teach English abroad as an ESL teacher
• Become a flight attendant with, for example, Emirates and Qantas airlines
• Become a yacht stewardess
• Content creation and marketing
• 100% remote jobs
• Work on a cruise ship
• Hospitality, fitness and retail
• Seasonal work in ski resorts. New Zealand and Canada are great places to do this

One major step in this guide on how to move to a different country is to apply for your visa and organise your health insurance. Hopefully, you’ve already done your step 2 by now ( planned and completed your research). Now that you know all the requirements you’ll need, gather them as soon as possible and start applying for your visa. Additionally, for some countries and certain visa types, you may need your job to sponsor you. Get on to applying for your job too!

Lastly, when moving to a different country some countries require you to have health insurance to be able to obtain your visa. Do some research to find the best health insurance companies for your chosen country.

Maybe your work abroad job scores you free accommodation or maybe it doesn’t.

If it doesn’t, secure your accommodation. You may like to be more adaptable and find your accommodation while you’re abroad. Otherwise, you can secure it beforehand.

For short-term accommodation when living overseas:

• Airbnb
• TrustedHouse Sitters
• Sublet rentals on Facebook groups (really make sure the person is legit and see the accommodation in person if you can)

When I went on my abroad adventure, my game plan was:

I secured accommodation for 3 months in Italy and during those 3 months, I would decide whether I wanted to stay longer and find something more long-term or return home to Australia. I obviously ended up loving living abroad and I scored myself a long-term job and accommodation in Berlin, Germany for a year.

Best places to search for accommodation when moving abroad:

• Facebook groups
• Local rental/ flatmate websites
• Through friends that live in the country. Ask them for support. Additionally, they may have a room available for you to rent
• Real estate websites

Now that you’ve designed your plan, it’s time to make your move and book your flight!

This is one of the most exciting steps that will make your move abroad chapter feel even more REAL.

Best site for booking flights:

• Skyscanner to compare prices
• Your favourite airline

It’s time to start becoming more aware of your spending habits! If you’re committed to moving to a different country, you will need to become more aware of your savings, however, don’t let that stop you from enjoying your life in the meantime. Balance is key.

Amazing ways to earn extra money for your new chapter abroad include:

• Sell items you don’t want or need anymore
• Pick up some extra shifts at your job
• Make compromises>> going out versus working

How to save for travelling:

• Spend less
• Improve your financial literacy. My Podcast recommendations to improve your financial literacy: She’s on the Money and Girls That Invest + check out their books too
• Develop money-saving hacks: take pre-prepared lunch with you. Make your coffee at home
• Track your spending. Create a monthly budget

If you’re moving to a different country, you will likely need a new bank card so you can spend your money in the local currency.

Have a research for the best bank cards to use in your chosen country. Otherwise, my recommendation for the best international debit card is a Wise travel money card. I have one of these and have had a positive experience and found it easy to use & understand.

Your Wise debit card is an easy way to transfer your currency to the local currency of your destination. You can order a physical debit card and also a digital card to pay via Apple Pay. Furthermore, with Wise, you can send money around the world at the real exchange rate, with low conversion fees. 

Lastly, a handy tip is to download the XE Currency travel app for currency conversion to check live foreign currency exchange rates.

When travelling and living abroad, you are going to need to keep your important documents safe and organised!

Buy yourself a travel document organiser.

First of all, make photocopies of all your most important documents. Just in case!

Important files you will want to take with you when moving abroad:

✅ Your health and travel insurance

✅ Passport

✅ Photo ID or drivers license

✅ Your Visa

✅ Boarding passes

✅ Legal documentation such as your tax file number, bank account and contact information and your birth certificate or at least a copy of it.

✅ Medical records if you require any medical assistance abroad

Now, go buy yourself a travel document organiser. 😊

This is a just as important step as all the other steps in this how to move to a different country in your twenties guide.

Make catching up with your family and friends a part of your moving to a different country preparation. Why not throw a going away celebration party!

Sometimes, when moving to a different country or across the other side of the world, it can be hard to keep regularly in contact with the people you love! With living in different time zones and living your new life abroad, one of my biggest tips for this step is to make the effort to stay in contact with your loved ones even while you’re living abroad.

Picture this, you’re finally abroad living your abroad dreams! Don’t forget to enjoy the journey, cherish all the moments in between and say yes to stepping out of your comfort zone!

Lastly, my final tip would be to HAVE FUN and choose adventure! When living abroad in your twenties it can be easy to get overwhelmed by all the newness and the ‘where to next?’ question. Whenever you feel yourself feeling overwhelmed, don’t forget to practice your mindfulness practices to bring you back to the present moment.

Which country do you want to live in and experience a new life abroad in?

Share your response with me and the Living Her Way community below. 👏👇

If you have any questions, blog post requests or kind comments please comment them below. Additionally, you can contact me via my email.   

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