veryone, at least once in their lifetime, feels the urge to leave everything behind and start over in a foreign country. For most people, the feeling of wanderlust remains in the realm of dreams, but for some the feeling never goes away and moving abroad, even without any money, is a chance that they are more than willing to take. There are no doubts that you only live once and, sometimes, it is better to follow your heart and chase your dreams rather than spend eternity wondering what it could have been like.
If you have made the decision to move abroad: congratulations! You are about to embark on an amazing journey, but you should know that it might not be everything you imagined it to be; especially if you have no money. The truth is that it is possible to move anywhere in the world when you are broke, but you should be prepared to deal with all the challenges, hardships, and surprises that will come with it. Moving is not an easy decision whether the situation might be, but moving to another country is much harder than moving within one’s own town or one’s own country.
Within this article, you will find everything you need to figure out how to move abroad with no money and if it is the best option for you.
You Want to Move Abroad, But Where To?
The first thing you should be aware of when moving abroad is that it does not happen overnight; especially if you have no money. The truth is that different from moving houses, moving between towns, or moving between states, moving abroad takes a lot of time and effort. Even though this would be ideal, you cannot just pack and decide to move to another country. You must be able to prepare yourself and a crucial part of it is deciding which country you want to move to, and then researching the immigration laws within that country in order to learn everything you need to know about moving there.
Determine Your Purpose
Why do you want to move abroad? Do you want to study abroad? Do you want to work abroad? Even though the idea of packing up and starting again somewhere new is exciting, you must know your purpose. Some countries have strict immigration laws and getting a work VISA might be a difficult task to accomplish prior to moving to the country, unless you already have a job waiting for you once you move. If you want to study abroad, things might be easier for you as a student VISA is easier to acquire.
However, some countries have laws that determine that foreign students are not allowed to work; so, unless you are able to get financial assistance and/or a full-time scholarship, this might be a difficult option for you. Some people enjoy the thrill of moving to a new country and figuring things out once they get there, but this is a very dangerous option because if you wish to build a life in that country, you should avoid doing things illegally as much as you can.
Still, you should not let the fact that some countries have strict immigration policies pull you down and get in the way of your dreams. You can always look for and apply for jobs online, you can apply for scholarships and financial aid in order to attend a university. You should be aware that it might be easier to get help with graduate degrees rather than undergraduate degrees, even if it means that you have to wait.
There are endless possibilities! You just have to make sure that you have a purpose and that you do everything you can in order to follow it.
Be Aware of Cultural Differences
When moving abroad you should be aware of the fact that, even though you are living in that country, you are still a foreigner. You have spent most of your life living in the same country and you must take your time to learn the culture, the language, and the traditions of whatever country you decide to live. There is nothing more offensive and difficult than moving somewhere without knowing anything about the place or without being able to speak the language.
There are many ways to learn about the country where you are moving to and many ways of learning a different language. You can research online, you can read books, and you can even take classes. Anything counts as long as you are taking an effort! There are countries which are very welcoming to foreigners and the people there will always be willing to welcome you and help you navigate the country and the culture. However, there will always be countries where people are not welcoming at all and they do not have the time to get to know you or help you embrace their culture. You should be able to think like a local and to be prepared to deal with things on your own.
Therefore, you should not be afraid to prepare yourself for living abroad as much as you can. Also, you should be able to understand that you are moving somewhere where you probably do not know anyone and, for this reason, you might find yourself alone during most of the time. This is why attending a university abroad is a great way of making sure that you will be immersed in a community and that you will be able to meet different people.
There Is No Such Thing As Being Over Prepared
One of the most important things about moving abroad with no money is being able to know how to make a budget. The truth is that living in another country costs money and without money it is pretty hard to accomplish this. Therefore, as soon as you decide that you want to move and live abroad, you must start saving money.
If you decide to study abroad, you should check with your university how much the tuition as well as the room and board cost. If you are working abroad, you should figure out your salary and the cost of living wherever you are moving to. Accordingly, you should be prepared to figure out traveling expenses, living expenses, and so on. There is no magical way to travel abroad and, therefore, you should be prepared to cover the costs of everything that comes with traveling to a new country and starting a life there.
One of the first things you should do is write down all the costs you are expected to pay regarding your travel. You should be realistic and unafraid to look for cheaper options, but you should be aware that flying usually costs a lot of money, and then determine whether or not you are going to purchase an one way ticket. If you do so, you must be aware that it might take some time before you see your family and friends again. You should visit websites which list apartments, houses, flats, and so on in order to figure out what you can afford and where you want to live. If you are attending a university, you probably will be living in a dorm, but, depending on the country, you might not have that option.
Everything comes down to the importance of making a budget and sticking to it as much as you can. Even if you have no money, you can try to look for a part-time job in order to raise as much as you can to cover the traveling costs and/or at least the initial costs of living abroad.
Be Fearless, Be Aware, and Be Strong
Moving abroad is not an easy thing to do; especially if you are moving somewhere where you do not know anyone or the language. There will be times when you will be struck with homesickness and you will question why did you ever think about moving away from home, specifically to another country. There will be times when you will feel lonely and isolated. There will be times when you will miss the taste of a certain food, the smell of a certain place, and even the smallest things about being home. In other words, it will not always be easy; but it will not always be difficult.
You should know that moving abroad is about self-discovery, moving abroad is about maturing, and moving abroad is about making memories. You will find yourself becoming fearless, becoming aware of how different the world can be, and becoming more empathetic. Even when you go through hard times, you will be happy to be having that experience because you will grow at the end of it. You will be full of stories to tell your family and friends, as well as your children one day.
