If you’ve ever thought about living abroad, here’s what I wish I’d known and the things no one tells you about moving abroad.
Have you ever thought about moving to another country, then immediately talk yourself out of it because it seemed impossible?
I get it. I almost did the same thing.
The Dream of a New Life
When I first started dreaming of moving abroad, I thought it would be simple to pack bags, find an apartment, and learn the language. Easy right, well not exactly. What I thought would take a few months ended up being almost two years of research, wrong turns, and learning curves big enough to question the whole thing more than once.
At first, I thought I’d return to the Netherlands where I grew up. It sounded perfect until I discovered that renting there was nearly impossible. Imagine entering a lottery just for the chance to rent an apartment, or writing a heartfelt letter to a landlord to “plead your case.” Add in the sky high prices and a strict two-year rental rule (one can only rent for 2 years to protect the landlord avoiding issues with eviction ) . It is possible to rent for longer than 2 years but it is the landlords decision whether to extend the rental. The difficult apartment search is not just for individuals moving there; the Dutch have the same difficulty. Viewing an apartment oftentimes means cuing in line for hours to view it.
Shifting Gears – Things No One Tells You about Moving Abroad
So I shifted gears and started looking at France. Having a French passport helped me. I had a wish list of hopes for what I was looking for. I was looking for an area that had four seasons, nature nearby, walkability, art and music, near an international airport and a city big enough to have a life but small enough not to feel overwhelmed.
During the month of April for a week and half, my daughter and I went on a mission to explore three different places, Aix en Provence, Menton and Annecy.
Aix en Provence was our first stop. It is in the South of France but more inland. It is about 40 minutes from Marseilles which has an international airport. This city is known for its 1000 fountains. It was a wonderful mix of old and new architecture. The city center had beautiful wide boulevards and resonated with old world charm. The city has universities and is known to attract expats from all over the world. It was walkable and offered many options for art and music. I felt that it did not have as much green space as I would have liked.
Apartment Differences
An interesting fact we learned the hard way is that a first floor apartment is actually on the second floor, our apartment was on the third floor (4 flights of stairs). The entrance is on the first floor. If the winding stone staircase with uneven steps is not enough of a motivator to schlep that suitcase quickly, we found out that the light switch which is on each floor is on a three minute timer. Searching for a light switch while precariously balancing a suitcase in a windowless staircase was quite the teaching moment. To clarify the “we” in the carrying of the suitcase, my daughter carried the suitcases, my job was to find the light switches.
More Research – Things No One Tells You About Moving Abroad
Our next stop was Menton; a small city situated on the Mediterranean in Southern France. Menton is a beautiful sleepy little city on the water 20 minutes away from Nice and 8 km from Italy. The overall rhythm of life was definitely one of ease and relaxation. Menton is like our Florida; many Europeans spend their vacations there. The town was always bustling, the sidewalk cafes and restaurants were always full day or night. The food was exceptional, the cuisine had both French and Italian influence, absolutely wonderful! I tasted one of the best croissants I have ever had, the pistachio croissant. The small size of the town had its limitations but was definitely worth spending a longer period of time there.
An interesting fact I learned about the nuance of the French language was; in french the word end is finir which when saying, Je suis fini means I am dead, not I am done. After having a wonderful meal, the unsuspecting waiter would come over to pick up our plates. I would proudly announce that the food was delicious, I am dead, and I would love to see the dessert menu. I can’t begin to tell you who showed more constraint: the waiter or my daughter.
Next Stop, Annecy !
Off to our next city this was a 6 hour car ride to a city in the French Alps, Annecy. Annecy is in the Southeast of France 30 minutes from Geneva which also has an international airport. Driving through the Alps watching the mountains rise higher and higher was breathtaking. Annecy is a vibrant Medieval city known as the “Venice of the North” because of all of the waterways in the city. The surrounding nature lends itself to many outdoor activities and it has four seasons. I fell in love with the city and felt I needed to come back for a longer stay,
What I’ve Learned So Far
-Research takes longer than you think, give yourself grace.
-The dream is romantic but the details can be infinite, and that’s okay. The details unfold throughout the process and make more sense as the planning takes form. It’s easy to get caught up in the minutia but it’s the big decisions that will propel you forward.
– Visit in person if you can, places feel different than they look online
–Most importantly, Doubt will creep in, but listen to what excites you more than what scares you.
I won’t pretend that it was easy, but it was definitely worth it.
I hope you come along as this unfolds.
Thanks for being here,
-Soraya
My First Week Living in France