How Life As An Expat Can Change You (For The Better)
Psychologists have said that dealing with one life change at a moment in time can be really difficult. When you change just about everything in your life all at once such as a job, house, friends, city, and country, you can experience significant levels of stress. I decided to take on this challenge when I chose to move from New York City to Sydney, Australia six years ago. While the reason I went to Australia ultimately didn’t work out, it ended up being one of the best life decisions I’ve made because I grew as an individual and saw first-hand how business is done in another country.
I knew I was doing business in another country when I took a CIO out for lunch on a Friday during one of my first weeks in Sydney. At around 2 pm I went to pay the bill thinking, “He must need to get back to the office.” The customer looked at me with surprise and said “Oh, don’t worry about my schedule. I don’t have to be back until Bob’s farewell at the Pub at 5:30 pm.” I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding me. I have so much work left to do today.” This was my first introduction to what is commonly known as the “Aussie long lunch.” What I came to really appreciate over the years, was that business was done in person and through genuine relationships. Through my interactions, I came to know my customers so well that I would often invite them and their wives to dinners that I would host with my friends. I was genuinely interested in my customers and their businesses, and my job did not feel like work.
Throughout the 2.5 years I lived in Australia, I learned that you can leave everything behind that you’re accustomed to, start from scratch, and thrive. I built new friendships, learned a new job, figured out how to drive on the opposite side of the road without hitting too many things, and navigated a new city, new country, and new customs. I became a better person, and better at my job. On the flight back from Sydney when I was moving back to San Francisco, I posted several of the lessons I learned. Here is what I wrote:
Lessons learned in the last 2.5 years in Australia:
- Live a life without regrets. And while the reason I went to Australia didn’t turn out as I had hoped, the... friendships I’ve made and experiences I’ve had, have completely fulfilled me. If you have an opportunity to live in another country, do it!
- Embrace the local customs wherever you are. In this case, I learned that life is too short to drink bad wine. And lunch isn’t a proper lunch, unless it turns into dinner.
- Take a chance on love. And if it doesn’t work out, just give it another go!
- Work hard, but not so hard that you can’t enjoy the journey.
- Stop and appreciate exactly where you are in this moment, because this is exactly where you are supposed to be.
- Don’t forget to laugh at yourself and not take things too seriously.
- Friendships – treat others like gold. The best moments in life come when you can share them with others.
If you’re ever given the opportunity to work overseas, I would highly recommend it. Leave all your pre-conceived notions about the country behind, and go with an open mind. I guarantee that you will learn more about yourself in a short amount of time than you would if you stayed in your current environment and in the safety of your comfort zone.