Saturday, February 23, 2019

DEALING WITH THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIVING ABROAD

I am not going to bother trying to romanticise this. Being on the other side of world is hard work! The cultural differences create an imbalance of emotions and makes even the simplest of tasks seem monumental. Obviously, there are times when I feel on top of the world; how did I get so lucky to be in China, preparing to work my dream job, with plenty of opportunities to travel as well? But sometimes the reality is that being away from home can be a lot to handle at times. I have my good days and bad days, my bad days can be exhausting and mentally demanding, especially when things aren’t going right, or I am missing home too much. However, the good days are becoming more frequent. With the end of my teacher training, and the completion of my final exam, I feel like things are finally starting to fall into place. 


I have been very lucky in the respect that I have arrived here and met some amazing people. My roommate for a start is a gem and she, like me, is experiencing this all for the first time! Everyone has been helpful in facilitating smooth transitions for us all. I know I have only been here for two weeks, but every day I have been seeing new places and experiencing new things, Chengdu is starting to feel a bit more like a new home.

I don’t know what it is about being on the other side of the world, but the days go by so much quicker! I have been here just under two weeks, yet it feels like I have only been here for a few days! I have been keeping myself very busy while I have been here, really trying to get out of my comfort zone and trying things I would normally say no to. 

Moving here has been a lot harder than I anticipated, but I am certainly getting used to it. Moving into a new apartment and starting a new job, all while being 5,000+ miles away from home in a city where English is seldom spoken, and the culture is so different has been one of the most challenging things I have ever done! But I am looking forward to settling into a new routine and getting stuck into the teaching! 

Thank you to everyone who has sent me kind messages of support, I miss you all and cannot wait to see you all again soon!

B x 

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8 comments

  1. Experiencing new, foreign places can be nerve-wracking but equally rewarding. Enjoy your journey.

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  2. Yes, it's a scary transition to make, but despite the difficulties, I am confident I will soon get over the initial shock of being here, thank you! x

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  3. Well done for making the decision to go! You're much braver than me x

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    1. Thank you so much! It has been really challenging so far, but I am loving every second of it! If you get the chance to live and work abroad, I highly recommend it! I have learnt so much and I have only been here for 3 weeks! x

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  4. Such an exciting new chapter! I'm glad you're settling in and have met good people. I went to uni with a few international students and they found it quite hard to settle at first even moving to a country with the same language! I hope it continues to go well! x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and reading my post! Yes, it has been quite difficult to settle in, but luckily I have a basic understanding of the language and hope to learn more, so I can communicate with some of the people here! I will give your blog a read! <3 x

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  5. I know how hard it is. I moved to different country in 2012 when I was 19 years old. It was very difficult because I didn't know the language. But slowly it got better. Keep going and don't give up.

    https://hanzalikovam.wixsite.com/thedailymaria

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    1. Thank you very much! It has been hard so far, especially with my busy schedule teaching, but I have woken up this morning and the sun is out, so I am off to do some exploring today! In terms of the language, I am picking it up really well again! Thanks for reading my blog, I'll give yours a read too! x

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