Before moving on to the next chapter of this blog series, I would like to give my own personal opinion about the ‘Emotional side of living abroad’. Before you read any further, please make sure to read Decision to Move Abroad Pt.1
Living Abroad: The First Emotion: Letting Go of the Life You Know
Did you ever have to move houses? When you go to a new house, you get a happy feeling, but at the same time, that sad feeling of what you are leaving behind:
the streets you are accustomed to,
the familiar voices,
the familiar routines,
the neighbourhood
You might be saying this to yourself, “I am giving up the life that I have always known”. Good or not so good, I don’t think it matters; I am leaving everything behind.
It’s not sadness — it’s a soft grief mixed with hope.
This emotional shift is often the first sign that you’re ready for change. It’s the moment when comfort stops feeling like safety and starts feeling like limitation.
In my personal opinion, it is the same feeling when you have made up your mind to move abroad, even though I think that it is a bit more complex, but you get the gist.
Living Abroad: The Second Emotion: The Fear of the Unknown
Even the most courageous. The “Butterflies” sensation. Start to imagine: a new country, new rules, new people, new expectations.
It’s the fear of :
- not fitting in.
- not understanding the culture.
- not speaking the language well enough.
- not finding your place.
Once I read this quote on social media, it hit me as it is so relevant to my situation.
Living abroad teaches you that courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s moving forward despite it.
Living Abroad: The Third Emotion
Rediscovering Yourself
This is the part no one warns you about — the beautiful part.
When you live abroad, you meet a version of yourself you’ve never met before.
You discover:
- How adaptable you are
- How resourceful you can be
- How open your heart becomes
It’s like peeling back layers of routine and rediscovering the person underneath.
This is why so many people describe living abroad as transformational.
Living Abroad: The Fourth Emotion
Living Abroad: Creating a New Home
Home stops being a place. Home becomes a feeling.
It becomes:
- the café where the barista learns your name
- the neighbour who waves every morning
- the street you walk so often it becomes yours
- the view that makes you breathe deeper
This is the moment when you realise:
“I didn’t just move abroad. I built a new life.”
Living Abroad: The Sixth Emotion: Feeling More Alive
Living abroad awakens parts of you that routine had put to sleep.
You notice:
- The colours of the sky
- The taste of food
- The sound of new languages
- The rhythm of new cultures
- The joy of small discoveries
Every day becomes a story. Every moment becomes a memory. Every challenge becomes a victory.
This is the emotional reward of living abroad — the feeling of being fully alive.
Eventually, something beautiful happens.
I realise you belong to two worlds.
Malta will always be my roots. My new country becomes my wings.
And I learnt that belonging isn’t about choosing one place over another — it’s about allowing my heart to expand.
Links to help us understand better
The 7 Emotional Stages of Moving Abroad (Why So Many Expats Feel Lost at First)
by Theresa Dilick
Exploring the emotional toll of moving abroad: what does it look like?
by Francesca Lo Verso
Final Thought
Living abroad is not just a relocation — it’s a transformation.
It’s the courage to step into the unknown.
It’s the willingness to grow.
It’s the acceptance that life has chapters… and this one might be the most meaningful yet.
