The pros and cons of emigrating

So you’ve spotted an advert for the job you want, applied, and won the interviewer over with your amazing personality. Then comes the phone call: you’ve got the job! There’s one tiny thing bothering you though. The job is abroad. As in, halfway-around-the-world abroad.

Securing a job and new life in Australia may seem like the perfect opportunity: with year-round sun, beaches everywhere you look and a huge pay increase, you’d be mad to turn it down right? But before you pack your bags and jump on the plane without a second look back, there are several factors you need to take into consideration. Below, we weigh up the pros and cons of making that big move abroad.

Pros

When people decide to emigrate, most do it for the change of lifestyle. This can mean a number of different things; from a different culture or climate to a new career or family. And as obvious as it sounds, there are usually more positives than negatives for considering the move, or you wouldn’t be considering it in the first place! Emigrating can mean a fresh start: a completely new opportunity to really start your life over again. The chance to get a different job, new friends and a completely new lifestyle is often very appealing.

If the place you’re planning on moving to is in a warmer climate than the UK (and to be honest, where isn't?), it means a chance to spend more time outdoors and take up new hobbies that you perhaps hadn’t considered before. The warmer climate also means friends and family may be keen to visit you often: free accommodation? Sounds good! When you emigrate, phone calls, letters and emails will become the new normal, and those visits you do get will be truly appreciated. Being in a new environment means a chance to explore and find new places to call your own, and for the first few months can make it seem like you’re on an extended holiday.

Cons

The initial decision to move abroad might seem like the most obvious choice in the world, but you should take time to reconsider the cons. The biggest downside of living in another country is definitely leaving friends and family behind. It will never be an easy thing to do, but arranging a date for them to visit you in your new home can make saying goodbye that little bit easier. And with the easy availability of Skype and the internet, talking everyday with loved ones will become the easiest thing in the world. It’s important to keep reminding yourself of the reasons why you’re moving in the first place. It can be difficult in a new environment with no familiarity, but rather than thinking of this as a negative, try and turn it into something positive.

If you become frustrated with not being able to quickly adapt into your new surroundings, there are many ways to overcome this. Look upon each problem as a challenge: if you’re having trouble meeting people, look into local clubs or visit coffee shops and strike up conversation. If you’ve emigrated somewhere that has a completely different culture to the UK, try and learn the local language as soon as possible (and possibly meet people in the same situation as you while you’re doing it), and consider joining some local groups that will help you get to know the natives. These small steps will help you remove some of the main cons of emigrating; hopefully meaning the pros will definitely outweigh the cons.

Helen Lock