There is so much excitement involved in a move abroad. You are changing your entire life and making big changes that will have a huge impact in your life – sometimes, you don’t even see the impacts coming. Most of the impacts of moving to a new place are positive ones. You get to experience new cultures, try new foods and you get the chance to work with new people, too.
No matter how well you integrate into a new culture – even one that speaks English – you are going to feel homesick. You’ll adopt a new place to live, and still wish you knew how to get BBC iPlayer in the USA to watch your favorite soaps! You can buy a house and gain citizenship, but that doesn’t mean you won’t miss the taste of food you grew up with. Even when you’re prepared, you might still end up with culture shock so let’s take a look at how you can make your new country feel like your new home.

1. Bring things you love. Your furniture, your favourite photos, your favourite recipes? All of those can go with you to the new house. You can make a point of bringing everything that makes you feel like you’re at home. When you know you have something familiar with you; you will find it much easier to settle than you thought.
2. Work on building your village. Social media is fantastic for this, but you can work on building your network before you arrive in your new country. Join the local social media groups and start making new friends with expats just like you. You can then ask all your questions and learn all about the local area, arranging meetups with friends that will help you to integrate. 
3. Study up! This is even more important if you are going to a country with a new language. You need to study the local phrases and learn your way around. Your preferred method of travel may be very different compared to being at home, and you need to learn all about your new location. Study maps, learn the language with some help from apps and books and learn how you can maneuver once you land. 
4. Pick a new place to relax. When you are in your home country, you likely have a specific place that you call yours to relax and discover. Well, in your new country you need to do the same and find your new favorite place to relax. Whether this be a new beach or a hilltop somewhere, picking a new place can make you feel more grounded.
5. Be patient. It takes time to integrate into and feel connected to a new community. Have some patience here; you won’t feel like you’re at home overnight and it’s important that you connect to yourself before you worry too much about connecting to others. Settle in and don’t expect miracles overnight. You want your new country to feel homely, and this is how you do it.