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No Power, No Coffee, 12% Battery

The secret to moving abroad isn't being fearless—it's testing the waters first and discovering how quickly a foreign place can start to feel like home.|©iStock/JulieAlexK

The lights go out just as you pour your first cup of coffee. You're in a rented apartment in a new country. Your phone has 12% battery. You don't know where the fuse box is. You're only half sure how to ask for help.

For one long moment, you wonder: Was this whole move a mistake? Then someone knocks.

It's your neighbor. She points down the street, where a repair crew is already at work. Then she offers to heat water for your coffee. Twenty minutes later, you're at her kitchen table. You've learned the names of three good bakeries. You have a new friend.

The Fear Is Normal. The Answers Are Out There.

That first morning is easy to picture. So is the fear.

When Americans think about moving abroad, they often think about what could go wrong. What if I get sick? What if I can't speak the language? What if I need a plumber, or just a cup of coffee?

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Those are good questions. Ask them. But you don't have to answer them all from your kitchen table back home. The best answers come from spending a few weeks in one place.

Live Like a Local for 3 Weeks

Skip the hotel. Rent an apartment instead. Then do the boring stuff; buy groceries, take the bus, visit a pharmacy, walk the streets on a rainy Tuesday.

These small chores tell you more than any beach photo can. They also make new things less scary. The first bus ride, you'll worry about missing your stop. By the third, you'll know right where to get off. I've lived as an expat for 40 years. I've made most of the mistakes a newcomer can make. 

That's why I tell everyone the same thing: test the everyday life before you commit to it.

Start With These 4 Questions

Bring a short list with you:

  • Can I afford the rent?

  • Can I get to a doctor easily?

  • Do I feel safe walking around?

  • Can I stay in touch with family back home?

Write down what you find. You'll forget prices and first impressions fast, especially after a great meal or a bad day.

And you will have both.

Moving overseas won't turn every day into a vacation. Bills still come. Pipes still leak. Some days you'll miss the people you left behind. That doesn't mean you made a mistake. It means you have a real life in a new place.

So give that life time to grow: Learn the name of the person at the corner shop, find a doctor before you need one, and ask your neighbors how they fix everyday problems. Most of them have faced the same problems you're facing now.

You might find that the first place you visit isn't the right fit. That's useful to know. A trial stay lets you change your mind before you sign a lease or buy a home.

International Living has been helping people make this move since 1979. In that time, our readers have learned the same lesson over and over: the ones who test the waters first are the ones who end up happiest.

The Real Secret to Moving Abroad

Here's what 40 years abroad have taught me:

You don't need to be fearless to live overseas. You just need a way to try the life out, one ordinary day at a time.

You can find neighbors like that before you go, too. That’s the idea behind IL’s Inside Track. You can join live online talks with our writers who live overseas and ask them your own questions. They’ve already had the power cuts, the leaky pipes and the bus rides to nowhere.

And if the power goes out on your first morning? Your coffee may be late. But you might meet the person who makes your new street feel like home.

Join Us in Europe in 2027!

Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece... You’ll find gorgeous, culturally rich cities and towns and beautiful sunny beaches. You can enjoy a high quality of life—yet a surprisingly low cost of living. Starting at $2,500 a month, a couple can live well. With more, you could live large.

If you’ve been dreaming of life in Europe, join us March 20-22, 2027, for International Living’s Fast Track Europe Conference. We’ll meet in Portugal’s sunny Algarve, and our focus will be on Europe’s best destinations to retire better, live well, and spend less.

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