“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
-Mark Twain
In August 2010 I Moved to China.
Why not, right? I worked for a year after I graduated university, wanted a change of scenery, and then decided to move to China for an indefinite amount of time. (Side note: that “indefinite” time lasted 1 year before I ran out of money, and didn’t want to teach English to stay there).
No Biggie. Here’s Why You Should Too:
- You are forced to learn way more than you ever ordinarily would in a year
- The potential use of an added foreign language is enormous
- It’s a guaranteed way to escape the everyday-is-the-same blues
Accelerated Learning
The degree to which you are able to learn a lot of material quickly usually depends on the urgency or how often you use it. In a new place you’ll be learning subway & bus routes, the general lay out of the city in which you live, your new house or apartment, new people, a new culture, and potentially a new language.
Learning the language is potentially one of the most telling signs of whether someone knows the culture or not. I’ll talk about that a little later.
Yeah moving to a new place is nerve-wrecking, and troublesome, and at times overwhelming. But that’s the point. Only once you get beyond the boundary (the “I already have this skill down pat” boundary) do you begin to evolve. Stay tuned for my post on FLOW, which will go way deeper into this idea of seriously accelerating learning of skills, improving quality of life, and providing you with daily reasons to be happy. It’s ridiculously important.
我喜欢吃狗肉 (Translation: I like Eating Dog Meat)
Honestly, It’s not bad tasting. A little stringy and fatty, but who knows what kind of dog it was I ate. I hope it was cute, like that little doggie there =>
Regarding the myriad potential uses of another language:
From fun to practical:
- It makes you seem wordly (and you become worldly in the process)
- Awesome benefits while traveling (useful, fun, meet new friends)
- It makes you feel accomplished. You’ve just learned a skill.
- More job opportunities (Contingent upon what language, and what location)
- Huge insight into the culture in which it originated
Escape the 9-5 Zombie Blues
Remember when you were little and everything was exciting, life was fresh and every time you woke up there was an adventure to be had?
What does it feel like today? I’d bet you feel like…. most of the rest of humanity. Monotony. Boredom. Routines. A little spice here and there. But mostly it’s that “content” everything is fine feeling.
And that “fine” feeling is insidious, because you think it’s okay. If someone were to ask if you were happy, I bet you’d respond “Hmmm.. yeah, I think so.” Really convincing.
A while back I read an article discussing theories as to why life becomes less fresh and captivating over time. A theory that stuck out to me was this: As we get older, new experiences become more and more scarce.
Seen that flower. Seen that dog. Played that game. Learned to ride a bike. Seen this scenery 500 times. I know how to get around town.
Living abroad is an opportunity to be brand spankin’ new. Although there will be routine, there will guaranteed be fresh experiences every day, there will be serious connections that you make, there will be guaranteed learning, and you will most certainly escape the “worker bee” feeling.
Cheese Cake, Chocolate Mousse, Tiramisu… Too Many Options
The last reason I’d suggest moving abroad? Exposure. Exposure to a greater variety of things gives you the potential to find something you really latch onto and are passionate about.
And this is the single greatest reason to live abroad for any period of time.
Greater exposure to ideas, people, and opportunities will without a doubt leave your mind awake at night with possibilities. Who knows, maybe you’ll stick around longer than you thought.
The potential for “aha” moments (regarding ideas) and connections (regarding people) is huge. Remember, more experience means more connections for your brain to make.
Why Languages Are The Sum Total of Culture
There are a couple reasons why a language gives you huge insight into the culture. I’ll briefly jump in and give you a few personal examples:
- Sayings and idioms in a language often have historical and cultural roots. E.g. Chinese has 成语, which are idioms usually based upon historical tales。For example, 塞翁失马 (“The Old Man Lost His Horse”) comes from an old Taoist story, and essentially means something along the lines of a “blessing in disguise”.
- Languages have idiosyncrasies that often tell much about a particular culture’s way of thinking: e.g. words that are untranslatable. 关系 Guanxi is a good example in chinese, because it means much more than simply “connections.” Guanxi also forms a massive part of Chinese culture, even in modern China.
- Languages are obviously how the culture’s people interact, and thus are necessary if you want to get the inside scoop
What Do You Think?
Have you lived abroad?
Do you plan to live abroad?
Is it worthwhile? Are there reasons not to? Any horror stories? Feel free to share..
Snag my free report "What The Hell Should I Do With My Life?"
My guide will help you figure out:
- What the hell to do with your life
- Why life feels so unfulfilling - even though you might have it all
- Why pursuing success and searching for happiness actually make you less successful and less happy
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome post… Lived in Prague, CR for 7 months and it was amazing.
Haha it is really incomparable right? Between the international crowds you find to party with, the language barriers, the various language to learn and places to go (esp. in Europe), it beats the hell out of “ordinary existence.” I think if I had to give a person one tip to make life really come alive again it would be to move to another country for a year. And learn the language.
Which part of China were you in? I shipped off to Beijing for a year after graduation and it was the best decision ever. The people I met and the things I saw and what they left me with were life-changing
Hey Lylim,
I was also in Beijing. I thought it was a ridiculously cool city, I made the most international crew of friends I ever have, by far, and got to pick up a sweet language in the meantime. What were you doing there? When I came back people tried to compare places like New York city to Beijing, but it really is incomparable. Granted, there are things i didn’t like, but It was overwhelmingly enjoyable to be there and I plan on going back.
Just interested what other theories exist or you came across about people losing that certain vigor for life with age?
Enjoyed this Alex! Moving was certainly the best thing I ever did in the sense of accelerating learning. Having a basis for comparison, and developing a second set of ideas has even introduced me to a culture at home I had never even noticed or just taken for granted, even though I had been apart of it.
Hey Alison,
I personally am unfamiliar with any other theories about losing the zest for life as one ages.
However, my personal theory is based upon my own observations: those who have a zest for life (as a general trend in their life) tend to maintain that with age, unless they are horribly disfigured or disabled.
It seems to be a trait in people that they develop. Some never do. I’m going to write some ideas on why mid-life / quarter-life crisis type stuff happens soon, so stay posted.
I lived for 6 months in Turkey and then after a year and a half went back for another 6 months until I ran out of money. I lived in Istanbul. It was a great experience. I wrote a lot of poetry, drank a lot or tea, met a lot of amazing people, smoked a lot of ciggys, discovered how nice the black sea is when no ones there, how nice it is to ride a train to work, how vfun international love affairs can be, how crazy it is to teach English, How little English I really understood or knew, and what it’s like to live everyday as if you have no idea what will happen. I can not wait to live somewhere new. I’ve been in america for almost two years now and I feel the itch more than ever..although no one understands why I keep going back.
Jasmine, isn’t it ridiculously amazing?
I’ve lived in Switzerland & China, and I’m headed back to China soon, and I agree 100% with everything you wrote.
International love affairs, teaching english, how little you know your mother tongue.. and living life as a surprise. God it’s impossible to return home after.
No one will understand you — no worries. But once you move abroad, everyone understands you. I’ve been in the US now for 3 months and I’m leaving by spring. Describing that form of life is incomparable to living it, thus the reason why others have no clue what makes it so enjoyable.
I am from the US, and I have traveled to all 50 states (driving thru the lower 48 for 4 years), to most of the continents except Antarctica and Asia, and would hope to hit my favorite countries on this planet before I exit, and the thing I have learned is that people are fundamentally the same, everywhere.
A philosopher once said…
“People travel to faraway places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home.”
If you need to go far to get that feeling of incorporation into humanity, then more power to you for seeking it out, but humans are the same everywhere, and that’s why you connect anywhere. To say people don’t understand travelling is presumptuous at best. To say they have no clue what makes it enjoyable is a form of condescension or maybe speaks to the quality of those around you.
I am sorry you cannot get your connection where you were born or are a resident, but I’m glad you had the guts to seek it out elsewhere, as far as that may take you. If I were you, I would not presume that people can’t get that same feeling you describe within 100 yards of wherever they happen to be. For many, it does not take a trip to another part of the world to get that feeling.
Happy Travels!
Jookyone,
I totally agree with what you’re saying, however there is one thing.
It’s easy for us to say traveling to find far off exotic things is useless, because people are people, with the same concerns, no matter where you go. But the cruel irony of life is that you need to go to those places before you come to the revelation, otherwise it doesn’t make sense. If someone told me that before I started traveling it would have gone in one ear and out the other.
Also, I think you need to understand where I come from — I’m merely playing the Devil’s Advocate and want to make myself and others think. If I come off as insulting it’s deliberate
.
For a long time I’ve wanted to visit wise men and philosophers all over the world, and people always caution me — you’ll find it right where you are. Just like the old meditation texts, right? Well I think it’s another case of irony – the journey is required to realize the journey wasn’t needed.
Good points, and you have certainly not insulted me. I play a little devil’s advocate myself.
Travel safe.
I completely agree with you about the language thing; the interplay between language, thought, and culture is absolutely fascinating! And immersion is without a doubt the fastest route to fluency. During my first trip to Brazil, I learned more Portuguese in 3 months than my students do in two years of purely classroom study.
However, I think the wonderfulness of living in another country can depend on your financial situation. My first year in Brazil, I had a sweet research grant with a fixed stipend that allowed me to put $600/month into savings and do whatever I wanted. My second year, I was telecommuting, being paid U.S. wages complete with benefits, and the dollar was still strong against the Brazilian real.
But in my third year, I’ve pieced together an income from freelance teaching and translating, which means I no longer have the time or money to really do many of the things that I originally loved about Brazil. From January to March, I struggle to pay the rent since many of my students are on vacation (of which I get none).
Of course, this isn’t to say that I’d rather not live in Brazil
It’s just a little disappointing when the challenges of living abroad are no longer humorous language mistakes or interesting cross-cultural situations… and instead become mundane worries like finances and overwork and stress, you know?
Brasilicana –
Yeah money unfortunately gives you the ability to do what you want with life — or has the potential to serious hinder opportunities.
When I was in China I had a lot of money saved — I worked a job I wasn’t crazy about for a year, saved like a mad man, and had a ton of cash to travel & party with.
I went a little crazy seeing everything and doing everything, and near the end, when my friends were going to Mongolia or parties on Aircraft carriers in Tianjin I was sitting at home.
It also depends where you live – the expat lifestyle is great in Asia for example. I can live like a millionaire for just 30k USD/year. I don;t know what it’s like in Brazil but that’s an important quality I need to meditate on when I live abroad next.
Alex
I was in Oregon, USA for 7 months few years ago. Well to be honest, I got culture shock when I landed at San Francisco airport. The shock stayed with me for awhile. But those 7 months are my most memorable moments in life. Gain a lot of life lessons. I miss Oregon!
Ann,
where are you originally from? It’s funny, moving across the world definitely changes people — you’re forced to learn so much so quickly. I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Alex
{ 1 trackback }