So, you’ve decided to do solo travel and move abroad for continuing your studies, taking that position in your dream job, discovering a new culture or simply for the weather. From the moment you’ll take this decision until the day you’re stepping onto the plane, chances are you’re going to experience a bunch of different feelings.
Excitement gives way to stress then again happiness switching to regret for leaving your beloved ones behind and finally fear for the unknown. Don’t panic! It doesn’t mean you haven’t made the right choice it’s just how it goes. All you need is to follow some tips about solo travel that never failed those making this step.
Travel like a boss(ette): You want to have that unforgettable solo travel experience, too?! But maybe you have a lot of concerns about this plan, maybe friends and family are afraid as well. No worries, you should read our article about the best & safest world destinations for women travelling alone. Just to make sure…!
Preparation: Proper online research
Nowadays, there are dozens of articles online about every single country, city, neighborhood and solo travel anyway. Make sure to make proper online research to get a taste of the city’s atmosphere as well as find out what each area has to offer. In that way, you’ll start looking forward to discovering all these new places and before you know it you’ll have made a list of the things and places to see first.
Doing your research right now? You have to read these solo travel tips!
Connect with people: Use your social media
Facebook is a great tool for connecting with people you’ve never met before, especially for those moving abroad solo. You’ll find dozens of groups for expats, solo travelers and foreigners providing plenty of information useful to newcomers. And the best part is that these people have gone are about to go through the same experience.
Don’t hesitate to write a post about when you’re arriving in the country, asking for some tips or express a concern you might have. You’ll get many replies and potentially some new friends.
Also connect with your future colleagues
If you’re moving abroad for a new job, things will be much easier. The company or the institute you’ll start working will most likely provide all the necessary information and there will be a person to answer your questions.
However, you can do more than that. Connect with your future colleagues via Linkedin or Facebook and ask them about their experience in the country as well as propose to meet in person for a cup a coffee or a tour in the city.
Do you have questions like that: “But, won’t I be lonely all by myself? How weird will I look sitting alone in a restaurant? What about security? Will I be safe?” Fine, solo travel doesn’t have to be that lonely after all!
Book the right plane tickets
You don’t want to arrive in the new country one day before heading to your new job or university. Make sure to book tickets for at least one week before your starting date. This will give you the opportunity to explore the new city and be familiarised with your new house and neighborhood. Plus, you’ll have enough time to learn which means of public transportation you’ll have to use to move from and to your home as well as around the city. This makes your solo travel experience much easier.
Feel like home: Print photos of your beloved ones back home
We don’t want to get sentimental but trust us, a time will come when you’ll feel the need to decorate your room with photos of your beloved ones back home or simply take a look at them. You probably already have hundreds of photos in your laptop but nothing compares to the real thing. Print some of your favorite moments and place them in your room where you can see them whenever you feel lonely on you solo travel adventure.
Communication: Learn the language while solo travel
If you don’t speak the local language, one of the first things to do after you settle in is to enroll in a language program. Being able to communicate with locals not only will improve your social life but will also help you with everyday chores.
Don’t hesitate to start using phrases or even just words already from the early stage of your language learning journey even if you haven’t mastered the accent yet. It won’t take long until you’ll be rewarded for your try.
Keep in touch with Skype..
Downloading Skype is a no-brainer and you probably already have it installed but we couldn’t avoid including it in our list as it is super important. Keeping in touch with your family and friends in your birthplace is what will help you cope with those moments when you feel alone or worried about what’s going on back home.
These are cool apps to stay in contact with friends and family at home. But moreover, don’t forget to send postcards of the best moments of your adventure. We from MyPostcard help you to send your own pictures as real postcards.. worldwide!
…And an International calling card
Ok, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and all of these online communication platforms come in handy and you should definitely use them but there will be some moments when you’ll just need to make a good old traditional phone call. There are plenty of telecommunication companies offering prepaid sims, card for international calls or cheap call rates to hundreds of countries around the world. Choose the one that fits your needs best and call your friends for a chit chat as if you still were two blocks away.
Make the best out of your solo travel time
The sooner you realize that this will be your daily life for weeks, months and years ahead, the sooner you’ll start soaking up the experience. Spend each day as if it’s the last one in this city, be open to new people and don’t be afraid to make new friends. You may never live abroad again in your life and you don’t want to regret for the things you didn’t do.
Don’t lose touch with your friends back home
Eventually, you’ll make new friends and you’ll start enjoying your time in your new home. When that moment comes, it’s very important to not forget making your communication as frequent as before. Whether it’s via email, phone calls, Skype calls, you name it, don’t stop sharing your news and ask your people back home about theirs. That last thing you want is to feel like a stranger when you return back to your motherland.
Be prepared: the time after the solo travel adventure
After a period of time in the new city, you’ll feel like you have two home countries and when the time comes to move back to your birthplace, chances are you’ll feel like you’re once more moving abroad. Getting used to the old habits might take a while and this time you’ll be missing the friends you made while living abroad. Well, that’s part of the experience as well and you can’t avoid it. All you can do is arrange frequent trips and once again, don’t lose touch.
When you live abroad things will change anyway
Of course, after such an intensive experience of solo travel and/ or moving abroad you won’t be the same person. A lot of things will change but you’ll definitely develop yourself!
I hope these tips helped you in case you are thinking about moving abroad. Or maybe these words inspired you to think about the option of solo travel…
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