What’s better, what’s worse, trying to measure and rank…it’s in the human scientific spirit, isn’t it? We make hypotheses, we test and we get results. So what’s the big deal with the question here? When us humans get on the way, with our emotions, perceptions, feelings, nothing is to be taken for granted. So, while the definitive answer lies within each of us (and moreover changes over time), we thought it wouldn’t harm to list some thoughts. We leave it up to you to consider which ones are pluses, minuses, worthy challenges, or unsurpassable hurdles ;)
Language
That’s an easy one. Living in your home country can easily mean comfort, starting with your own mother language likely to be widely spoken in your country - and perhaps beyond.
Abroad: not so fast. Unless you have the luck/are planning to move to a country sharing the same language background as your own, you will see yourself struggling with new sounds, grammar and syntax. To make your life easier, you might have studied the language and anyway English can help you greatly, having become a global language of communication - albeit clearly not everywhere in the same way. Still a useful help while crossing the bridge to learn the new language.
Culture
It doesn’t take to be a traveler to have been stunned by or even fallen in love with other cultures. Movies, art, cuisine, fashion…no matter where we are, other cultures are among us. And yet what better chance to submerge yourself into a culture than actually living (in) it? Breathing it and seeing it with your own eyes. For good or bad (if you want to have a laugh, check out the Biggest cultural shocks), moving abroad will expose you to a variety of opportunities to get to know people with a different mindset, and get answers to the many questions about other cultures. And understanding others, is itself a gigantic personal growth chance and a key part of emotional intelligence.
On the flip side, getting to know a different culture can get at times extremely fatiguing. Once you live abroad the culture of the place will be all around you. Big cities will give you the chance to escape from it from time to time thanks to foreign communities and a variety of events and shops, smaller cities may be less so. The culture you discover may or may not fit you, but most importantly, will offer you the opportunity to think how much of your culture sits in you and how much of the new culture is already part of you.
Social network
Social networks (sorry, didn’t mean Tiktok and its siblings) are one of the best ways to “claim” a city, an area, to make it “ours”, to make us part of the place, and not mere witnesses.
You may have heard time and time again that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. While you may or may not agree with it, the underlying message is that us humans, we are social animals, and define our thinking and actions on the basis of what others think and do around us, shaping them in return with ours.
Now, back to our quest, what similarities and differences are there between home and abroad? One that comes to mind is that our social network is a constant rethinking. Fair enough some friendships are decades long - even I have some of my closest friends accompanying me in my life since primary school. But as we evolve over time, so does our social space. With this, enlarging or just modifying your circle at home sounds to me more like a choice. You don’t have the urgency to do it, and you may reconsider your social circle out of your own willingness. When you emigrate, your “home” social network will have to change and your friendships will need to adapt to distance. With that, you will likely add more people to your life, there where you live, which will be the perfect opportunity to “update” your friends and acquaintances to the person you have become. It will be far easier to break the chains and meet new people in a new environment than it will ever be at home.
Work / study opportunities
Here we open a chapter which should be a book on its own. Naturally the broader you think, the more loose are the boundaries, the more options you can consider. And with it the number of good (and bad) options increases. College tuition fees differ broadly in the world, and their correlation to the quality of the education is sometimes even questionable. Broadening your horizon can hugely benefit you by adding lifelong experience and that extra little bit to your resume.
When it comes to work, Visa regulations may be stricter than for study. This should not discourage you! As for education, you open your future to endless opportunities, increasing your chances of getting a (much) better paid job, with better work prospects than in your own country. Contractual conditions and job security are also important pieces of the puzzle.
On top of that, when thinking of leaving your home country, think about it as a trial, rather than a permanent decision. You came, you saw…and you may as well come back! Your future employers in your home country will definitely value your experience abroad.
Let’s talk about money
Money, money, money…many of the great things in life hardly have a price tag on it - we all appreciate it. Still, researchers (Does more money correlate with greater happiness? | Penn Today (upenn.edu)) suggest that money is directly correlated with happiness. This sounds already a good enough reason to give it a thought if you are on the brink of a life-changing decision as to where to live. Wages disparity across countries is still wide, many labour markets remain national. So yes, there are big opportunities to take for those willing to move.
The opportunities may be relatively bigger or smaller depending on what your home country is (having higher earning opportunities is on average easier for Moroccans than for Swiss people, given their home countries average income).
Bureaucracy
As Eugene McCarthy goes, “The only thing that saves us from bureaucracy is its inefficiency” - while in the meantime making the pain twice as long!
Administrative procedures are no fun. Many countries have equipped themselves with tools allowing better management of the requests. At the same time, when moving abroad the procedures can be overwhelming, especially at first. Paperwork will be king and sometimes you may start wondering what all of that has to do with you. On the silver lining, access to the administration services is getting easier and easier, with many of the procedures that can be done online. Especially if your home and destination countries have agreements in place (e.g. Schengen area).
In your home country bureaucracy might be less of a headache. At the same time, we all share a part of the bureaucratic joy either way.
Life planning
Common life challenges move forward no matter the place (live on your own, buy a house, meet a partner, change a job, start a family, just to name a few). Facing them at home has the clear advantage of letting you play on the home pitch. You know the language, the culture, the law, and are more likely to have friends who know a guy who can help. Your family is also there to support you, not only financially.
At the same time, the question is if you see yourself, your career, potentially your partner and family, growing and developing in that country. If you can reach your goals there quicker and easier than elsewhere. Other places on earth than your birthplace may come closer to the idea of life you have! If your life goal is to live by the sea, and your home country is Switzerland, well…
Conclusion
What we didn’t want to give in this article was a definitive answer. Rather, give some hints on what to consider when making the decision and give you the overall idea that, yes, moving abroad is within reach for you, and if that is really what your next challenge looks like, you will find your way ;)
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