2019年02月23日
Moving to a new country advice
Recently, I've been listening to podcasts and reading articles in relation to phone addiction and happiness. As I learned more and more about the topic, I began to think how this could affect people living abroad. I hypothesize that it's quite possible for people who live abroad to be slightly more susceptible to becoming addicted to their phone, which in turn may contribute to a declining view of their own happiness. I know we will continue to employ new teachers in the near future so I thought bringing this to light may be helpful.
Moving anywhere is considered a major life event. When you move, you change many of your routines and adjusting to them may be difficult. Now lets look at moving to a new country, maybe one you may not even know the language. For one, you don't have access to your friends or family for help, and two, everything you were used to in your home country is most likely completely different in your new country such as the food (grocery shopping), the living situation such as space and heating and cooling, etc. Now add a new job, which mostly likely is a change in career for you or perhaps your first job out of college, and you have many major life changes to juggle. Some people may be fine adjusting to new routines and a new way of life, while others find it more difficult. If you are one who finds it more difficult, stay away from your phone.
Social media is a huge problem today. It gives us a high and instant gratification. In other words, it makes us happy. However, this happiness is extremely fleeting and unstable. This is what keeps us coming back to social media for more. If you miss your friends or family, or perhaps feel distressed because you are in a country alone and may not know the language, do not fret. There are plenty of people here who are going through the same thing and are willing to help you through it. Do not waste hours on your phone browsing Facebook or Instagram. The time you're on your phone missing your friends and family could be the time you could be traveling the wonderful place you moved to or meeting your new, close friends. Comparing your life to your friends back at home will do you no good. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday and go up from there. You made the decision to come here and I guarantee you, it will be one of the best decisions you ever made. You just have to make the best of it.
Moving anywhere is considered a major life event. When you move, you change many of your routines and adjusting to them may be difficult. Now lets look at moving to a new country, maybe one you may not even know the language. For one, you don't have access to your friends or family for help, and two, everything you were used to in your home country is most likely completely different in your new country such as the food (grocery shopping), the living situation such as space and heating and cooling, etc. Now add a new job, which mostly likely is a change in career for you or perhaps your first job out of college, and you have many major life changes to juggle. Some people may be fine adjusting to new routines and a new way of life, while others find it more difficult. If you are one who finds it more difficult, stay away from your phone.
Social media is a huge problem today. It gives us a high and instant gratification. In other words, it makes us happy. However, this happiness is extremely fleeting and unstable. This is what keeps us coming back to social media for more. If you miss your friends or family, or perhaps feel distressed because you are in a country alone and may not know the language, do not fret. There are plenty of people here who are going through the same thing and are willing to help you through it. Do not waste hours on your phone browsing Facebook or Instagram. The time you're on your phone missing your friends and family could be the time you could be traveling the wonderful place you moved to or meeting your new, close friends. Comparing your life to your friends back at home will do you no good. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday and go up from there. You made the decision to come here and I guarantee you, it will be one of the best decisions you ever made. You just have to make the best of it.
