Embracing Local Living: How You Can Quickly Feel at Home in a New Country
Do you also think some people feel less like an outsider in a new country? You can say that it’s their personality and they’re just cool people. If that’s not you and adjusting to a different culture seems daunting, you don’t need to worry, though. With a few strategic approaches, it’s possible to feel at home in a relatively short time. Here are some tips specifically for expats aiming to adapt and embrace their new cultural surroundings quickly.
1. Explore the Neighborhood
As an expat, step away from tourist hubs and delve into local neighborhoods. Wander through bustling markets, sip coffee at corner cafés, and interact with residents. These authentic experiences offer a glimpse into daily life and the local community.
2. Don’t Miss Cultural Events and Festivals
Attend cultural events and festivals happening in your area. These vibrant celebrations often showcase traditional music, dance, and culinary delights, providing a crash course in local customs and traditions.
3. Try the Local Cuisine
Food is a universal language. Dive into the local cuisine by exploring restaurants, street food stalls, and markets. Try local dishes not only familiar to your taste buds but also open doors to new experiences and tastes.
4. Volunteer in Your Community
Engage with the community by volunteering or participating in local projects. Contributing your time or skills not only benefits the community but also increases your sense of belonging.
5. Learn the Language to Connect with People
While becoming fluent might not happen overnight, learning basic phrases or taking crash courses in the local language helps you with everyday interactions. And it also shows respect for the culture of your new home.
6. Use Public Transportation and Local Services
To get around, embrace the public transportation system and local services in your city. This not only aids in navigation but also provides you with insights into daily routines and the lifestyles of the locals.
7. Attend Cultural Workshops and Classes
Enroll in workshops or classes focusing on local arts, crafts, cooking, or dance. These immersive experiences offer practical insights into cultural practices and skills. And they’re a lot of fun!
8. Be More Culturally Sensitive and Adaptable
Be observant of local customs, respect social norms, and stay open-minded to different perspectives and practices. While embracing local customs, you can also respectfully share aspects of your culture to find mutual understanding and appreciation.
9. Seek Local Connections and Expatriate Communities
Networking with fellow expats and locals helps in navigating the cultural landscape and offers support during the adjustment period. You can use InterNations communities and events to meet new people and create more memories in your new home.
Starting to feel at home as an expat and not as an outsider takes effort, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace differences. By actively engaging with the culture and community, you can forge a deeper connection and create a sense of belonging in your new home.
About Beste Cevik
Beste is the Corporate Communications Intern at InterNations. She moved to Germany around a year ago and currently lives in Göttingen as a master's student. She likes to travel and learn about other cultures.
Article topics
Related articles
Embracing Your Single Expat Life on Valentine’s Day
As a single expat, Valentine’s Day can bring a slight feeling of dread as you’re reminded of your relationship status. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way! We have a few suggestions to help you embrace being single abroad on the day of love.
How to Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health while Being Stuck at Home
Feeling trapped at home all day can be challenging, and it can lead to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and cabin fever. But these feelings don’t have to be permanent! There are countless ways to improve your physical and mental wellbeing while self-isolating and working from home.
Expat Tips: Experience the Local Culture
Many expatriates that move abroad often, although unintentionally, end up in an expat bubble. Remaining in the bubble can mean missing out on all the exciting quirks the host country has to offer! So why not try out a couple of these tips to go out and experience the local culture?
The 4 Stages of Culture Shock
Culture shock is arguably the hardest part of moving abroad. There is no concrete timeline to culture shock and everyone experiences it to different degrees. But did you know it is a process with different stages? From the honeymoon phase to acceptance, where are you at in the cycle?
Embracing the New Year — Ten Ways to Start 2020 Off the Right Way
At the beginning of a new year, a lot of people make an overwhelming list of resolutions they want to keep. However, instead of drastic suggestions, we’ve compiled a list of simple and fun things that are easy to do to help you start off your year in a positive way — let’s beat the January blues!