Moving to another country comes with a lot of different kinds of challenges. If you try to immerse yourself in the local culture you’ll realize how enriching this experience can be. We talked to a few Filipinos and they gave us a few tips on how to adapt in a foreign country.
Learn the Language
The best way to connect with people is to learn the local language. Locals appreciate foreigners who make an effort to speak their language and of course it will be way easier to socialize, live, and work in your new environment, too. Ensuring you have the knowledge to say the basics is considered courteous and can be very helpful in everyday life, such as learning how to order your own meal at a restaurant.
Explore Life Abroad by Living Like a Local
Being Filipino, you should never forget where you came from. However, it won’t be beneficial for you if you keep on hanging out with your kabababayans only or eat mostly Filipino food at home. Instead, try to fully engage in the new local culture. Curiosity will be your best friend in this case. Hence, don’t be shy to mingle with locals, eat local delicacies, learn social customs and attend city festivals. You’ll see how much fun you’ll have!
Build a Social Network
Building genuine connections with other people is one of the main keys to feel fully integrated in your new country of choice. Talking to other people who have left their country to live somewhere else can be very useful when it comes to sharing certain experiences like registering your address at the city hall or how to open a bank account. However, making friends with locals helps to understand the foreign country with its customs better and to feel less like an outsider. So go ahead and introduce yourself to your new neighbors, sign up for some fitness classes or try something completely new. As long as you keep being proactive, I’m sure you’ll be able to make new friendships 🙂
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