Human beings started as nomads, and there is still a part inside us. The urge for wanderlust and adventure will always be there, driving us to see new places and meet new people. Living on the move is becoming a trend for many of the current generation. However, despite the looks on people’s profiles, there are some severe downsides to living in another place that isn’t your home.
Constantly Leaving Friends Behind
We’re all social beings, and continuously leaving our friends and maybe even our loved ones behind can be problematic in the long run. It can lead to dissociation, pessimism, and the thought that you’ll always be alone. However, you can connect with your friends digitally during this time and age.
To alleviate the stress of moving from place to place, you must contact your friends from other countries every week. Continue your relationships with them and propagate them even further. Board games are better than video games because they usually require facial interaction. This can help you bond with your faraway friends much better.
Pets
Since you can’t always have physical friends around, you might resort to pets. However, it might be an inefficient decision if you decide to bring pets with you if you’re always on the move. It might hinder your flexibility and mobility since you have to take care of your fur baby. Moreover, continuously moving can be problematic for some dogs and cats. They still have to adapt to the new surroundings. However, it’s still possible to make it happen.
If you want to have a fur baby with you alongside your on-the-move lifestyle, then you’re going to need to make a few preparations. The first preparation is a bit of change in your lifestyle. Much like children, it takes time for pets to adapt to new surroundings. So you’re going to need to wait for them to adjust and let them enjoy the new place for a while. Avoid moving to a new place every three months or so, as this will stress out your pet considerably, especially if they’re still young.
You should also consider getting a car. But don’t worry if you can’t afford one. You can choose to hire a shared pet transport service instead. It’s a safe way for your pet to travel from place to place, and it also gives them time to socialize with other pets. Moreover, it’s cheaper because you share the payment with others.
Having pets can be problematic if you’re always on the move, but if you can pull it off, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have.
Citizenship and Residency
Constantly living from one place to another results in this one goal disappearing from your list: becoming a citizen and permanently residing in one place.
Settling down is something we want in our lives. But unlike having pets and friends, there isn’t a compromise for permanent residency if you like living on the move. It’s just too inefficient, and paying for a home while home prices are rising back in the US will drain your financial accounts.
You might think that it’s a good investment option, and you might change your mind someday and that you’d want to settle down. However, the depreciation of the home will take over by the time this happens, and say goodbye to your investment then.
Sadly, there isn’t a real compromise for this part, and many would argue that it’s the only real disadvantage of living abroad. But saving up your funds while living on the move can certainly help you prepare for a time when you want to settle down.
Homesickness
Lastly, we have to talk about homesickness. Living abroad will always result in this, and it’s one of the main reasons people eventually give up the on-the-move lifestyle. Sure, it might look and feel good during the first few years, but homesickness will ultimately catch up to you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Living abroad is a tough but rewarding lifestyle. It teaches you to be independent and to be always on your toes. It also helps you see the world’s beauty. Some people may even find a new perspective living this way. Some may even feel the peace they are looking for in their life.
However, it can also mean living from paycheck to paycheck or the inability to have a pet, a home, or even physical friends. It might be fun living abroad and always on the move, but eventually, you’d want to find a place to call home. This is why you should always save money from whatever job you’re doing because when that day comes, you’d be prepared for it.
