Taking that leap of faith and moving abroad as a single woman is a life-changing experience.

It’s your opportunity to take yourself out of your comfort zone, fully immerse yourself in a foreign culture, and reinvent yourself as the person you’ve always truly wanted to be.

Of course, you know all that.

Moving abroad alone can seem daunting, and at points, you might find the thought quite overwhelming. Don’t let fear eclipse the excitement of this massive turning point in your life!

After you’ve searched for a comprehensive moving abroad checklist to address all the nitty-gritty practical matters involved in the move, you can turn your attention to planning your new life abroad as a single woman.

When you feel prepared for the move, you’ll be able to release your anxiety and embrace the atmosphere.

Question Yourself

Give yourself a mini interview, asking yourself what you really want to gain from this experience.

Do you want to transform into an urban socialite, free to hit the town every weekend? Or are you an introspective type looking for a safe haven to work on your writing?

Think about what type of personality you have and what your goals are for this big step when deciding where to call your new home.

Consider the climate, population size, landscape, language, and culture.

Be completely honest with yourself about your desires for this transition. It’s important to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but if you venture too far out of it, you may struggle to relax and take in the experience.

Do Some Research

Narrow down your quest for the ultimate new home town by getting stuck into some research.

As a single woman, you need to stay alert, safe, and retain a strong sense of independence. Moving to an area that has a low crime rate and high rankings for gender equality will certainly help with this.

Places like Iceland, Denmark, Austria, and Hawaii are always raised as examples of areas that are excellent for single female expats.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search, check out the ‘stay safe’ section of the Wikitravel page for the various cities you have your eye on. Look out for rough neighbourhoods, common scams, and anything else that might put you in danger when travelling solo.

Having this information will appease your concerned friends and family members, who will no doubt have raised their concerns about your safety and happiness on multiple occasions.

Knowing that you can explore the area you’re moving to freely and safely will help you to establish your autonomy, allowing you to explore new avenues for personal growth.

Brush Up Your Linguistic Skills

Break down the language barrier standing in the way of your potential self-sufficiency.

Commit to learning the local language, setting aside some time each day to practice.

As you become more fluent, your communication with locals will be smoother, allowing you to assimilate better with the population.

When you can speak the local language, locals will warm up to you. It shows that you’re taking this move seriously and you want to integrate yourself into the community, ready to embrace the new opportunities presented to you.

Reach Out To Expats

Whilst you might have high hopes of jumping off of the plane and straight into the arms of the local community, it won’t be that straightforward!

Moving to an area where there is already an expat community from your native country can smooth out your transition whilst you get to know the area and the locals.

The expat community can act like a safety net for times of loneliness or confusion, forming a strong core of potentially lifelong friends.

These expats will be well-versed in day-to-day living in the new area. They can show you the ropes, pointing out great hangout spots or giving you tips for local vendors and services.

Keep an eye out for other single female expats in particular. They will be in a very similar situation to you, free to concoct new plans on a whim, not tied to anyone else.

Meet The Locals

Be vary of siphoning yourself off into the dreaded expat bubble!

Actively reach out to local residents through groups on social media or by frequenting local hotspots. Befriend your neighbours and co-workers too.

Having connections who are native to the area will offer you a different perspective from your expat friends. They have a strong emotional connection to their area and a far more in-depth understanding of the culture and custom, which they can relay to you.

You are moving abroad for a taste of a different world, so networking with natives will fully enhance your experience.

Get Active

There will be so much to see, do, and explore in your new home, so prepare to be very active!

If you enjoyed a particular hobby at home, source out a club for it in your new area. Or maybe try your hand at something new!

Be on the lookout for events to attend and groups to sign up to, pushing yourself at every opportunity. Always broaden your horizons.

Embrace Single Expat Life

Just because you’re single doesn’t mean that you can’t push the boundaries and explore the world.

Being a single expat is liberating. You have nothing and noone anchoring you down, allowing you to explore your new life exactly as you please.

Prepare yourself properly and soak up the whole experience – it’s going to be some adventure.

About the Author

Based in drizzly London town, Laura Fields is a recent escapee from the topsy-turvy world of magazine journalism. Now an online writer, she specialises in exploring the best of home, travel and lifestyle.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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