How to avoid loneliness as a single expat

Wherever you’re headed and whatever you plan to do once you’re there, avoiding loneliness is a must.

Familiar surroundings, routine, a network of friends and family support are all things expats miss when they’re leaving the home country as a single person. These familiar comfort blankets are replaced with changes including possibly a new language, a new job and unfamiliar cultural norms. It’s no wonder that many newly-arrived expats begin to wonder whether they’ve made the worst decision of their lives to date.

If you’re moving to a popular expat destination for work purposes, the style of the local foreign community is in many ways transitory, with people coming and going to the extent it’s almost impossible to build a long-term friendship. In a majority of ways, you’re starting over, much as you did when you left uni to venture out into the real world, a world which is now drastically different and tricky to get used to. The one bonus of this situation is that, as there’s no-one actually influencing your life, you’ve the perfect chance to find the real you.

Wherever you are in the world, there are many ways to combat the crippling effects of loneliness, starting with discovering the local culture, music, cuisine and your new country’s living history. In almost all expat destinations, there’s an established expat community giving the chance to make new friends, find volunteer work if you have free time to give and get help as regards aspects of your new home you find confusing at best. Friendships found in these locations are more likely to be genuine and lasting as there’s very little competition involved.

Joining a local gym isn’t just good for your general health and fitness, as you’ll meet like-minded enthusiasts who’ve also struggled with loneliness when they first arrived. Yoga is a great way to relax and connect with your positivity, and expats who’ve settled in a coastal environment can learn new watery activities such as scuba diving or sailing. It’s worth remembering that any fitness activity is as good for your mental health as it is for your physical body, thus warding off loneliness and creating the active, rewarding new life you’re searching for.