Destination: "Life Abroad"

Choosing the Country to Move To. First Step.

New column for #coachforbreakfast: Destination “Life Abroad”. Through this series, I will provide useful guidance to help you plan your life and career abroad. Shall we begin?

There are 205 countries in the world, 195 of which are officially recognized as sovereign states, spread across 4, 5, 6, or 7 continents, depending on the classification you follow. Norwegian journalist Gunnar Garfors took three years to travel around the world, visiting every single country and setting foot on every continent. In short, there are countless places where you could start your life abroad.

But the real question is: where would you like to live?

There are plenty of websites and indexes that can help us choose the best country to move to. Some are based on the personal experiences of expats around the world—their perceptions and lived experiences. Others rely on indicators such as quality of life, safety, healthcare system, natural environment, and more. I will talk about these indexes in the next step!

Beyond these indexes, what else should you consider when choosing a country? If you think about it, those who move abroad often settle in places where others have emigrated for similar reasons. I left Italy, yet plenty of Dutch people have immigrated to Italy and would never leave!

If I had decided to move abroad when I was still single, I probably would have prioritized my career, choosing a place with better professional growth opportunities and higher security. As a couple, we might have opted for a more dynamic and stimulating place—maybe France (so I could have skipped the struggle of learning Dutch!) or even the other side of the world!

In my opinion, two fundamental factors should guide your priorities:

1. Your relationship status – Moving abroad alone or with family leads to completely different, sometimes even opposite, considerations.

2. Your age – No matter how open and adaptable you are, studies show that moving abroad at a young age influences both adaptation to the new environment and the length of stay.

   
   

These two factors help shape your priorities and define what you truly want for yourself.

First step in choosing a country: start with real data and use it to outline your priorities.