"For my entire life, I'd dreamed of moving to a different country. In 2020, I did just that, leaving my job in my home state of Washington to spend six months living in Montreal with my then-partner. From there, I continued my adventures living abroad, spending a year in Luxembourg to study multilingual education while working part-time, followed by just under two years in France (small-town Provence and Paris)."
"I had some incredible experiences, and I'm sure my Instagram feed made it look like my commute involved cobblestone streets and fresh pastries and my weekends were always spent hiking the Alps or drinking wine by the Mediterranean. However, life abroad still had its stressors. About five years later, I gave up on the instability of constant visa renewal and just moved back to the US - and I now know the overly rosy takes on social media don't always paint a full picture."
"Finding employment abroad requires determination and flexibility Like in the US, employers abroad often prioritize hiring citizens and permanent residents. Many countries have strict requirements for hiring foreigners, and it can be costly for businesses when you factor in things like visa sponsorship or relocation costs. Finding the golden opportunity that will sponsor you usually means doing something different and often for less pay."
I moved abroad in 2020, spending six months in Montreal, a year in Luxembourg studying multilingual education while working part-time, and nearly two years in France (Provence and Paris). The experience provided memorable moments but also stressors; social media presented an idealized life. Employers abroad often favor citizens and permanent residents, making sponsored jobs rare and costly for businesses. To secure work, I accepted lower-paid or short-term roles like a government language assistant and a university contractor, resulting in repeated visa renewals and ongoing job searches until returning to the US after five years.
Read at Business Insider
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