Living in Spain as an American has taught me lessons I could never have learned through travel alone. My friends at home have asked how moving abroad changes you or what the living abroad experience is really like—and after more than a year immersed in Spanish culture, I can confidently say that life overseas transforms your perspective, confidence, and daily habits in ways a short trip never can.
Moving abroad is uncomfortable at first. From navigating language barriers to figuring out the local culture, every day brings unique challenges. But these challenges make the experience of living abroad so powerful.
In this post, I’ll share the five ways that moving abroad as an American changed me forever, and the lessons you can apply if you’re considering a move abroad yourself.
Table of Contents
- Why Moving Abroad Changes You More Than Travel Ever Could
- 1. My Mental Health Improved After Moving Abroad
- 2. Culture Shock Changed My Perspective
- 3. Expat Identity: Belonging Everywhere and Nowhere
- 4. Work-Life Balance and Money Mindset Shifted
- 5. Living Abroad Made Me More Confident
- Is Moving Abroad Worth It?
- FAQs About Moving Abroad
- Final Thoughts
Why Moving Abroad Changes You More Than Travel Ever Could
Many people wonder how moving abroad changes you compared to travel, and after more than a year living in Spain, I can confidently say the living abroad experience transforms you in ways a two-week trip never could.
When you travel, you really just dip your toes into a culture without getting to know it too deeply. You notice small differences in how they do things and pick up on what you might like and dislike about the culture. But you often stick to touristy areas or don’t have the same in-depth understanding of the local culture.
When you live abroad, you are rooted into the community. You meet your neighbors, hear their stories, get to know the grocery checkout worker, and become a regular at your favorite restaurant. All of these things profoundly impact your experience and teach you new lessons that you could never get from travel alone.
Having lived in Spain for over a year, here are the expat lessons that I’ve walked away with so far.
1. My Mental Health Improved After Moving Abroad
After moving from the U.S. to Spain, I noticed an unexpected shift in my mental health after moving abroad. I never realized how on-edge I was in my day-to-day life until I moved abroad to Spain and put myself in a different culture and environment.
Instead of always looking over my shoulder, crafting an exit plan in case of an active shooter, hoarding my savings in case of a medical emergency, and feeling like I could lose my job at any moment, in Spain I felt like I could actually breathe.
Here, I don’t have to worry about guns. I feel safe walking home at night. I have universal healthcare, and never have to worry about going into debt if I need care. Workers are protected with stricter laws around work/life balance and dismissal. All of these things to me add up to a huge increase in the quality of my life, and one of the most surprising emotional changes after moving abroad was how much my nervous system relaxed.
What this taught me: Safety and social systems dramatically impact mental health when living abroad.
2. Culture Shock Changed My Perspective
I’ve learned that the way we do things in the U.S. isn’t “normal”. For example, I used to eat dinner around 6pm and be in bed at 9:30pm. Here in Spain, I often eat dinner at 9pm and stay up to 11pm or midnight during the week, especially if I’m meeting up with friends.
In the U.S. I felt like everything revolved around work, and one of the first questions you ask when you meet someone new was “what do you do for work?”. Now after living in Spain for over a year, I can confidently say I’ve never been asked that question the first time I meet someone new. While that was “normal” in the U.S., it’s not at all normal here to center your identity or your perception of people on how they pay their bills.
This is what culture shock after moving abroad actually looks like; not dramatic breakdowns, but subtle perspective shifts.
My perspective has shifted greatly on topics like immigration after experiencing it myself. When you move abroad, it makes you challenge your beliefs and forces you to be more open to new ways of doing things.
What this taught me: Nobody is right about everything, and moving abroad forces you to be more open.
If you’re moving somewhere with a different language, investing early in language learning makes the adjustment dramatically smoother. I used Preply for 1:1 tutoring and it made a huge difference in my confidence speaking with locals in Spanish.
Get 50% off by clicking on the image linked below!
3. Expat Identity: Belonging Everywhere and Nowhere
One of the hardest parts of living abroad is feeling like there’s always another side to you that people you meet abroad don’t know. Half of your heart is in your home country, and the other half abroad.
When you move abroad, you do feel like an outsider at times. But if you’re the type of person who moved abroad, I bet that feeling isn’t new to you.
It’s hard to balance not feeling like you fit in at “home” while also navigating you don’t naturally fit right in abroad either.
Over time, I realized this feeling has a name: reverse culture shock and expat identity shift. While I don’t think this necessarily goes away, I do think you get better at navigating it with time and experience.
What this taught me: Home is wherever you are, even as your identity changes.
4. Work-Life Balance and Money Mindset Shifted
One of the biggest differences in European work culture vs the U.S. is the emphasis on work-life balance in Spain.
In Spain we work to live, and not the other way around. Living abroad has helped me mend my relationship with work quite a bit, and while work is still work, you realize it’s not the most important thing in the world.
Here in Spain, people prioritize time with family, taking holiday, and protecting their wellbeing. In the U.S. it’s common for people to go to work sick, take minimal PTO, and drain themselves working for the next promotion that may or may not ever come. Shifting this mindset is huge for mental health, and I think it only helps your health and outlook on life if you realize that lesson early and set your priorities accordingly.
In tandem with the new relationship to work, I also feel my mindset around money shifting greatly. The lower cost of living in Spain forced us to examine our priorities around money and saving. After moving abroad, I had to ask myself what are our savings really for? In the U.S., the answer was an emergency fund, retirement, in case one of us gets sick, and a future house.
Now that we’re in Spain, yes we’ve still prioritized having an emergency fund and retirement savings, but now we feel like we can dream bigger and not base our financial decisions on fear. Now we save for our dream of buying a house in Italy, travel, and potentially a future family.
What this taught me: Living abroad can give you a healthier perspective on work and finances.
5. Living Abroad Made Me More Confident
Living abroad builds resilience in a way nothing else quite can.
Once you pack up your entire life and start fresh overseas, you know that you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. There is an amazing confidence that comes with navigating the hurdles of life abroad. And trust me, it’s not easy. But it is achievable.
I also feel like the entire world is now at our fingertips. Dream of living in the Italian countryside? We can do that! Want to take a weekend trip to Paris? Flights are only $50.
While it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, it does instill a confidence inside yourself that cannot be taken away. Once you move abroad, you’ll realize how capable you really are of achieving your dreams.
What this taught me: You’re capable of whatever you set your mind to.
Is Moving Abroad Worth It?
In my humble opinion? Absolutely.
There are real challenges of living overseas (like loneliness, bureaucracy, language barriers), but the pros and cons of living abroad ultimately depend on what you value.
Even if you don’t plan to live abroad forever, I think so many beautiful lessons and shifts in perspective come from the experience. From the new people you meet, the new habits you adopt, navigating the discomfort, and the mental health improvements that life abroad can grant you, I think it’s an incredible experience that everyone should have at least once.
If you have the chance to study abroad, be an au pair, or even try out life abroad, I think that’s a perfect place to start. It doesn’t all need to be big, dramatic life changes. Try it out and see what you think for yourself!
FAQs About Moving Abroad
Does moving abroad change your identity?
Yes — for most people, moving abroad leads to deep personal growth. The emotional impact of living abroad often includes increased independence, adaptability, confidence, and a shift in how you see your home culture. Unlike travel, living overseas forces you to navigate everyday life in a new system, which fundamentally changes how you think, cope, and relate to the world.
How long does culture shock last when moving abroad?
Culture shock typically happens in stages and can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Many expats experience an initial “honeymoon phase,” followed by frustration or homesickness before eventually adjusting. Over time, most people develop cultural competence and emotional resilience, making daily life abroad feel more natural.
Is living abroad lonely?
Living abroad can feel lonely, especially in the early months when you’re rebuilding community from scratch. Many expats struggle with feeling like they don’t fully belong anywhere at first. However, with time, language learning, and consistent social effort, most people form meaningful friendships and a strong sense of belonging abroad.
What is the hardest part of moving overseas?
For many people, the hardest part of moving overseas is navigating bureaucracy, language barriers, and emotional distance from family and friends. There’s also often an identity shift when you leave behind familiar social roles. These challenges of living abroad can be difficult, but they’re also where much of the growth happens.
Is moving abroad worth it?
For most people, yes — despite the challenges, the pros and cons of living abroad tend to weigh heavily toward the positive. Many expats report improved mental health, stronger work-life balance, greater confidence, and a broader worldview. Whether moving abroad is worth it ultimately depends on your values, priorities, and openness to discomfort.
Final Thoughts
I hope you walk away knowing that life abroad is so worth all the challenges that are thrown your way. And even when it feels lonely or difficult, there is so much growth and confidence that comes with giving life abroad a try.
If you’re planning a move abroad this year, here are a few more articles you may want to check out:
- Your Complete Guide to Moving Abroad from the USA in 2026
- Expat Life in Spain: Cost, Healthcare, Housing & Real Life
- What You Need to Do In Your First Week Abroad
If you live abroad, do any of these lessons resonate with you? What other changes have you noticed in yourself after moving abroad? Let me know in the comments!
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and experiences I genuinely love.
Leave a Reply