Why I chose to move abroad, and what noone told me

Hi, my name is Ista, and I grew up in Denmark. Nowadays, I live on the sunny island of Malta.
Moving abroad has been one of the biggest decisions I have ever made, and it has taught me a lot
about myself. In this blog, I will share my story, explain why I chose to move abroad, and tell you
about the things no one told me before I made the move.

Why I chose to move abroad

Moving abroad had always been something I thought about, but I never imagined how many
emotions would come with it. Looking back now, I can honestly say it has been one of the biggest
challenges of my life, but also one of the most rewarding. The main reason I decided to move
abroad was simple: I wanted to grow. I loved my family, but I had spent my whole life living in my
childhood city, Aarhus. I felt like I had reached a point where I needed to step outside my comfort
zone and experience life on my own. I wanted to become more independent and prove to myself
that I could build a life somewhere completely different.

I decided to move to Malta because I wanted to experience a completely different lifestyle. I first
visited the island in 2023, and I felt an instant connection to it. I loved the warm weather, the
beautiful coastline, and the relaxed way of life. What stood out to me the most was the culture.
The locals were friendly and welcoming, and there was a strong sense of community that made me
feel comfortable from the very beginning. I also liked that English is one of the official languages,
which made the move feel less intimidating. After my visit, I knew Malta was the place where I
wanted to start my new life abroad.

Taking the Leap

Of course, it wasn’t an easy decision. I had so many questions running through my mind. Was I
making the right choice? What if I didn’t fit in? What if I couldn’t make friends? I was moving to a
new country with a different language, a different culture, and people I had never met before.
Everything that had once felt familiar was about to change. I spent weeks thinking about it. Some
days I felt excited, and other days I was terrified. But eventually I realized that if I kept waiting until
I felt completely ready, I would probably never leave. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and
trust that you’ll figure things out along the way.

The day I arrived, everything felt exciting at first. There was so much to see, and I couldn’t wait to
settle into my new apartment. But as soon as I started unpacking my bags, something changed. It
suddenly hit me that this wasn’t a holiday. I wasn’t going home in a few days. This apartment was
my home now. That realization made me feel incredibly anxious but that is apart of why I chose to move abroad

Adjusting to life in Malta

For the first time, I truly understood that I would be living in a place where almost everything was
unfamiliar. I would have to create a routine from scratch and learn how to build a life on my own. I
had always been surrounded by people I knew, but now everything depended on me.
It wasn’t the practical things that scared me.

Cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry weren’t the
problem. It was everything else. Finding my place. Learning how to feel at home in a country that
still felt like a stranger. The first few nights were the hardest. I struggled to sleep because my mind
wouldn’t stop racing. I kept thinking about everything that had changed and everything I still had to
figure out. It felt overwhelming, and for a moment I wondered if I had made a mistake.

As the days went by, I stopped expecting everything to fall into place immediately. I realized that
settling into a new country wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was a process, and I had
to be patient with myself. Instead of worrying about the next few months, I started focusing on one
day at a time. Every small achievement mattered. Finding my way around without getting lost,
recognizing the streets near my apartment, or simply feeling a little less nervous each morning
reminded me that I was slowly adapting. Those moments might seem small, but they gave me
confidence.

Finding My Independence

Living abroad also taught me how independent I could actually be. Back home, there was always
someone I could ask for help. Here, I had to figure things out on my own. Whether it was
understanding public transport, dealing with paperwork, or solving everyday problems, every
challenge pushed me to become more confident. There were still days when I missed home. I
missed my family, the familiar surroundings, and the comfort of knowing exactly where I belonged.
Homesickness doesn’t simply disappear, but over time I realized that missing home and enjoying
my new life could exist at the same time.

Slowly, things that had once felt unfamiliar became normal. The apartment that had made me
anxious on the first night started to feel like home. The streets that had once seemed confusing
became part of my daily routine. Without even noticing it, I had started building a new life for
myself. Looking back now, I realize I spent so much time worrying about everything that could go
wrong that I barely thought about everything that could go right. Yes, there were difficult
moments, and there were times when I questioned my decision. But every challenge taught me
something about myself.

What No One Told Me

The biggest lesson I learned is that growth doesn’t happen when life feels comfortable. It happens
when you’re willing to face uncertainty, even when you’re scared. Confidence isn’t something that
appears overnight. It grows through small victories that you hardly notice while they’re happening.
If you’re thinking about moving abroad yourself, my advice is simple: don’t expect everything to
feel perfect from day one. It’s okay to feel anxious, homesick, or even question your decision.
Those feelings don’t mean you’ve made the wrong choice, they simply mean you’re stepping into
something completely new.

Take things one day at a time. You don’t need to have everything figured out immediately. Give
yourself time to adjust, make mistakes, and learn. Every day you keep going, you’ll become a little
more comfortable than the day before. For me, moving abroad has taught me more about myself
than I ever expected. It has shown me that I am more resilient, more independent, and more
adaptable than I ever believed. It wasn’t always easy, and there are still days that challenge me, but
I wouldn’t change my decision.

Sometimes the biggest opportunities in life begin with the scariest decisions. Moving abroad was
one of those decisions for me, and despite all the fear I felt in the beginning, I’m incredibly grateful
that I took that first step.