gottacaseofwanderlust

A letter from Myself to Myself

October 27, 2024

Hey girl, 

You’re about to embark on one of the greatest leaps of faith you’ve ever undergone in your life. 

I know you’ve been dreaming about and preparing for this moment since a little girl. 

And now you’re at the edge of the cliff. 

I’m writing this because I want you to be prepared for the freefall. 

You will not fly at first. 

It’s gonna be hard as hell in the beginning to get your bearings… to not feel like you’re grasping for anything to hold onto. 

I want you to know that it’s gonna be the biggest test of your life, a challenge you may feel severely unprepared for. 

And I want you to know: that it’s okay, and you’ll do just fine. 

Just because it won’t be how you pictured, it will all be exactly how it’s supposed to. 

I know this may not be what you wanna hear but the truth is that moving abroad is not glamorous. 

It’s far from simple and far from any idealistic post you see online. 

Moving abroad means tedious paperwork, dealing with government bureaucracy, hair-pulling apartment hunting, language barriers, customs and culture that you’re not used to, feeling completely ungrounded and disoriented, burnout from social events and winging EVERYTHING and sometimes failing, and becoming disillusioned from the romanticized version of the place you imagined in your head. 

In fact, if you want to keep the romanticism you have for a place alive, I would suggest not moving there. 

This is the reality of moving abroad — and still, I would recommend it to anyone. 

Because while it’s not easy, it’s worth it. 

Through the tears and turbulence, you’ll emerge a stronger, more resilient person who is living a life that you’re younger self would be so proud of. 

Not only are you doing something most are too afraid to do, but you’re doing it alone at 21 years old. 

That’s main character fucking energy. 

And once you let go of control, perfectionism, and expectations — you’ll find yourself flying in no time. 

Spoiler alert: the views are all you’ve ever dreamed them to be. 

Love, the Me who’s 1-month into living abroad