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Illustration for article about countries with worst work life balance Best Countries Ranking

The 7 Countries With the Worst Work Life Balance…

There are some shocking data about the countries with the worst work-life balance.


When I was still working in the financial area, it was not uncommon to work 13, sometimes 14 hours per day. Since most of our income was variable, staying at the office for long hours was standard practice for young, ambitious college graduates willing to build their bank accounts.

Unfortunately, it became common for many of my coworkers to lose their hair, gain weight, and get sick with things like high blood pressure and diabetes. I won’t even talk about the constant bad mood of an overworked professional.

Working long hours for a short period is probably doable and has only minor health impacts. But in the long term, the effects may be sinister (unless you really enjoy your job).

Recently, I came across the OECD ranking of work-life balance, involving dozens of countries all over the world.

As someone who has worked on four continents and visited over 50 countries, I couldn’t agree more with the results.

Some of the countries mentioned are pretty obvious (as you may guess, South Korea is among them), but others are quite surprising.

Before we get into the ranking, let’s go over the context and the criteria that were used.

Ps: check also our Youtube channel The Expat.

What is the OECD

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a group of 38 countries, mostly western, that work together to improve their economies. People often call it a think tank group (and is also a very well-established source of economic and social statistics).

It says that its goal is to change policies in ways that increase opportunity, prosperity, and well-being. It has worked on a wide range of issues over the years, such as raising the standard of living in its member countries, helping international trade grow, and working for economic stability.

The OECD was founded in 1961 and has its headquarters in the Chateau de la Muette, in Paris, France.

Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity: 11 secrets to make your expat life better than you imagine
Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity: 11 secrets to make your expat life better than you imagine

The indicators used to define the countries with the worst work life balance

While multiple rankings are based on subjective perceptions and anecdotal evidence, the OECD took the time to establish two objective criteria to measure the work-life balance between multiple countries.

  • Time devoted to leisure and personal care

This indicator shows the average number of hours spent each day on activities like sleeping, eating, socializing with friends and family, hobbies, working out, etc.

  • Employees working very long hours

This criterion shows the percentage of workers who worked an average of 50 hours or more per week in the most recent year for which data is available.

Check also: The Weird Relationship Between Libraries and Rising Development Levels

The 7 Worst Countries (of the OECD) in Terms of Work Life Balance

Australia

Australia, one of the countries with worst work life balance
Image edited by the team of expatriateconsultancy.com using Canva.

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.4 hours, which is below the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 12.5%, which is above the average (10%) of all OECD members.

One of the worst problems in Australia is the number of people that simply do not use their leave days.

According to the international consulting firm Michael Page, Australians have, on average, 16 days of holiday they don’t use. More research showed that 2.4 million Australians who work full-time haven’t taken a vacation in over a year and that 86% of them are feeling burned out as a result.

Israel

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.3 hours, meaning less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 14.1%, which is above the average (10%) of all OECD members.

According to a survey published by the Times of Israel, most Israeli workers are unhappy with the balance between work and life, and a lot of them work while they are sick.

The survey, which comprised around 600 employees over the age of 18, found that 57 percent of Israelis are unhappy with their current work-life balance. A similar number of respondents also said that their employers are not flexible enough to let them work from home.

South Korea

South Korea, one of the countries with worst work life balance
Image edited by the team of expatriateconsultancy.com using Canva.

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.8 hours, slightly less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 19.7%, almost twice the average (10%) of all OECD members.

Long work hours aren’t the only thing that makes it hard to balance work and life in South Korea. Because of long commutes and the “socializing after work” culture, people often don’t have much time for their families, friends, or even sleeping.

The horrible work-life balance likely contributes for South Korea to experience one of the worst fertility declines in the world.

Curiously, South Korea is one of the best countries in the world for education.

South Africa

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.2 hours, which is almost one hour less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 15.4%, more than 1.5X the average (10%) of all OECD members.

One of the problems in South Africa is that the low productivity of the workforce often causes employees to work longer hours to achieve the same output — something that Botswana managed to partially solve.

South Africa’s rate of productivity growth is the lowest among emerging economies, and together with Brazil and Argentina are the only countries with negative rates.

The low productivity in South Africa is caused by a lack of skills, high business costs, and a lack of competition in many markets. The skills of students are below the OECD average, and the education system is very unequal, with a small number of students doing very well and a large number doing very badly.

Check also: Why This Country in Africa Is Growing So Fast?

Japan

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.1 hours, almost one hour less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 15.7%, more than 1.5X the average (10%) of all OECD members.

It is not a surprise to see Japan in this ranking, since they popularized the idea of working long hours. There is even a word in the Japanese language (karoshi) that means “death from overwork”.

But in the last few years, the country has been pushing for better work-life balance. 

One of Shinzo Abe’s (the late Prime Minister) main concerns was Japan’s overworking trend. The Work Style Reform Bill was signed into law by his government.

The bill was a key part of his plan to make Japan’s work and life balance more equilibrated. Initiatives include putting limits on how long people can work and giving them more flexibility, as well as requiring people with at least 10 days of unused leave to choose at least five days off.

Check also our article about the Japanese Visa Application Guide for digital nomads and remote workers.

Turkey

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 14.6 hours, which is less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 25%, meaning 2.5X the average (10%) of all OECD members.

Turkey has a relatively long work week: 45 hours. There is also a propensity in some sectors to push extra hours. Put on top of that the fact that major cities like Istambul have considerable traffic jams during rush hours, and you have a recipe for an unbalanced life.

One may wonder if such an unbalanced work-life relationship may harm the activity of health professionals in Turkey since the country is a hotspot for medical tourism and things like gastric sleeve surgery abroad.

Mexico

Mexico, the country with worst work life balance
Image edited by the team of expatriateconsultancy.com using Canva.

Time devoted to leisure and personal care: 13.5 hours, meaning one and a half hours less than the average of 15 hours per day of all OECD members.

Employees working very long hours: 27%, almost three times the average (10%) of all OECD members.

The worst country in this ranking has a whopping 27% of all employees working very long hours, and only 13.5 hours per day on average for all things non-job related.

Mexico has some of the longest average annual hours of work (2137 hours), and its average lunch breaks are also some of the shortest in the world, at only 30 minutes. Put that together with the endemic violence on the Mexican streets and it is a recipe for a stressful day. Ironically, Mexico is also one of the best countries in Latin America for those willing to retire abroad.

Somehow, the South Park music about Mexicans working all week long sounds true.

Check also: Hold Your Breath: The Dirtiest Cities in the World — 2022

Conclusion: The Countries With Worst Work-Life Balance

One curious fact is that there are no European countries among the 7 worst countries for work-life balance, despite the fact that 26 of the 38 countries of the OECD are European. 

In other words, of the 12 non-European countries that are part of the organization, more than half (7) are at the bottom in terms of work-life balance.

Here is the list of the worst 7:

7 — Australia

6 — Israel

5 — South Korea

4 — South Africa

3 — Japan

2 — Turkey

1 — Mexico

Recommended book: Budget Travelers, Digital Nomads & Expats: The Ultimate Guide: 50 Tips, Tricks, Hacks, and Ways to Free Stuff & Cheaper Flights
Recommended book: Budget Travelers, Digital Nomads & Expats: The Ultimate Guide: 50 Tips, Tricks, Hacks, and Ways to Free Stuff & Cheaper Flights

If you enjoyed this article about the countries with the worst work life balance, here are a few other reading suggestions for you:

A Guide to the Easiest Countries to Adopt a Baby From

The Most Beautiful European Capitals

Subscribe (for free) to receive my articles directly in your inbox and receive a special gift. If you enjoy this article, please consider becoming a Medium member by using this link and have access to premium, unbiased content from authors not tied to big media.

Levi Borba is the founder of The Expatriate Consultancy, and best-selling author. Some of the links of this article may be affiliate links, meaning that the author will have a commission for any transaction.

Picture from Moscow to Illustrate article about Inequality in Russia Business in Europe

Inequality in Russia

How Russia Is One of the Most Unequal Countries on the Entire Planet


Since my childhood in Brazil, I always heard about how our country is unequal in terms of income and wealth, so since high school, we have been taught about something called the Gini Coefficient because we know that Brazil performs very badly on it.

The problem is that the Gini coefficient is not a very good measure of certain countries.

Why?

While the Gini coefficient measures the distribution of income in a society, it does not count for two things:

1st: The income that is earned by people from that certain country but are not brought to its economy (eg: Russian oligarchs with large bank accounts in Dubai).

2nd: It does not measure the regional disparities.

I am not here trying to invalidate the Gini coefficient. Brazil is an unequal country, and that is visible in our society.

BUT…

As someone who has traveled to every continent since I left Brazil almost a decade ago, I dare to say that Brazil is not even close to being among the worst cases. And here I bring up the matter of Russia.

Because Russia, despite having one of the most affordable educational systems in the world, is an extremely unequal country when you observe its regional disparities. Something that has deep roots in the very genesis of the Russian state (more about it later).

So I decided to compare the income per capita of the richest and poorest regions of different countries in the world (at least those that have public information easily available, so sorry North Korea, you are not part of my little study).

Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity Cover
Book recommended: Moving Out, Working Abroad, and Keeping Your Sanity

Criteria for a Regional Approach to Income Inequality in Different Countries, including Russia.

I made it simple.

Basically, I compared the most recent data from multiple sources like Statista (for the United Kingdom and a few other countries), Eurostat (for EU countries like Poland), and UNDP (for Russia).

On these websites, I searched for the sub-unit (meaning state, province, region, voivodeship, oblast, etc) GDP per capita. Not PPP, since there are different methodologies for PPP calculation, but nominal GDP per capita.

Then, using an excel sheet, I calculated the income difference between the richest and poorest sub-unit of each country.

The results are shown in the table below.

CountryYearRichest State/UnitGDP Per Capita (US$)Richest State/UnitGDP Per Capita (US$)Difference
Russia2018Moscow$22,060Ingushetia$1,7901132%
India2020Goa$6,227Bihar$661842%
Mexico2018Campeche$67,233Chiapas$7,255827%
Brazil2019Distrito Federal$22,677Maranhão$3,515545%
Colombia2016Casanare$26,546Vaupés$4,293518%
France2018Île de France$70,500Mayotte$11,800497%
The United States2021Washington$226,861Mississippi$42,411435%
Poland2019Warsaw$30,612Lubelskie$9,535221%
Italy2018South Tyrol$55,600Calabria$19,100191%
Japan2014Tokyo$68,776Nara$24,970175%
The United Kingdom2020London$55,974North East$23,109142%
Germany2019Hamburg$78,904Saxony-Anhalt$33,978132%
Canada2019Northwest Territories$100,871Nova Scotia$47,837111%
Income inequality between the richest and poorest administrative units of each country. Multiple sources (to check, see first paragraphs).

A Regional Approach to Income Inequality in Russia

As expected, developed countries like Canada, Germany, and the UK all had relatively low inequality between their richest and poorest regions.

Inside the US, a country with 50 states, the richest unit (Washington DC) has a GDP per capita 435% higher than the poorest (Mississippi).

France is a bit of an outlier when compared to other European countries because their overseas possessions are relatively poor, and that is the case of Mayotte, an island close to Mozambique. Île de France, the department where Paris is located, has an income six times larger than Mayotte.

As one could expect, all the analyzed Latin American countries have very high regional inequality. In Brazil and Colombia, the richest regions have more than six times the income of the poorest ones. In Mexico, it is almost 10 times more.

In India, a country with over 1 billion people and where a caste system still exists in some regions, the richest region (the former Portuguese colony of Goa) has a GDP per capita 842% higher than the poorest region, Bihar.

But none (I repeat: none) of these countries have regional inequality close to that of Russia.

Check also: Debunking the Myth “Sanctions Against Russia Aren’t Working”

Why does Russia have so much Inequality?

Image of Moscow. Regional income inequality in Russia has some very expressive numbers.
Image of Moscow. Regional income inequality in Russia has some very expressive numbers.

Moscow has a GDP per capita that is 1132% higher than the poorest region.

There are some other regions in Russia that also have high incomes, but due to their very small populations (e.g., the Nenets Autonomous Okrug has a GDP per capita larger than Moscow, but since it has only 42 thousand residents, it is likely that a single entity or person is skewing this number). If we considered these regions, the regional inequality in Russia would be even higher.

There are many explanations for why Russia has so much inequality, but many fail to consider that this inequality is not a recent phenomenon. It is historical, and has existed for centuries across many regimes: from Czarist Russia to the Soviets and now to Putin’s government.

There is one single expression that may explain why there is so much variation between regions.An expression proudly repeated by Russian ideologues like Alexander Duguin, but which bears a much more sinister meaning:

Russia as the “The Third Rome”

I will not enter into all the complex explanations behind the idea that for centuries, Russian intellectuals considered their country the successor of Rome, but rather on the economical implications of it.

Rome prospered and thrived by exploring the outskirts of the empire. Yes, they also brought law and protected the borders, this is true, but the heavy taxes and enslaved rebels from the provinces were some of the most important foundations of the Roman economy.

When the Roman empire ceased to expand, it was the beginning of its downfall.

And the very idea of “Third Rome”, which forms the expansionist Russian ideology, explains a little of why Russia needs to expand. Why do the Czars, Trotsky, Khrushchev, and now Putin all need to expand? Because Moscow requires resources, just like Rome needed them.

And Russia is now facing one of the worst population declines in the entire world, just as Rome suffered back then.

(Not even mentioning the massive brain drain caused by young, educated Russians leaving the country for better opportunities abroad).


If you enjoyed this article about inequality in Russia, check these below:

The Most Dangerous Cities in Europe

The Cost of Living in London vs The Cost of Living in Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Warsaw

These 5 Countries Are Getting Stronger with the Turmoils of 2022

The Chinese Banking Bankruptcy Could Trigger the Mother of All Crises

Subscribe (for free) to receive my articles directly in your inbox and receive a special gift. If you enjoy this article, please consider becoming a Medium member by using this link and have access to premium, unbiased content from authors not tied to big media.

Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author.

Type of flyer that you may find in Qatar orientating visitors about the dress code when visiting as a woman. Cultural Shock

Visiting Qatar as a Woman for the 2022 World…

Dress code in Qatar and everything else you need to know for the 2022 World Cup.


It may appear strange that a man is writing an article about visiting Qatar as a woman. However, I lived in Qatar for many years, and during that time, my wife, as well as other female family members and friends, visited me numerous times. This article is based on their observations.

The goal is to dispel some of the misconceptions that foreigners (particularly Westerners) have about tourism in this Middle Eastern country, particularly in relation to the 2022 World Cup hosted in Qatar.

Some of what I’m about to tell you may seem shocking at first, but for anyone who has lived there, they are as normal as it gets.

If you are not a woman, check our special article about how dangerous is Qatar.

Dress code in Qatar

Qatar is an Islamic country, and the Qataris dress in a highly traditional manner.

For foreigners, although there is no formal dress code, it is advised to dress modestly and conservatively. This means no shorts for males and no miniskirts or tank tops for ladies.

Normal swimmers, including bikinis, are fine on the beach or by the pool (until some years ago, bikinis were allowed only on Public beaches and still they may draw attention). It is prohibited for women to sunbathe topless. 

When visiting public locations like parks, malls, or souq areas, especially those frequented by people of various nationalities, it is essential to be especially mindful of the dress code.

Qatari ladies often cover their hair with a black headdress called shayla and their bodies with a black garment called abaya. Some women also cover their faces by using a niqab.

If I am visiting Qatar as a woman, Do I have to wear an abaya in Qatar?

Girl using Abaya. The Abaya is the basic dress code for women from Qatar, but foreigners don't need to wear it.
The Abaya is the basic dress code for women from Qatar, but foreigners don’t need to wear it.

No, tourists are not required to dress in the way of the Qataris.

Shorts, skirts above the knee and sleeveless/short sleeves are not permitted when visiting mosques or government facilities. When visiting mosques, you will also need to cover your hair. In any public place, women should avoid wearing spaghetti-strap or see-through shirts and short skirts.

Regarding the temperature, spectators of the 2022 Fifa World Cup need not fear since the weather and temperatures are mild in November and December, owing to the cool desert air.

Typical daytime temperatures are approximately 24 degrees Celsius, while nighttime temperatures are around 18 degrees Celsius. It’s wise to bring light coats and cardigans, and it won’t hurt to keep a hat and pair of gloves on hand when you’re out and about in Qatar during these times.

There are lots of shopping malls in Qatar where you may buy just about whatever you need, especially clothes to wear for the duration of your visit.

Budget Travelers Digital Nomad and Expats Book
Recommended book: Budget Travelers, Digital Nomads & Expats: The Ultimate Guide: 50 Tips, Tricks, Hacks and Ways to Free Stuff & Cheaper Flights

Can you hold hands in Qatar?

Male and female holding hands is tolerated. Lots of couples hold hands everywhere. Banks, hospitals, restaurants, malls, and other public places. Most of them are married couples, but nobody really checks that.

It is also common to see men holding hands in Qatar, especially Indian immigrants, but that does not have any sexual connotation.

So, bottom line: a couple can hold hands in Doha. 

PS: Discover how a cashback program can help you recover part of the money spent on flight tickets or Booking.com on our review of the WayAway program.

Can women drive in Qatar?

Yes. People used to ask this question due to confusion with neighboring Saudi Arabia, where until recently, women were not allowed to drive. If you are looking to rent a car in Qatar, I recommend this website.

Can you drink alcohol in Qatar?

True, but not everywhere and not for everyone. Alcohol is mostly available in bars, hotels, and restaurants. It is not available in regular supermarkets or grocery stores. Furthermore, not everyone is permitted to consume alcohol (although tourists probably will have no issues). I detailed this matter in this article about the booze question during the 2022 World Cup.

Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity Cover
Book recommended: Moving Out, Working Abroad, and Keeping Your Sanity

Is Doha similar to Dubai?

From the outside, Doha may appear to be a smaller, less boisterous, and less tourist-centered version of Dubai. Here I listed some nice things to do in Qatar.

However, from the perspective of an insider or a resident, as I was, they are considerably different. Dubai is less restrictive in many ways and offers more entertainment options. In fact, it was common for western foreigners living in Doha to visit Dubai for additional entertainment options.

Other tips for women visiting Qatar

1st — If you are visiting the city for just a day, there are plenty of options in terms of luggage storage, so you don’t need to walk around with your carry-on bags. Reliable, convenient, and inexpensive luggage storage services you can find at Radical Storage.

2nd — Book a transfer in advance from the Ezeiza or Aeroparque airport (or from any station) to your destination and vice versa, so you can avoid scammers and illegal drivers. I often used Get Transfer for that and it always worked fine.

3rd — If you want to walk around and see some beautiful spots without the risk of getting lost, hire a guide. You can find some amazing and reliable guides and tours at Viator. They will give you insider information about historical facts and curiosities, and also warn you of risky areas and keep you safe.

Top 4 popular tours in Qatar for Women on a Budget (All Below $129 Per Person)

🏜️ Private Desert Safari Doha: Experience the thrill of dune bashing in the Qatari desert on this private safari.
🏛️ Doha Express City Tour: Discover the highlights of Doha on this express city tour.
🌊 Dhow Cruise with Dinner: Enjoy a traditional dhow cruise with dinner included.
🌴Souq-Waqif, The Pearl-Qatar & Katara Cultural Village Visit: Visit two of Doha’s cultural highlights on this tour.

Is Doha safe for females? Conclusion about visiting Qatar as a woman.

Women in Qatar. Rules for women in Qatar are not as strict as in Saudi Arabia, but not as loose as in the United Arab Emirates
Rules for women in Qatar are not as strict as in Saudi Arabia, but not as loose as in the United Arab Emirates

Yes, Doha is safe for female tourists. In fact, Qatar is among the safest countries in the World, unless you consider road accidents, which are common there.

Women visiting Qatar should have no problem during the 2022 World Cup if they follow the same guidelines that common sense dictates everywhere else in the world, plus some extra consideration for the local culture, such as not getting drunk in the middle of a public park or beach, or not wearing transparent tops.

While I was living there, my wife came to see me several times, and the only thing that ever happened was that when we went to a museum, at the entrance they offered her an extra blanket to cover her shoulders.

During other months (eg: Ramadan), the rules in Qatar are much stricter. You cannot eat or drink water in public during the day, for example. Once I forgot that already was Ramadan and I got warned about drinking water outside. The dress code is also much more rigid.

But the World Cup will not happen during Ramadan, therefore, tourists can expect a certain level of tolerance from the local authorities.

Have a good travel, and enjoy the Fifa World Cup 🙂

Ps: In this article, I only wrote about the rules. It does not mean that I agree or disagree with any of them. 


If you enjoyed reading about visiting Qatar as a woman, check also:

The Top 5 Countries for Coffee Lovers

4 Ways to Save Money on International Flights

4 More Insider Tips for Finding Incredibly Low-Cost Flights

First, subscribe (for free) to receive my articles directly in your inbox and receive as a special gift the digital book 20 Essential Hacks for Saving Money While Travelling.

Second, if you liked this article, please consider supporting me and other writers by becoming a Medium member. By using this link, you will directly support me with a piece of your fee; there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you a million times if you do!

Levi Borba is the founder of Expatriate Consultancy, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author.

Moving Away from Home - Author in Qatar Cultural Shock

The Pros and Cons of Moving Out of Parents’…

Here Are the Key Takeaways I Learned From Moving Out at 18 From My Parents’ House


Moving away from home is not an unknown subject to us. My generation moved from one place to another more than any other in history. So this article about the pros and cons of moving out is something that for long I wanted to publish.

While our parents and grandparents (the Baby Boomers and Generation Xers) stayed in the same area for an average of 4 to 6 years, Millenials move every two years.

For many of us, moving away from home is an exciting time in our lives.

It gives you the chance to start over. However, it can also be one of the most stressful times in your life depending on where you are moving to, who you are moving with, and why you are moving in the first place.

I compiled this article with some of the best tips and insights I learned after fifteen years away from my hometown and 14 moves across three continents. Things like:

  • Why is moving away from home so hard?
  • Pros and cons of moving out of your parents’ house
  • Can I afford to move out of my parent’s house?
  • How to handle the anxiety about moving away from home?
  • How to cope with moving away from family and friends?
  • Other recommended reading for anyone planning to move far away and start a new life.
  • The steps I will recommend, from the decision until the ride to the airport.

As with everything in life, context is important, and that is where we begin.

Life Skills and Advice on Moving Away and Start Over

Women Wanting to Move Away and Start Over while carrying some boxes.
Wanting to Move Away and Start Over? So Keep Reading.

I want to move out of my parents’ house!

Many of us will say this phrase at some point between our adolescence and our early thirties. Some people carefully plan this moment, while others do it on the spur of the moment when an opportunity appears on the horizon.

But when we take the time to breathe and analyze carefully whether it makes sense, there are a lot of things at stake.

We frequently overlook or ignore factors that are extremely important later in life.

In this article, I will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of moving out of your parents’ home. This is a decision I made when I was 18 years old, and I have seen many friends and relatives do the same since then.

Many were satisfied with the results, but some had regrets.

Check also: The Least Stressful Cities in The World

Why it is hard to move out of your parents?

First off, you should feel proud of yourself for even considering this challenge.

Not many people dare to step out of their comfort zone and test themselves in new situations. It’s normal to have these thoughts — don’t worry!

One of the main drawbacks is that you will miss your family, friends, and loved ones. You will miss family gatherings and having dinner with your parents. Maybe you are too young and you don’t want to be far away from them or maybe they simply don’t want to let you go.

Another drawback is that you may not know how to take care of yourself in some aspects and it may be difficult for you at first. For example, if your family has always cooked for you and has helped you with everything in the house, it may be difficult for you to prepare something other than fried eggs. 

Also, many times living on your own can be more expensive than living with your parents because you have to pay rent, food, bills…

If all of these reasons are making you think twice about moving out, I have a word for you:

You are right. 

Think twice. Even thrice. But don’t let the difficulties stop you. Use them as a guide to self-improvement and getting completely ready to move out, not as an excuse to cancel your plans. I will help you in the next paragraphs and with many useful links.

Remember that moving away can be very rewarding.

You will develop skills that no one taught you before and become more independent and autonomous. You will make new friends and open doors for massive opportunities.

All that starts with a plan, and like in every plan, we need to assess the pros and cons.

Pros of moving away from home:

Boxes Prepared for Moving Out of Parents' House - Discover Below 10 Pros and Cons of
Discover Below 10 Pros and Cons of Moving Out of Your Parents’ House
  • You get to learn how to fend for yourself and manage your money (both income and expenses).
  • You will learn (or should learn unless you want to live in a squat) how to cook, clean, and take care of your living space. Maybe you will learn how to fix a leaking sink — it’s not that difficult.
  • There will be silence and privacy (maybe not if you are a student sharing a dormitory).
  • You will have space for yourself and your friends to hang out.
  • You’ll be able to set your own schedule, so you won’t have to compete with your brother over who gets to use the shower first.

Cons of Living Far Away from Your Parents:

  • You have to pay for everything, including rent, food, utilities, insurance, and so on. Your paycheck may not be as large as you think it is once you look at all the bills that need to be paid. According to Forbes, in 2021 the cost of moving out increased 15%.
  • You must deal with any repairs that may emerge. If something breaks, such as the stove or washing machine, you must pay for its repair or replacement unless it is covered by insurance or a warranty agreement.
  • If you are moving to a distant place, you will miss your old town, your friends and your family. A lot.
  • If you are going to live in an unfamiliar place, there will be a learning curve until you adapt to the local way of life. You will eat at bad restaurants, take the wrong buses, and so on during this time. It is an inconvenient period, may cost you extra money, and can take weeks or even months.
  • You will need to adjust to a new climate, and I mean literally new climatic conditions. For example, olive-skinned Latin Americans like myself may require special supplements during the winter in Europe. Here I explain how Vitamin D helped me to survive the European winter.

I Am Planning on Moving Out at 18… But Can I Afford It?

Even if you’re not sure where you’ll be living, estimating the basic costs of living on your own will help you determine if you can afford it or not. The main expenses you should evaluate are rent, food, utilities, transportation, and furniture.

In any list of pros and cons of moving out of parent’s house, financial planning of the whole process should take priority place! Especially if you are moving away by yourself.

Rent cost

This is your biggest monthly expense, and it depends on where you live and how much space you need. A small studio apartment in the city is more expensive than a large two-bedroom house in the countryside. However, you must ensure that wherever you live, the rent is within your means. Move into an apartment with a roommate or two if possible to reduce your monthly expenses.

Food expenses

Food is probably the second-largest expense after rent, so consider your budget carefully — especially if you’ve been living at home and eating most of your meals there. Americans spend an average of $550 each month on food, according to the most recent data. Eating out frequently can add up quickly, so plan accordingly.

Utility bills

You need utilities like electricity, water, heating (to discover how to save money on heating, check here), and internet to live comfortably, and there’s no getting around paying for these items every month. In some cases, they are included in your rent payment; if that’s not the case, ask if there are any utilities that are included (such as water). This will help reduce your monthly spending.

Depending on where you move, prices may require a habit change. For example, a shower will cost in Poland 6 times more than in Brazil.

Transportation costs

Transport costs can add up quickly — especially in big cities like London where the Tube or buses can be costly. While it’s not necessary to have a car in every city it’s often essential in smaller places. Here I wrote about the considerations to have in mind before buying a car.

Furniture and other expenses.

When you live at home, your parents are responsible for furnishing the place and purchasing new appliances when necessary. When you move out, those costs come out of your pocket — and they can be significant if you don’t shop around for the best deals.

In another article, I compared the cost of living for a single person in 6 different European capitals. The results are surprising.

Anxiety about moving away from our parents’ house

Anxiety about moving away from home is normal. Whether you’re moving to a new city, state, or country — or just to a new apartment across town — it’s completely natural to feel nervous and excited at the same time.

Moving Far Away from Home: Ways to Ease the Process.

  • Connect with others.

If you move in with a roommate or group of roommates, try to strike up friendships with them. If you’re living by yourself, seek out social groups in your area that interest you, such as meetups for your favorite hobby or book club gatherings.

  • Establish a routine

Maintain structure and routine. Have a regular schedule for sleep, meals, and study. This can help to mitigate feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

  • Talk to the grocery store cashier.

Take some time to explore your new city and make a point of trying something new each week — a new restaurant or coffee shop, for example — but don’t be afraid to set boundaries that make you comfortable. Asking about the new place to the grocery store cashier or other people you meet at random can speed up your adaptation.

  • Try to understand the cultural differences of your new place.

I am a big fan of the 6-dimension model created by Dr. Geert Hofstede breaking down the cultural differences into 6 major areas. His team analyzed multiple countries in the world to better understand cultural differences. So far, their conclusions match almost perfectly my own experience living in Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

  • Don’t be afraid to get embarrassed.

The joy of embracing (and occasionally failing) a new idiom and discovering a new place in the world is priceless. When I first moved to Poland, I faced three comical situations that taught me that being embarrassed isn’t all that bad.

Have in Mind the Reasons to Move So You Can Cope With Distance

Guy sitting in a bench, apparently sad: moving away from friends and family has a mental impact that should not be neglected.
Moving away from friends and family has a mental impact that should not be neglected.

In order to cope with leaving your family and friends, you must remember that you are doing this for a reason. It may be for your education (here is a list of the best countries in the world to study) or your career, but you must have a goal and stick to it. Keep that in mind when you are dealing with loneliness or homesickness abroad.

Why are you moving away?

There are different types of expatriates, something that is also valid for anyone that is moving out within a country. Understanding which type you are will help you to understand what you need and what you should avoid.

How to Prepare for a Mov Ahead of Time

You can start preparing yourself for moving away well before the day arrives. For example, staying in close contact with your loved ones through social media or by visiting before moving may make it easier for you to adjust once you have left. Start planning visits to see your family and friends as soon as possible so that you know you will be able to see them again later on.

Keep In Touch

Regular communication with loved ones is one of the best ways to cope with separation. If possible, try talking to your family and friends in person at least once each month by scheduling a visit or inviting them over for a weekend stay.

This will also avoid you to feel guilty later if the worse happens. This is a lesson I learned the hard way.

Take advantage of technology — but don’t get enslaved or restricted by it.

You might not be able to see your family and friends as often as you’d like, but there are many ways to stay in touch using modern communication devices such as smartphones and computers. Video chat applications such as Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts are great for keeping in touch visually and can make you feel like you’re together even when you’re far apart. 

Whenever possible, use apps that allow you to communicate visually or audibly, as written messages lack depth and dimension. Besides, excessive text messaging is making us dumber.

Moving away from home — Additional reading

I made a lot of mistakes when I left my country nine years ago to become an expatriate. Errors that could have been avoided if I had only known a few things.

Instead of giving up, I learned from experience during my relocations to the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, which forged a better version of myself.

This guide’s tips and methods assisted me in getting promoted, increasing my earnings, finding my wife, and starting my own business.

These rules are universal; they worked for me in South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, and they will work for you as well.

  • I wrote a guide with the best countries to start a new life abroad with no money. There you will discover what you need to begin a new life in places like Chile, Qatar, or Poland (I lived in all of them), among many others.
  • Here is a list of 9 books to read before moving abroad, with useful tips and ideas to improve your daily life far from home.
  • Sometimes it takes time for someone to find work in a new city, therefore in this article, I give you an idea about how to make money after moving out to a new place.
  • Here is what you should do if you moved out and war erupted somewhere nearby.
Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity Cover
A book recommended: Moving Out, Working Abroad, and Keeping Your Sanity

Key Takeaways on the Hows, Pros and Cons of Moving Out

Image for the Key Takeaways on the Hows, Pros and Cons of Moving Out

Moving out of your parent’s home is a significant step towards independence and self-reliance. It offers a plethora of new opportunities, from meeting new people and experiencing greater privacy, to making your own decisions.

Living independently means you set your own rules, from social activities to deciding when to stay out late. This newfound freedom can lead to personal growth, allowing you to become a person who can take care of yourself and navigate the world with confidence.

However, with independence comes responsibility. Moving out means managing living expenses, understanding credit scores, and ensuring ends meet. It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons, considering both the advantages and disadvantages.

While the idea of escaping house rules and gaining a sense of independence is appealing, there are challenges like moving costs and the need for self-sufficiency. It’s crucial to ensure you’re financially prepared and have a clear understanding of what living on your own entails.

In conclusion, leaving the nest is a monumental decision, one that offers a path to independence but also requires careful consideration of the responsibilities it brings. Whether you’re a recent college graduate or someone looking for a change, ensure you feel ready and have the resources to support this new chapter in your life.

I moved away from my parents’ home when I was 19. Since then, I moved another 14 times — meaning, almost one time per year. Sometimes, it was because I wanted, others because I needed due to do my career and later my business.

I moved away from my parents’ home when I was 19. Since then, I moved another 14 times — meaning, almost one time per year. Sometimes, it was because I wanted, others because I needed due to do my career and later my business.

10 Steps to move out

  1. Decide where you want to live
  2. Contact locals via social media or other means to learn about prices, lifestyle, and potential issues.
  3. Save enough money to pay your bills for the first month (at least).
  4. Get a job (or a paid internship if you are a student and have time for it). Every time I moved, I used Linkedin to find a new job.
  5. Know how much you can afford to spend
  6. Prepare a backup plan in case things don’t go as planned (Eg: expenses X percent higher than what you expect). Here I explained how to make a plan B when moving out.
  7. Plan your move and hire a moving company if necessary. Prepare your documents and sign the rental contract early.
  8. Use the signed rental contract to set up internet, water, and other utilities.
  9. Schedule a medical checkup and a blood exam. In your new place, doctors may not have access to your medical history. This is one of the untold but crucial life-saving tips for moving out.
  10. Pack your belongings.

First, subscribe (for free) to receive my articles directly in your inbox and receive as a special gift the digital book 20 Essential Hacks for Saving Money While Travelling.

Levi Borba is the founder of the Expatriate Consultancy, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author.

A cat in the garden. Expatriate failure Cultural Shock

Prevent the Reasons that Lead to Expatriate Failure

Often Cases of Expat Assignment Failure are Easy to Avoid

We will list the reasons for expat failure in this article, but first, let’s define what that means.

What do expatriate failure and expatriate success refer to?

Expatriate failure can be defined as a group of factors that impede an expatriate’s success, such as early return, underperformance at work, or adjustment concerns.

An expatriate failure is the failure of an expatriate to fulfill his objectives in a foreign country. Many expatriates (there are 6 types of expats and you can discover yours here) fail, but few do so in the sense that they return before their contract period ends. The majority just never get what they wanted from their posting and eventually give up trying.

Check also: The Most Helpful Books to Read About Living Abroad.

Reasons for expatriate failure

Several variables contribute to expatriate failure, including:

  • Have unreasonable expectations for the new country.
  • Failure to account for cultural variations or to deal with culture shock.
  • Failure to comprehend organizational culture at work.
  • Unwillingness to adapt to a new environment and way of life.
  • Uncertainty on how to seek assistance in an emergency.
  • Failure to comprehend local laws and customs.
  • Lack of Vitamin D (Keep reading to understand how).
Image for section about The Cost of Expatriate Failure

What are the expatriate failure rates?

The failure rates of expatriates vary greatly by sector and location. According to INSEAD research, failure rates might range from 10% to 50%, with the destination playing a significant effect. Expatriates assigned to developing economies are more likely to fail than those sent to industrialized nations.

Before jumping into the detail of the subject and advice against expatriate failure, a small personal anecdote. It will be useful to understand the reason for this post.

The Cost of Expatriate Failure

1. Direct Financial Costs: When an international relocation fails, the financial burden primarily falls on the employer. The costs include transportation (flights), accommodation, long-term housing rentals, household goods shipments, school fees, and miscellaneous charges. For a family of four with two school-aged children, the total hard costs can amount to months of salaries.

2. Non-Financial Costs: Apart from the direct financial aspect, companies also face non-financial costs such as lack of productivity, and the mental and emotional toll on the employee. A study claimed that up to 20 workdays are lost for some international relocations. Disenchanted employees may also suffer from low self-esteem, lack of motivation, and even depression, leading to far lower productivity.

The Causes of Expatriate Failure (And a Personal Story)

Stressed man at work. There are reasons for expatriate failure beyond work problems and stress.
There are reasons for expatriate failure beyond work problems and stress.

Almost everyone has a few family practices perpetuated from infancy to adulthood, which are eventually called house traditions. Mine was the family barbecue. One or two times per month my father turned on the churrasqueira (an intimidating word basically meaning “grill”) around noon, my mom prepared vinagrete, and one or two hours later all of us served ourselves from thin stripes of picanha, alcatra and all sorts of typical Brazilian cuts, together with bread rolls filled with vinagrete. Just by writing this paragraph, I feel the craving for it, something difficult for anyone foreign to my region to understand. 

​            Outside my country is nearly impossible to find the same kind of cuisine, except in places where you have a big Brazilian community or a public for different types of meat. Qatar was in the second case. Two restaurants served those cuts there for rich sheiks willing to taste it. I was not a frequent client of those since I was not willing to pay multiple times more than what I was used to. Thus, there was me, in the middle of the desert, deeply craving the meat and the moments I had during my whole life. That is when I realized I lived with two Argentinians. They knew some restaurants where the price tag was not high, and the best: we had company discounts!

​            Although Argentinian cuts differ greatly from the Brazilians, the environment and the taste were still fine. Albeit there was no vinagrete, there was another remarkably tasty sauce: chimichurri. Then I saw it was possible to satiate my appetite without emptying my pockets. I also found in supermarket cuts similar to alcatra and prepared it at home. To complete my weekend replicas of childhood rituals, I used to call my parents during those times and have long talks where we updated each other about our lives.

​            Though I didn’t have my parents present there (as well our typical bread rolls called pão francês, which were impossible to find), the weekends with churrasco-imitation were enough to catapult my mood and make me filled with satisfaction, happiness, and protein.

​I told you this story because, if you are already living abroad, probably you met other foreigners constantly complaining about how much they miss what they had back home. Maybe you even are one of them (no offense intended).

Food and culinary ingredients are the most common reason for ranting. Looking for an expat products store is valuable when adapting to life in a new country. Usually, those stores will have the most famous food items from selected countries, like condiments, beverages, sweets, or ingredients. It is especially convenient for anyone with kids going through adaptation.

​            Besides food, the reasons for expatriate failure n can build up from many other items that are inaccessible abroad. Things like hobbies, sports, climate, your favorite place, drinks, and routines. The affliction takes many forms. For example, an article by Worklife described the case of Joe Watson. He relocated to Hong Kong from Atlanta for six years and not being able to watch his sports teams on TV made him yearn for life back home. The consultancy firm Expatica exemplified this problem, and the opportunities derived from it:

​            When you’re not in your hometown, you need to adapt to what’s available in your new environment. For instance, you may have only ordered coffee from a particular company, but you may have to adjust to whatever type of coffee you can get in your locality. Weird smells? You must just get used to it.

Constantly complaining about how you can’t find the same brands as in your country or that you prefer the public transportation network back home doesn’t build a healthy relationship with your new place of residence. It is a path for expatriate failure. Try to focus on the positives and venture outside your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll find an even better brand of coffee in the process.

​   The ANS Syndrome and expat homesickness.

Image to illustrate section about expat homesickness.

     The paragraph above describes a pattern I saw among many expats all over the world. A common behavior which I will call here the analogous to nothing syndrome (ANS). It happens when, longing for something they had before and now it inaccessible in a foreign country, the person completely loses the capacity to substitute his previous desire for something similar. As if that dish, hobby, or Wednesday night event was analogous to nothing, an exclusivity only his beloved country had and there is nothing in the universe to substitute it.

​            Sometimes the analogous to nothing syndrome comes from the pride of what we judge as typical, traditional, or just very cool in our country. Like a Chilean expatriate in France misses drinking Piscolas because of the impossibility to find Pisco (a Chilean-Peruvian national drink) and doesn’t realize he can instead use Grappa with a similar result. Or a Californian casual-surfer living in Austria, frustrated with the lack of waves (and sea at all) but not realizing how satisfying could be to snowboard in the challenging slopes of Tyrol.

​          On other occasions, the ANS results from a lack of creativity or knowledge. To exemplify it, I ask your permission to tell another personal story, which will sum up in our final advice against expatriate failure.

How does lack of vitamin d cause depression (making expats fail in cold climates)

During my first winter in Europe, more or less around January, I was feeling tired and demotivated, since it was dark almost all the time. I was also getting sick frequently, and then I realized this was a message from my body. It was almost shouting to me “Hey, there is something wrong! I need sunlight!”. My skin color changed from the usual olive tone to a pale shade. I went to the doctor, and he asked for some exams. When the results came, we understood everything:

​            Severe lack of vitamin D.

​            There’s a good reason vitamin D is also known as “the sunshine vitamin”. The nutritionist Ryan Raman explained that When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it makes vitamin D from cholesterol. The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur. Since my genetics provided me with a darker color, ideal for places with strong sunshine like Brazil, it was over-filtering the scarce sunlight of the central European winter.

​            Here we had a problem. I couldn’t bring the Brazilian sunshine to here, and at this point, holidays were out of the question. So I needed a bit of creativity and some technology to solve the issue. The solution after all is to take vitamin tablets every morning, and an artificial light imitating the sun. The physiological problems faded and my humor, mood, and productivity had a boost.

​            What this proved is that even tropical sunshine is not analogous to nothing and can be substituted by something similar if you need it. Eventually, the search for a similar thing can even unveil other opportunities. Mark Callaghan, a British that moved to the USA and was badly craving for his typical “Sunday lunch swimming with gravy”, had his story told by Worklife:

“He did something most homesick expatriates don’t do — he turned his longing for home into a successful livelihood, later launching British Corner Shop, an online supermarket delivering British groceries worldwide, primarily to expats wanting a taste of home.”

It is likely that by freeing yourself from the inertia and frustration caused by not finding the same you had before, you will find something similar. If you are a Russian in the USA, maybe you miss celebrating Orthodox Easter. In the case your city doesn’t have many of your countrymen, use your creativity and you might find Serbians, Romanians, and many other nationalities that share traditions and prepare a delicious kulich.

​            The same is valid for routines. I remember that during my time in the Middle East, there was a group of jogging expats. A lot of them were Australians, North Americans, and Europeans. People from places where jogging is a good way to exercise outdoors and socialize. But outdoor exercising in Doha, where summer temperatures could reach 50 degrees Celsius, could be a health risk to those daring to do physical activity outside.

​            So how those people were jogging?

​            I read more about this group and realized that they were not jogging indoors, but rather in shopping malls, multi-purpose centers, and other acclimatized environments. The association became so popular that the hotel Hyatt Plaza sponsored a similar initiative in the city.

​            Jogging in a shopping mall. This is what I call creativity! It is certainly not the same as what they had in their countries, but it is similar and as the success of the group showed, it was also fun.

How to prevent expatriate failure?

Short answer: Don’t look for the same things, Stick to what is similar

This similar you will find may become your new standard, who knows? I would never expect that one day I would be more interested in watching winter sports than a carnival parade. As those examples prove, the sunshine of the tropics, the mild weather of the Mediterranean, the exotic cuisines, the pacific waves or the biggest party on the planet are not unreplaceable by something analogous. So why would you think the thing you are missing is analogous to nothing?

Here is the advice for expatriates reading this post: just look, in your new country, for something comparable to what you had before and embrace it. Instead of looking for the same, stick to what is similar, and enjoy it. 

(However, I still cannot adapt myself to the non-sensical idea of Breakdance in the Olympic Games, but that is a subject for another article).

If you live far from your home, check this article I prepared for you about homesickness.

Image to illustrate section about Reasons for expatriate failure

Key Takeaways: Expat Failure vs Successful Assignments During Mobility Programmes

One of the main reasons for expat assignments fail is the lack of local support and the inability to adapt to the new work environment and culture. Language barriers can exacerbate this issue, making it essential to include language training in the preparation. Ongoing support from the home country ‘in the loop’ through regular calls or emails can help expatriates adapt.

Insufficient support can lead to an overload of responsibility and personal disconnection, increasing the risk of expatriate failure. A personal mentor in the host country and a well-structured training programme should include elements to help navigate these challenges. Preparing for repatriation is equally vital, as returning to the home country may impact the employee’s performance.

HR or global mobility teams must choose the right person to send on an international assignment and provide ongoing support to prevent failure prematurely. The wellbeing of the assignee and their spouse or child must be considered, and domestic difficulties due to insufficient support must be addressed.

In conclusion, the ability to adapt to a new culture, language training, a strong support system, and preparation for repatriation are key factors in ensuring a successful expat experience. The failure becomes far more likely without these elements, emphasizing the importance of a well-thought-out strategy by human resource teams for international roles.

This article about expatriate failure is part of the book below.

Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity Cover
Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity


Levi Borba is the founder of The Expatriate Consultancy, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, meaning that the author will have a commission for any transaction.

A Modern city: What Causes Cultural Shock? Cultural Shock

What Does Culture Shock Mean in 2023

What Causes Cultural Shock and how the Hofstede Dimensions of Culture works.

Or: What does culture shock mean? Here is the short answer: Cultural shock is a condition experienced by an individual abruptly exposed to a different culture. There may also be symptoms, such as frustration and alienation. It may result from visiting or living in another country. Other terms for this include “culture shock”, “cultural disorientation” or “social disorientation”.

Now get ready for the long answer.

The majority of the first questions when moving out are about living costs, language, bureaucracy, etc. But almost nobody talks about a bold issue: Cultural Shock. Often groups of foreigners on social media will already have a FAQ or index for questions like:

How long does it take to have my resident card?

What is the best health insurance?

Which cellphone company is better?

I will not reply to those questions here. Not only because they differ from country to country, but also because it is straightforward to find those answers since they are the things that everyone asks. The way to find those answers is the same as explained previously: ask the locals on social media.

However, there is another group of questions, and those are barely asked. As a consequence of not answering them, so many expats experience frustration and regret. They are about what culture shock mean.

Hofstede Dimensions of Culture

The Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede[1] organized a study of national cultures using group dimensions that should quantify the core values of a society. Hofstede’s research examines national and organizational settings, tracing a general guideline about how different cultures would act in social and work environments. The findings of his study let us compare the cultural attitude of different countries, including the one we are living in and the one we are moving to.

There are 4 main conflict fields that cause Cultural Shock. They are the Hofstede dimensions of culture[2]:

Moving Out, Working Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity Cover
Book recommended: Moving Out, Working Abroad, and Keeping Your Sanity

1st Culture Shock Dimension – The Rules.

The approach to rules and regulations can be significantly different between certain nations. Germanic and Japanese cultures, on one side, value procedures, systems, and control, focusing on getting things done how they were planned.

On the other side, romance cultures like Iberians or Italians tend to give greater value to ad hoc problem-solving, relationship building, and adaptation to circumstances. Now you can imagine how misunderstandings can appear when a Swiss border official questions a laid-back Latin American student, or an Austrian client can be impatient in a Portuguese café because the waiter is talking too much.

2nd Culture Shock Dimension – The Time.

Time, one of the Hofstede Dimensions of Culture Shock. Image by Pexels.
Time, one of the Hofstede Dimensions of Culture Shock. Image by Pexels.

This is one of the earliest sources of cultural shock. I experienced it profoundly. The different perceptions of time can make an inexperienced expat deeply frustrated and be a common source of friction. In Latin American cultures punctuality is not that important for social gatherings or informal occasions.

An Anglophone that shows exactly as invited, for example, at 9 PM for a party or at 8 AM for the company breakfast, may find himself completely alone in the room and confused. In the same way, my wife was surprised that in Brazil would not be a problem to arrive at a doctor’s appointment five minutes late (because the doctor would just call my name ten minutes late).

Understanding how society handles deadlines is useful to your professional life too. Contrary to some stereotypes, laid-back nationalities like Greeks and Mexicans are among those that make more over-hours on the planet, while Germans are the ones doing less. Try to seek more information about how the people of your new country deal with time, how strict they are with deadlines, and if the dentist will still see you if you are five minutes late. This analysis will be very useful to you sooner than you can imagine.

3rd Culture Shock Dimension – The Humor.

Some cultures, like the Irish or Latin Americans, have humor as a constant component of their behavior, and jokes may surge even when things are not going well. Others, like the British, may use humor as a conversation starter, to break the ice, or even to grant some loans from the US to save their economy (like princess Margaret did in 1965[3]).

On the other side, jokes at Swiss business meetings can backfire because they may see it as a waste of time. In Slavic countries, to laugh with people that didn’t get the joke can be understood as you are laughing at them. I cannot recount how many times people asked me in Poland why I was laughing at things like a baby throwing his cap on the floor (it was really funny).

4th Culture Shock Dimension – The Communication.

As the consultancy firm Expatica explained on their page: Differing communication styles can be a ticking time-bomb, especially in the workplace. Plenty of cultures prefer to engage in lengthy hypothetical discussions with few concrete conclusions; meetings with French colleagues, for instance, might lack structure or even an agenda altogether.

Others prefer discussions with a clear and well-defined structure that allows participants to easily compartmentalize everything that was said. People who speak with a great deal of ambiguity or subtlety in their speech (the British are notorious here) may frustrate those that prefer clear and direct communication, though they may also impress their colleagues that have trouble working out complicated situations.

What are the 5 Stages of Culture Shock?

What does culture shock mean? The first step to answer is to discover in which stage you are.
What does culture shock mean? The first step to answer is to discover in which stage you are.

The 5 Stages of Culture Shock are:

1st – Honeymoon Stage

You’re fascinated by everything you see and do, you feel on top of the world, and you had no idea you could feel this way.

The honeymoon period is usually characterized by excitement and optimism, with little or no culture shock. Relaxation, enjoyment, and a sense of adventure are common during this time as the expatriate adjusts to his or her new surroundings.

The honeymoon stage can last anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the person, their trip, and the location visited. It is critical to make the most of this time because it will not last long.

2nd – Negotiation Stage

You try to absorb every experience and learn from it, while also retaining some aspects of your home culture. You may begin to feel overwhelmed or as if you are unable to keep up with everything.

The negotiation stage is one of the most difficult for expatriates to navigate because it involves a process of giving and taking between what the foreigner expects and what the new environment has to offer.

The person may be disappointed that he or she did not obtain everything desired and may be concerned that his or her efforts were in vain.

Negotiating a balance between expectations and reality becomes more difficult as work, family back home, and pre-travel anxiety increase.

3rd – Adjustment Stage

At this point, you’re starting to accept the new culture as normal and don’t need to work as hard to understand everything. You may begin to feel jaded, bored, or as if you have nowhere else to go.

Adjustment can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. During this time, expatriates become more accustomed to their new surroundings and begin to feel at ease with them. They can now see potential benefits that they were previously unable to see, such as exotic foods or entertainment events that were previously considered unusual or undesirable.

4th – Adaptation Stage

You can begin to relax once you accept that culture shock is normal and that you are experiencing it. It’s perfectly fine for strange things to appear strange. You’ll probably never stop considering your own culture to be more normal. But it’s not your job to figure out the new culture; all you have to do is figure out how to fit in.

Now that you know it’s normal to feel strange, you can concentrate on getting through it as quickly as possible and adapting to what really matters in your life where you are now.

5th – Re-Entry Transition Shock

(Just in case you are on a temporary assignment and must return). You start to get excited about going home or to another destination, but you’re not sure how you’ll handle being back in your original environment.

What Does Culture Shock Mean – Conclusion

Culture shock is the distress someone feels when they move and need to adapt to a new culture. They may feel uneasy or put off when they are in an environment where their customs are different from the people around them. Going to another culture can be enjoyable, but it can be overwhelming when you are in an environment that is not familiar.

Different dimensions of culture may also mean different dimensions of beauty and art. Image by Pexels.
Different dimensions of culture may also mean different dimensions of beauty and art. Image by Pexels.

The 4 culture shock dimension

Culture shock often comes in 4 different dimensions, as elaborated by Dr. Geert Hofstede:

  • 1st Culture shock dimension – The Rules
  • 2nd – The Time
  • 3rd – The Humor
  • 4th – The Communication

If you want to avoid feeling uncomfortable when you are in a different culture, the paragraphs above help you to understand the Hofstede dimensions of culture, and discover what is causing the shock in your life.

So, here we come to the question made some paragraphs ago: to do proper research that goes beyond asking about internet providers and insurance plans, you must also know those cultural shock differences. Preferably before you arrive or as soon as you land in your new country. If you are already living abroad, it is still a very interesting exercise and you can discover a lot by doing it.

If you live far from your home, check this article I prepared for you about homesickness.

[1] Research available at https://geerthofstede.com/culture-geert-hofstede-gert-jan-hofstede/6d-model-of-national-culture/

[2] Other details about culture shock and differences can be found in this article.

[3] You can see more details of this story at this link: https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/crown-true-story-behind-princess-20868858

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About me

Expatriate Consultancy Levi Borba

I'm Levi Borba, and after living on multiple continents during my career as an airline specialist, I started a company to help expatriates, producing 3 books about moving abroad. Check out Expat Life: What They Don't Tell You, our YouTube channel The Expat, my LinkedIn profile, or my Twitter. Also, you can find my writings on Medium (where I am one of the top-writers on my field of expertise).

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