Simply Better Living

Why learning the language is about far more than words.   If you've been following this series, you'll know that we've already looked at three important lessons about moving abroad. First, don't be afraid to start over. Second, remember that wherever you go, you take yourself with you. Third, don't just plan the move—plan the life that begins afterwards. That naturally brings us to one of the biggest myths about moving abroad. Most people think learning the language is mainly about communication, and that is if they don't find excuses for not learning it. It isn't. It's about understanding another way of seeing the world. I was reminded of that recently while selling some furniture from our apartment in Berlin before moving permanently to Spain. Among the items was a simple laundry basket. A gentleman—let's call him Lars—contacted me online. His German was impeccable. So was mine. He immediately agreed to pay the full asking price withou...

The first thing most people get wrong about moving abroad.    If you've read my last two articles, you'll know that this short series is really about starting over . Sometimes that means changing careers. Sometimes it means changing relationships. Sometimes it means questioning assumptions you've lived with for years. And sometimes it means moving to another country. Having now lived in Britain, Germany and Spain, I've discovered that one of the biggest mistakes people make isn't choosing the wrong country. It's expecting the move itself to do most of the work. Sixteen years ago, my wife and I packed up our lives, sold our house, and moved to Berlin with our four children. Like most people planning a move abroad, I spent months thinking about practicalities. Where would we live? Could we find work? How difficult would the paperwork be? How quickly would my family learn German? Looking back, none of those turned out to be the greatest challenge. The biggest chall...