Survivng in a different country

[Off2Spain]

So, I'll be moving to Spain in 18 days!
I'm not too nervous yet as I guess Im still not realizing I'll be leaving my country for a whole year.
Is there anyone on here who also moved to another country to be with their SO? And if so, what did you do to mingle in with the locals and simply fit in?
My SO will be working full time when I get there so I'll be on my own a lot and I dont know anybody else there so I'm afraid I might get a bit lonely.
I do speak Spanish fluently so there wont be too much of a language problem..
Also, what do you pack? I'll be freakin hot when I get there, but their winters are quite cold! Haha its a real puzzle to fit your life into one suitcase of 20 kg!
Thank you for the tips!

[snow_girl]

I've moved to two different countries without knowing anyone. Look around for websites for local new friend meet ups, I am pretty sure every city has one and it is really easy to meet people that way. Everyone that goes is in the same boat looking to meet people so they are always friendly. I packed a 20 kg suitcase for two years. Only pack what you need. Spanish winters are not going to be cold like the Neatherland winters so bring a couple long sleeve shirts and maybe a coat. Turn all your coat hangers in your closet around, when you wear something then turn the hanger around, anything that is still backwards by the time you start packing you are not allowed to bring!

[Off2Spain]

Thats a good packing idea! I think I'll just bring layers, so enough clothing for summer and then some vests for autumn winter. Maybe 3 pairs of jeans/long trousers and some longsleeves. The 20 kg restrictions are a good reason to go shopping in Madrid hehehe.
I'm soooo excited to be leaving The Netherlands!! I think I'll just go ahead and sign myself up for dance classes in Madrid to make some new friends. I don't want to be dependant on my SO and his friends!

[Lilly9886]

What are you going to do in Spain? University? Work? If yes, then I'm sure you'll meet people there!!
and dancing classes are a good idea to get to know people (if it's for "singles" too, not just couples dance ^^)

I moved to Mexico for a year to be with my bf, I was studying there at his university, but I couldn't fit my stuff in 1 bag, I had 2.. and one was even overweight.. :P
so I cannot give tips to pack here ^^

[Romeo s Juliet]

i agree with snow girl she gave lots of great tips. and yes its hard to not pack everything specially when us girls :P but ya i think the trik is to figure out what u will be using the most when compared to what you will use the least good luck

[lucybelle]

I moved to Costa Rica with the intent to stay forever and I managed to get all my life into 2 checked bags. It can be done! I gave away about 3/4 of all my clothes and stuff before I left. It was liberating. Just remember that if you forget or leave something behind, Spain will have it available and you can always buy it once there.

Will you be living in Madrid? What a freaking AWESOME city!!!!

When I moved in with my SO he was working full time as well. I hated being home alone and so I made him let me get a dog. Which was a really great decision because I started taking her to a "dog park" where I met tons of friendly people. One of which told me about the school where I ended up getting a job! I took Italian classes for 3 months which was fun, but none of the class ended up being "friends". I met most of my friends through couch surfing meetings. It took me about 5 or 6 months to start to really feel at home. To have my own circle of friends, to know all the buses, to learn the roads, to learn enough slang to follow conversations, etc etc.

Anyways, just be patient and try to be open. It might be hard at first, but you'll start to integrate if you really put in an effort. Suerte!

[Off2Spain]

@Lilly9886 I'm going there for a research internship, which means I'll be in a lab all day!
@Lucybelle Yes I'll be in Madrid! I've been there last march to visit my SO but unfortunately ended up in hospital with a cast around my leg the very first day. Needless to say I spent the remainder of my days on the couch!

I've already started selling my stuff, luckily I'll be able to store lots of stuff at my parents house though! I might be coming back to Holland for a weekend in October, which means I could swop some of my summer clothes for warmer clothing. But still my answer to everything is shopping!! I'm sure many of my friends are visiting me during the year and im planning on giving them stuff to take back to holland so that I wont be stuck with all these things I wont be able to take back home! The only hard thing left now is chosing the clothes I'm taking now.

I'm only starting my research project in september so untill then I have no other 'social' life. I would love to get a dog or cat, preferably from the streets, but I dont know how I would be able to take him back home after a year as I have no clue where I will be staying in Amsterdam (housing is a big problem here). And in Madrid I'll be staying in an appartement, not the ideal place for a dog.
I've signed myself up for a medical spanish language course, hopefully I'll get to know more people there. And Ill start finfing some beginners dance classes to sin me in for!

Thanks for the tips, they are much appreciated! Its so exciting and scary to move to another country! Its a shame though ill have to come back to holland after a year to finish my two year internships. But luckily my SO will be comining with me for those two years, and after that I would love to try and get a job in Spain, although at the moment it is impossible due to the crisis.

[Dziubka]

I moved to Poland for a year right after I finished high school without knowing ANY Polish at all. And I didn't even have a boyfriend to rely on.
Are you going to move in together? I had a lot of flatmates from different countries (who also didn't know Polish) so I stuck with them in the beginning until I met more locals. You're going to meet people on your language course and dance classes and you could "adopt" some of your SOs friends


About the packing... I have no advice but I feel your pain. I'm going to move to Warsaw in August/September for a year (possibly longer or possibly I'm going to move somewhere else afterwards, I don't know whether I'm coming back to where I live now) and I'm already scared about the packing. I've collected quite a few things living here and... I don't want to part with my first self bought furniture
My mum lives too far away for me to store any of my stuff at her's and she doesn't have a lot of space anyway. I don't like being attached to things, but damn... I bought them, they're mine :-/

[kirbycat]

When I moved overseas for two years, I had to pack my entire life into two checked bags. Naturally I spent days packing and repacking...and then when I got there, I still ended up not using half the stuff I brought, and bought a bunch of new stuff anyway. I always tell people, just don't worry about it. It's just not worth the stress. No matter what you bring with you, you're going to end up wondering why you bothered with some items and kicking yourself for forgetting something else. You can always have your parents mail you stuff, or ask friends to bring something with them when they visit. And of course, there's always shopping!

[Off2Spain]

@Dziubka, Yes I will be moving into my SO's flat, dead scared about that aswell, never had to live with a boy hahaha but thats a whole other topic!

I'm also having to sell most of my self bought furniture, but it doesnt affect me too much luckily.
And do to finishing off my studies these two weeks, having to move and also do all the medical check ups now, I don't have ANY time to pack my suitcase but on the very morning I'm, leaving. I hate last minute packing, but at least I'm trying to pack the clothes I;m planning to take with me in a separate box. But the deal with moving is there's always something that will get lost!