Nirvana on moving abroad: "Just do it!"

I've been working in Valencia at WeWow for a while now. At first, I was really nervous about going abroad alone. Especially the week before I left, I was filled with fear and I really thought, "Why am I doing this?!" Eventually, once I arrived in Spain, all those fears went away, and it was just a matter of doing it! The fears were really unnecessary, when I came here, everything just fell into place.

I didn't find it difficult to find a job or look for accommodation abroad. There are many websites you can check, I found a place through one called ‘Idealista’ myself. Accommodations pop up there last-minute, so you have to keep an eye on it constantly. As long as you do that, it'll be fine, and even if not, Yobbers was there to offer their help.

Leaving the Netherlands and starting a new life

What I wish I had known before moving abroad was that I didn't need to worry so much. You make friends quickly, so you're not alone, which is something I had expected. That's something I wish I had been more confident about beforehand! You already meet people at work, but I'm also in a WhatsApp group full of Dutch people in Valencia. Sometimes, if I'm bored after work, I'll send a message there, and then I have company for the night! There are also many events, or join a sports class. It's actually super easy to make new friends, as long as you're open to it!

"Those fears are really unnecessary, when you come here, everything just falls into place."

The most valuable lesson I've learned abroad is that I feel much more independent. I would now do things alone much more quickly, or maybe even go abroad alone for a holiday or to live somewhere again. That feeling is incredibly valuable! My biggest challenge in moving to Spain was leaving people behind in the Netherlands, I found it very difficult to say goodbye. So, going abroad alone was quite tough for me.

I haven't really had homesickness. I must say that I struggled a lot when friends came to visit and then left. Sometimes I felt a bit down, but after a day or two, that got much better. Other than that, no homesickness! I still feel connected to my friends and family at home, I call them often enough! I'm also in a relationship, and he's still in the Netherlands. That can be difficult sometimes: I miss him a lot. Thankfully, we’re able to call each other almost every day! What also really helps is planning fun things online, like cooking together, playing games, or having a movie night. Otherwise, you just end up talking about each other's days, which can get boring quickly. Date nights can also be virtual! 

I wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything

I often have 'pinch-me' moments where I think "am I really here?". For example, when I'm walking through the city, the sun is shining, and everyone is sitting on the terrace. Sometimes I also go hiking outside Valencia for a day, there I often have those moments of realization where I think "wow, I'm really here". I do think that I will move back to the Netherlands at some point because my boyfriend lives there, but I definitely want to work abroad again later!

My advice to others is: just do it! I had quite a few fears beforehand, but, that was so unnecessary! You meet people so easily and you adapt very easily to the new country. Living abroad is definitely worth it: you meet so many new people and it's a really nice bonus to  live in this lovely weather. I would definitely recommend it to everyone! I now feel like there's so much more to discover in the world, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything.

“I often have 'pinch-me' moments where I think: am I really here?”

I would definitely recommend Yobbers to others. Imagine, the job you end up with is not as expected or there's no good connection, then you can always turn to Yobbers. I find that idea very comforting because after all, when you're going abroad alone, this way you have someone to fall back on. The reason I chose Yobbers to go abroad is because I had already heard very good stories through my acquaintances. I also came across them often on social media, and when I took a look at the website once, I saw that there were a lot of choices in jobs abroad. That made it very easy to make a selection of what I did and didn't want. Very chill!

Feeling inspired for a sunny adventure abroad? Then check out our vacancies right away, and before you know it, you'll be living abroad!