Growing up abroad not only gives you entertaining stories to tell your friends, but it also allows you to have a unique perspective on the world. You are also better at adapting to different situations and have an open mind toward cultural differences. Here are some other things that you may identify with as someone who has grown up abroad.
1. You have a hard time pinpointing home
Living in multiple places around the world, you are attached to each place. Your native country has your family and your culture, while your adopted country has friends that feel like family and comfort foods that make you nostalgic for “home.” You have the best of both worlds, where you consider not one, but two (or more) places significant parts of your personal history.
2. You are good with languages
Living abroad often requires you to learn a new language out of necessity to communicate well with locals. You were eager to learn this new language and quickly picked it up. Even if you moved to a country that has the same native language as your own, there was a whole different set of local slang that you needed to learn in order to understand what everyone was referring to.
3. You always though that living abroad was quite normal
For most children, the idea of moving to another country seemed like something straight out of an adventure storybook, but for you it quickly became second nature. At first it took some time to adjust, but soon your new neighborhood felt familiar and you adapted to the new routines like you had been practicing them all your life.
4. You are influenced by a blend of cultures
Greeting people can be confusing, especially if you kiss people on the check in your adopted country, but give a handshake in your native one. The way you conduct yourself and your body language is a mix of both cultures and you only realize that you are different when someone points it out.
5. You have an accent that is hard to pinpoint
Influenced by different languages, your accent is unique and often confuses others, but you embrace it as a benefit of growing up abroad.
6. You know your geography
You have a pretty solid grasp on where things are located in the world and it is not because of your world history classes in school. Living abroad has inspired you to be curious about the world. Through this, you have a good understanding of where countries are in relation to one another.
7. You have friends from all over the world
Growing up abroad meant that you had friends from many different countries, especially if you attended an international school. Lunch time was the best, because you got to sample different cuisines from your friend’s lunches.
8. You were bitten by the travel bug
Moving abroad made you realize how much you enjoyed learning about a new culture. Now, you try to travel as much as possible, whether with friends and family, by yourself, by studying abroad, or by teaching English. Any chance you get to explore a new country, you welcome it with open arms.
9. You have a minimalist view on life
Moving abroad, you realized that it was realistic to only take your most prized possessions. At a young age, you became a master at minimizing your material possessions and instead found value in experiences.
10. You have a wide appreciation for different cultural delicacies
You do not turn your nose up for tripe and have a soft spot for durian. You are definitely adventurous when it comes to trying new foods in a country, because for you a major part of the whole experience is trying out the local cuisine.
Featured photo credit: Flickr via flickr.com
