7 expat hobbies that might suit you

The step of moving abroad has been done. You’re all set, you’ve got a place to stay, you’ve got health insurance, you just started working on your new job. Even the house is starting to look like a “home”. So, what’s next? Transforming free time into quality time, of course. A balance between work and free time is very important, especially if dealing with so many stress sources, like expats usually do. It’s not always easy to continue doing the activities you use to do back in your home country, but consider this challenge as being part of your integration- you’re just going to try new things. Here are 7 suggestions for expat hobbies.

Which hobbies suit you better?

1. Visit, visit, visit! Get to know your new city better, through museums. They usually cover a diverse range of topics from art to science and you can get some fascinating insights.

2. Exercise! Let those endorphins out, for some de-stressful time. Go walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, you name it. Or find a fitness centre nearby- you get or stay in shape, while meeting new people as well.

Photo by Curtis MacNewton on Unsplash

3. Connect with other expats! You’ll discover many expat communities online, but you can also find such a group in the area where you live. Share you experience so far with other members and maybe get some tips on how to improve life as an expat.

4. Volunteer! This is a great alternative to spend your free time and do good in the same time. It gets you out of the house and into the local community and it might also bring you some new friends.

5. Go to concerts! Music has this great power to connect people no matter the culture. Take a chance with local bands as well, you might be surprised.

Photo by Dhiren maru on Unsplash

6. Go see movies! You can find local cinemas or movie clubs and enjoy watching a movie just like any other local. Don’t mind the language barrier – if there is one – this is a great way to better assimilate  the new culture.

7. Take photos! If photography is your thing, just remember you can enjoy this hobby pretty much everywhere you go. Your camera can accompany you in this great adventure of starting your life over in a new country. You could keep a photo- journal that will keep track of your accommodation process. 

Photo by bady qb on Unsplash

And when the lights go out and homesickness kicks in, we have another cure for you. Call home! Get in touch with your loved ones back home through KeepCalling.com and get that final drop of peace and balance in your life. It’s accessible and it makes it easy to call anywhere in the world. Enjoy!