Traveling Abroad vs. Living Abroad

Traveling a country as a tourist is completely different from living in a country as an expatriate. Don't get me wrong, I love being a gawker of sights too. But completely immersing oneself in a country's culture by choosing to live there is an experience unparalleled with anything else in the world! I can't even begin to explain how rewarding it is to be able to contribute to a society rather than just pass by it. People always complain about not having enough vacation time from their 9-5s. Here's a nutty idea: instead of traveling (insert your country of choice here) for 2 weeks, stay for a year instead.

I understand that the choice to live abroad isn't realistic for everyone. Just know that YOU are free to live the life that YOU want to live! Life in Germany has challenged me in extraordinary ways thus far. The thick-skulled ones still think I'm here on holidays. In actuality, I've been busting my butt trying to find career-oriented work while simultaneously teaching myself German. But I'm not complaining, not one bit. I've learned life skills that I'd never had learned if I'd stayed in Toronto. Despite the frustrations married to this lifestyle, I feel alive and that's all that matters.