Moving to a new country can surface a range of emotions: the bubbling excitement in the wake of a new adventure; the five senses acutely stimulated, anxiously ready to explore the new environment; the anticipation of new experiences and meeting new friends. Relocating can also instill fear or dread, walking into the unknown and unsure of what to expect. It can be daunting to start over from scratch, having to relearn even the simplest of things like the location of the nearest grocery store. Expat life has so many complex facets.

Last week’s #CultureTrav topic with founder Nicolette and our guest host Cherrie led me to reflect on my own life as an expat. In February 2011, I moved to the Netherlands and have been living in the country ever since. We lived in Utrecht for a year and in Amsterdam now for three. Over the last four years, I’ve experienced a range of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade my time abroad for anything. This Blog outlines three tips I’ve learned along the way to help expats integrate into a new culture.