Moving abroad looks simple from a distance — pack up, leave, start fresh. In reality, there's a lot that nobody prepares you for in advance. Not because they don't want to, but because it genuinely can't be described until you've lived it yourself.

Here are ten things worth knowing before you go.

1. Bureaucracy will get you before you've even unpacked

Empadronamiento, NIE, TIE, health insurance, tax number, bank account — each one requires the previous one first. Start on day one and accept that at least one full day will be swallowed entirely by admin. And yes, you'll very likely still be dealing with paperwork in the days and months ahead. Just hang in there!

2. You have to actively build friendships

In a new city, friendships don't happen on their own. Adult relationships abroad are built deliberately — language exchange, sport, a course, anything that gets you around people. Going out alone for the first time might feel a bit awkward, but it's worth it! Expect the first six months to feel quite lonely on this front — that's a completely normal part of the process.

3. You'll still feel like a foreigner after a year — and that's fine

A sense of belonging doesn't arrive automatically. Sometimes not even after years. It doesn't mean you made a mistake. It just takes time and a little kindness toward yourself.

4. The cost of living is different than you expect

The apartment looks relatively affordable — until you pay the deposit, possibly an agency fee, and two months' rent upfront. Build a detailed budget before you leave, and include startup costs. The first month abroad is usually the most expensive of the whole stay.

5. Your language skills aren't as good as you thought

B2 from a language school and a phone call to a Spanish insurance company are two completely different disciplines. Speaking imperfectly is always better than not speaking at all — and people appreciate it more than you'd expect. :)

6. Home food will hit you at the most unexpected moments

Czechs abroad bring each other kofola, tatranky, and rohlíky — and there's a very good reason for it. Nostalgia in the supermarket aisle is completely normal!

7. Things break at the worst moments and you'll have to handle it alone

You lock yourself out. The hot water stops working. The internet dies before an important call. Back home you'd call your dad — abroad you message ChatGPT. And then you feel like a total superhero.

8. People at home will stop fully understanding you

People back home won't quite get why you don't come back, or why this isn't just "a long holiday". It's a mutual drifting apart — and it's part of the process. It just shows you how much you've grown.

9. You'll experience both at the same time

The biggest adventure of your life and the loneliest Friday evening — in the same week. Both are true. Both are fine.

10. It's worth it — even on the bad days

In a year you'll know yourself better than five years at home would have shown you. You'll do things you didn't know you were capable of. And one day you'll be sitting somewhere on a beach, thinking: YES. This is exactly what I wanted!

Homesickness when living abroad is almost universal. Yet people rarely talk about it honestly — it either gets dismissed ("you chose this") or overdramatised. In reality, it's a completely normal part of expat life, and it deserves a bit of attention.

Homesickness is just love with nowhere to go

This one lands every time. Homesickness isn't a failure to adapt. It's not a sign that you should pack up and go back. It's a natural response to caring about people, places and moments that are currently far away. That's a beautiful thing — even if it stings right now.

What helps (and what really doesn't)

❌ What doesn't help

• Telling yourself you have no right to be sad because "you chose this".
• Scrolling Instagram and watching photos of friends back home.
• Isolating yourself with the thought that "it'll pass".
• Replaying everything you're missing — birthdays, celebrations, Sunday lunches.

✅ What actually helps

• Calls with family — but without pressure on frequency. Once or twice a month, fully present, beats calling every day out of obligation.
• Cooking food from home. Comfort food is a genuinely powerful thing.
• Planning visits in advance. Knowing you'll be home in three months is calming even on the hardest days.
• Finding community here. Other expats, fellow countrypeople, people with the same experience — nobody understands better than someone who's been there.
• Keeping a journal. Things that would sound trivial at home suddenly make sense on paper.

When is it normal and when does it deserve attention?

Homesickness that comes in waves and then passes? Normal, expected, part of living abroad. Homesickness that paralyses you, drains your energy and isolates you for months? That deserves attention — a therapist, a coach or at least an honest conversation with someone you trust.

Homesickness doesn't mean you made the wrong choice. It means you have somewhere to come from — and that's a gift not everyone has.

Opening a bank account in Spain as an EU citizen isn't complicated — but it requires the right documents in the right order. A lot of people walk into a branch without what the bank needs and leave empty-handed. Here's the exact step-by-step so that doesn't happen to you.

Step 1: Empadronamiento (address registration)

This is the first thing you need. Register at the town hall (ayuntamiento) of the city where you're living. You'll need: passport + rental contract or landlord's written consent. Without empadronamiento almost nothing else will work.

Result: an empadronamiento certificate you'll need everywhere.

Step 2: Getting your NIE

NIE is your tax/identification number. Without it you can't open a bank account, sign a contract or pay taxes.

• Download form EX-18 from the police website (extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es)
• Book online at a Comisaría de Policía — section "Certificados UE"
• Bring: passport, passport copy, completed EX-18, empadronamiento and the fee (~€12 via tasa 790)
• Appointments are booked weeks in advance — start immediately after arriving

Step 3: Opening a bank account

With a Spanish address (empadronamiento) and NIE, most banks will welcome you. What I recommend:

💚 Fee-free: BBVA or Openbank

Open online, no branch visit required, no monthly fees. BBVA has a great app and works all across Spain.

💳 Alternative: Revolut or Wise

If you don't have your NIE yet and need an account immediately — Revolut and Wise work with just a passport, no Spanish number needed. They're not "full" Spanish accounts, but they'll get you started.

🏦 Traditional banks (Santander, CaixaBank)

Require a branch visit, NIE and patience. But they have physical branches everywhere, which is handy.

Step 4: TIE — residence card (if you're staying)

If you plan to stay in Spain longer than 3 months, register as an EU resident. Again via the Comisaría — form EX-18, this time tick the EU resident registration box. Result: green certificate with NIE or the full TIE card.

One more tip: always carry copies of everything. Spain loves paperwork and a passport copy is useful absolutely everywhere.

It's more bureaucracy than you're used to, but it's really just a few afternoons total. And then you'll have an account, an address and the feeling of having conquered an entire Spanish administrative fortress. 🏆