01 · Before you arrive
Preparing mentally for the move
The practical move takes months; the mental move takes longer. Prepare for both and the transition is far gentler.
In this chapter
Most movers pass through excitement, frustration, doubt and eventual belonging — often more than once. The hard days usually arrive a few months in, when the novelty fades and the bureaucracy, language barriers and missing comforts pile up at once. Knowing this arc is normal keeps a bad week from becoming a wrong conclusion.
Plan for the dip: schedule something enjoyable for months two to four, keep in contact with people who ground you, and do not make permanent decisions on a hard day.
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