Why Go Global?

by Chantal Panozzo

Why move abroad? Why Europe? Why Switzerland? Why ask why?

In today’s world, there is no better way to advance a career than by living abroad. Those who take the risk and go global will understand the world better than anyone else and be rewarded for it in their careers—and in their personal lives.

But if you need specific reasons, here are a few to consider:

-Career Advancement/Career Reinvention

As an expat, you will bring unique skills to your new country by virtue of being different. In Switzerland, well-educated native English speakers are in high demand at international companies and you may find a challenging opportunity that wouldn’t exist in your home country—even if you first arrive as the trailing spouse like I did. And if you don’t, you many find yourself reinventing your career. That’s not a bad thing, either.

-Travel

To live in a new part of the world means it is right there for you to explore. And if you live in a country like Switzerland, which borders five other countries, travel is easy. Instead of seeing things as a tourist, you learn about them as a local and you also learn to travel as a local would. In Europe, this means traveling longer, at a more relaxed pace, and by taking public transportation. Americans that go abroad will likely enjoy more vacation time (up to double or triple the time) than they’ve ever known.

-Language

There is no better way to learn a language than become immersed in it. Granted, learning a language in Switzerland (with four official ones and many more dialects) has its own unique challenges, but for those who are up to them, it’s possible to become fluent with enough time and effort.

-No “what ifs”

This is probably the biggest reason I moved abroad. I never wanted to think, “what if?” Because when given the opportunity, I knew that if I didn’t take it I would always think, “what if?” And that’s not something I wanted to always have to ask myself.

Did you go global? If so, what were your reasons for going abroad?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland who has written for a variety of publications on two continents. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.