News - Navigating the Challenges of Relocating Abroad: Lessons from a Gen Zer

In pursuit of a fresh start, 21-year-old Zina Malas ventured from Lebanon to Canada, seeking stability and a reinvigorating lifestyle. However, the transition was fraught with unexpected challenges. Struggling with job prospects and cultural adaptation, Malas found the Canadian emphasis on individualism isolating, contrasting sharply with Lebanon's community-oriented lifestyle. Despite these hurdles, Malas forged valuable connections through shared hobbies and a supportive living arrangement. Encouraged by her circle of friends, she embarked on memorable experiences such as hiking and exploring Quebec. This social network proved essential in navigating and enriching her time abroad. Malas imparts crucial advice for prospective expats: harbor realistic expectations and a willingness to immerse yourself fully in the new environment. Cultures differ significantly, and Canada's landscape of green spaces and unique social dynamics opened new vistas for Malas, though she ultimately decided to return to Lebanon. Her journey underscored the necessity of remaining open-minded, avoiding constant comparisons with one's homeland, and embracing the novelties of a new country. Reflecting on her experience, Malas advises that while living abroad can become a mundane routine of work and chores, sustaining an open mind and heart, coupled with an engaging social environment, can transform an otherwise challenging expedition into a rewarding venture. Although Canada wasn't her final destination, the experience fostered growth and left indelible memories, leading her to extol the enrichment living abroad can offer when approached with curiosity and adaptability.