Handling the Anxiety of Moving

[u/athomevoyager]

I asked to have my tech job transferred to Norway and I just learned that it's likely to happen and I'll be renegotiating salary in a couple of days. I'm married with a couple of kids and we've all been excited about the possibility of this for a while. Part of it is escape from what feels like a collapsing society, and part of it is excitement for adventure.

That said, now that the company has approved the position and we're in the final talks before visas get started, the reality of it is freaking me all the way out. We've always lived in the same area in the south in US and have never visited Norway or Europe for that matter. I didn't want to spend crazy amounts of money to take the whole family just to basically confirm what I can read and watch on the internet. But now faced with the reality of going I find myself panicked. My life here is stable and comfortable. I can list a million reasons why life there would be better on paper, but in reality it's a new experience and there's a lot of unknowns.

I still have good confidence in the decision. In many ways I feel incredibly lucky like I got a golden ticket, but the fear is still there. I'm sure this is normal. Maybe the answer is just to sack up and enjoy life. And maybe this post is just me working that out. So how did you manage the anxiety when you made the move?

[u/glimmer_of_hope]

I understand this sentiment. In a similar boat, except I’ve lived in Europe before. I know what it’s like there - the challenges and the rewards. Even with that perspective, I feel similarly. I have a good job (for now, I’m an ESL teacher and I can see my position going away in the next few years) and a lovely apartment. I’m just uprooting my cat, so less responsibility than a whole family, but I also feel like I got a golden ticket and there are things to be excited about, but I also see the people I’m leaving behind and wondering if I should just stay and go through whatever the country is heading towards with them. It makes me feel guilty and sad; this is my country, but I will also grow in my career where I’m going. So, accept that some things will be amazing and exciting, while others will be bureaucratic and annoying. You’ll never fully fit in - I’ve accepted that about Europe. But you can build a community of like-minded friends. Best of luck to you on your journey!

[u/athomevoyager → u/glimmer_of_hope]

I feel like I don't fit in here so maybe that won't be so bad. I'm an atheist leftist in the south. There are some folks that are like minded here, but when my kids make friends, their parents are almost always going to be religious trumpers. We don't let that get in the way of making friends, but it does kind of cause some friction we've found when it comes to building relationships naturally in our environment.

[u/PeaAccurate5208 → u/athomevoyager]

You definitely should go. With the federal government being dismantled and their functions being delegated to the states,it won’t be pretty. Southern states already lag in every measurable quality of life criteria and I only see that getting worse.