I was in a long-distance relationship when I moved from India to join my partner in Austria.
I first met him four years earlier while doing what I loved best — introducing travelers to India as an Airbnb experience host. We connected instantly. Two years later, in the middle of the pandemic, we became life partners.
After another gap for visa formalities, I joined him in Austria. Unlike most people who make this shift in their 20s, I was doing it in my late 40s. It was a difficult decision because I was at the peak of my career as a content creator at a New York-based agency and had built a life in a city I loved.
Many people said it was a mistake. But today, after relocating during a pandemic, making a cultural transition into another country, learning a new language, and reestablishing my career in the most unconventional way, we have built a life we love.
Our relationship is stronger
My move to Austria during the pandemic was slow. While cross-border moves usually involve bureaucratic hurdles, the pandemic made them even more complex.
But we prepared carefully and fulfilled all legal requirements. Facing uncertainty together made us more certain of our plans and drew us closer. It helped us build the resilience we needed for the path ahead.
Home is something you build together, not a place where you are born
One of the most difficult things I had to do was gather over 40 years’ worth of belongings into a bag. Doing that showed me how to downsize my life to what really mattered.
When I arrived in Austria, my partner’s things were still in boxes in our new house. I added my suitcase to them and we unpacked everything we owned. We built our home by making it a space that reflected both our identities.
It’s never too late to start again
The difficult part about moving later in life is rebuilding your old systems from scratch. Not just the big things like settling into a new home or finding a job, but also the small things like figuring out how public transport works or navigating bureaucracy in a new country.
I rebuilt my old systems, from setting up a new bank account to getting an Austrian phone number, all with tremendous support from my partner. As an independent woman, I learned to be vulnerable and ask for support when I needed it.
Thinking in a new language is life-changing
I had already begun learning German before I moved. But for the first time, I was in a classroom where none of the other students knew English.
But we did learn to speak to each other. Our adult language classroom helped me meet incredible people from around the world who were also relocating. Learning a new language with them made me a better communicator.
Careers are connected to what you do, not where you live
The biggest problem with leaving a country later in life is letting go of the professional identity you have established. I stepped down from leading the content practice at a New York agency and left behind my identity as a bestselling author in India.
But the digital world helped me stay connected to both those identities. Instead of looking for employers, I looked for clients instead. I used my experience to become a content consultant to companies around the world, followed my passion as a travel writer, and published my first poetry anthology.
Having a personal network matters
The deep bond between my partner and me did not compensate for the loss of my friends and family back home. Unlike when you leave home earlier, I had built these friendships over the last four decades.
My first friends were my partner’s friends. But one of the best decisions I made was to join a local book club. Not only did it help me to keep reading, but it also gave me a chance to meet people with similar interests.
You have to embrace your roots and wings
I also had to find my balance between the two countries I now call home. I was still keenly aware of my home country’s history and cultural traditions.
But I also came to appreciate many things about being Austrian. As someone who had been an experienced host, I learned about Austrian history, culture, food, and traditions with the same enthusiasm. Embracing my new country helped me genuinely value and come to enjoy my new home.
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