As a born and high minnesotan who spent almost seven years living abroad (London and Stockholm, respectively), I am often asked this question by my American colleagues after having disclosed this little information:
“So why Europe? What brought you there? ”
For all useful purposes, my answer generally goes something like this:
“Well, I ended my master's degree in London and I had a nearby friend living in Stockholm who encouraged me to apply for writing jobs in English in Sweden. So, I applied for a role of English editor that I saw announced on LinkedIn, I received an offer and I finally moved. ”
Although familiar, their aforementioned question is justified. Why Europe? I guess my love story all started when I studied abroad in London during a semester during my first year of college. During these four months, I went to the cities of the card that I had only dreamed of visiting, I became familiar with the beauty of public transport, established friendships for life and even fell in love for the first time with a beautiful Australian.
Needless to say, I caught the Wanderlust bug in 2005 and to the chagrin of my family in Minnesota, it is always very lively and launched. So maybe this is not a big surprise, so why I chose to return to Europe in mid-vings after obtaining my university diploma and spent two years in New York.
And even if I do not pretend to have all the answers, I can at least share my personal experience of moving and living abroad to transmit a certain wisdom on how to take the step yourself:
1. Be realistic
Although it is relatively easy to romanticize a life in Europe, I will not lie – it can be isolated, frustrating and sometimes, crushing the soul. On the rise? It changes the life completely, you discover an inner strength that you did not know that you had and the relationships you establish are often with people from all over the world who accept the person you have become and appreciate you even more.
That being said, if you just want to walk and explore a particular country for a few months, a vacation visa will suit you well. (Most Americans can travel almost anywhere in Europe up to 90 days without hassle or questions from the authorities.)
On the other hand, if you really want to immerse yourself in a culture, pay taxes and make a life in the city that sends your heart, you will have to do some additional work to get there. Which brings me to my next point …
2. Study first (then work)
When I decided to leave the Big Apple at the 24 -year -old ripe age, I did it with the sole intention of moving to London and staying in Europe. Even then, I knew my only realistic option if I wanted to jump the pond to study and finish my mastery.
I must mention, even pre-Brexit, that the United Kingdom is notoriously difficult when it comes to obtaining visas for an American-which you study or work full time. That said, it is necessary to consider a master's degree in other European countries which fortunately offer very affordable tuition fees (and sometimes even free for foreign students. Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland are only a few that come to mind.
Retrospectively, I think it was particularly advantageous that I already lived in London when I started applying for jobs in Sweden. According to my experience, I found that European companies are much more ready to hire an American if you are a two -hour flight from their office rather than an ocean.
3. Save, save, save
Let's face it: move anywhere these days is expensive, especially if you travel abroad to continue higher education or work full time.
Leaving New York in 2008 and temporarily returning with my parents in Minnesota to save money has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions I could have made in my life for young adults. Even after being accepted in my creative writing program in London and that I had filled out all the documents necessary for my British student visa, I still had to provide written evidence of my bank in the United States that I had enough money to cover the entire Cost of my MA program as well as approximate subsistence costs for nine months.
In all honesty, I could not have done it if I didn't have a little nest egg put aside. So, mom and dad, if I haven't told you that before – you rocke. Living without rent all these months has literally paid literally.
(Note: although some European companies provide a comfortable relocation set to employees they hire from abroad, it is not always a standard procedure. They can cover your visa costs, which is substantial, but you can very well determine your own accommodation once you move.)
4. Find your career niche
Although I often like that I have chosen the bad career as a writer, speaking financially, I sort of fell into the perfect profession – writing English – in Europe. Who knew how to be a native English writer / publisher was so attractive (and often even compulsory) for companies? In 2011, when I applied for the first time to write jobs in Stockholm, I certainly did not do it.
Although my first cycle was in journalism and I had just finished my mastery in creative writing (I focus on fiction with a handful of poetry), I had very little experience in the editorial world. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to perfect my skills from Peggy Olsen to Stockholm and I had the chance to call it my career since.
If you are a writer's colleague, like me, you could very well say “yes” to a job offer in European cities which are mainly fashion, beauty or technology. Stockholm, in particular, is full of opportunities for native English writers, because a lot of big brands are based there – H&M, Spotify and Proctor & Gamble, to name only a few. Other cities on the list of native English speakers can consult? Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen and Barcelona.
This may look like an obviousness, but the configuration of email work alerts on LinkedIn or indeed.com is an intelligent way to follow the type of work even for you and your expertise.
(Lateral note: I must clarify and mention that these career opportunities to which I refer is not simply limited to native English -speaking writers. In fact, many of these European societies often look for English -speaking creatives of all kinds – creative directors, artistic directors, graphic designers, UX / UI designers, same project managers, etc.)
5. Start applying
“Nothing to venture, nothing has won. “This old adage can be overused, but I found that there is an inherent truth. Interior as something you have done;
So, as we say in Swedish, “Lyckka Till!” (Good luck.)
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As a born and elevated American who now resides in Germany, Erin is an independent writer with more than 10 years of experience in writing her time in Stockholm, Sweden and New York. A self -proclaimed storyteller with a serious case of Wanderlust, she has a penchant for everything related to fashion, cinema, food and travel.
