10 common Challenges Immigrant women face and Tips to overcome them!
Relocating, living and thriving in a new country is not an easy journey but it is worth it. This post continues the "Her Relocation" series which I started with my blog post My relocation journey: 10 things I wish I knew before I relocated to the US a few weeks ago. I know I am not alone on this journey.
A few months ago, I asked immigrant women mostly in Germany, UK, US and Nigeria: "What are the top three challenges you have faced in your new home country". In this post I will be sharing some experiences and learnings from other women who live in a new home country and are thriving. We will take a deep dive into some of the challenges the women shared and some advice you can apply. A major realization for me through the process, was that our experiences are very similar, and we have a great opportunity to learn from one another.
Challenge 1: Feeling lonely
Her Experience: "I was completely alone without friends or my family", "There was no one to help specially with my kids", "I struggled with meeting people", "I missed my family and friends"
Her Advice:
Join a new community or group
Attend events or meet-ups
Start a social circle if there's none around you
Challenge 2: Lack of local Food
Her Experience: "I could not find food she I accustomed to", "There were no African food stores in my little town"
Her Advice:
Learn to cook alternatives
Find a restaurant that serves your local meals
Adapt to your new local cuisine
Challenge 3: Different culture and language
Her Experience: "Culture shock"," I didn't speak the language", " People had a different accent, personality, slangs"
Her Advice:
Get to know locals and learn from them
Learn the language - Speaking and written
Avoid only spending time with people from your country
Challenge 4: Professional/Career challenges
Her Experience: " I struggled to find a job", "I had to start from the beginning professionally", "My university degree was not recognized"
Her Advice:
Use free resources available such as free resume reviews at your local library
Join a professional network
Attend Go to professional events
Be open to a possible career transition. Many women around me have transitioned to a new career and found happiness
Hire a career coach
Challenge 5: Financial hardship
Her Experience: "I was always broke", "Money went away very quickly", "This was the first time I had to deal with all my bills without my parents"
Her Advice:
Get to know your financial status
Create a budget
Take advantage of free resources and learn
Start Financial planning
Challenge 6: Legal and immigration issues
Her Experience: " I didn't know where to go with my immigration questions", " I was afraid of my appointments at the Immigration Office"
Her Advice:
Educate yourself on immigration requirements
Access free resources available
Attend events held by companies affiliated with the Immigration agency
Challenge 7: Settling into new life
Her Experience: Settling In: finding accommodation, understanding daily specificities, opening a bank account -
Her Advice:
Get to know other women that relocated to your country or city - they always want to share experiences
Do your research and create a relocation plan
Take advantage of free resources
Hire a relocation coach
Challenge 8: Relationship/Marital problems
Her Experience: "My husband and I grew apart as were so busy trying to settle down here", "I was in a distance relationship for years and almost broke things off"
Her Advice:
Seek professional help
Make time for each other
Be honest with yourself and your partner
Challenge 9: Inferiority Complex
Her Experience: " I felt like I was not good enough and everyone in my new country knew more than I did", "They treated me as if I was a 2nd class citizen"
Her Advice:
Believe that you are great and equal to everyone around
Take on stretch roles, show what you know
Know your strengths
Know your worth and talk about it (see my blog post Know your worth)
Challenge 10: Personal Growth and Self-development Challenges
Her Experience: " While I was growing up, I was taught not to challenge what I was told, when I moved I suddenly was expected to", " There were a lot of things I didn't know about life', " I had to grow up very quickly"
Her Advice:
Embrace the change - especially if this is your first move. It is hard!
Surround yourself with good people who you can learn from
Get an official mentor or coach
Final Thoughts:
Thanks to all the ladies who contributed to this post. I appreciate you sharing your painful experiences so other ladies can learn from you and thrive on their relocation journey.
In upcoming "Her Relocation" series blog posts, we will be delving deeper into more practical steps, sharing helpful resources and sharing in-depth stories from to immigrant women who are thriving.
Call to action:
Please share any additional challenges you faced or are currently facing in the comments section below. Let's share and learn from one another!
