People who settle quickly after moving abroad usually do these 7 things, according to psychology

You’ve just landed in a new country.

Two suitcases, a new SIM card that may or may not work, and a brain doing cartwheels between “This is exciting” and “What have I done?”

I’ve been there. And after a few international moves and plenty of long stays, I’ve noticed that the people who settle fast don’t rely on luck. They do a handful of simple, very human things that help their brains calm down, their routines click, and their social life take root.

Here’s what I’ve learned—through the lens of psychology but also from the kitchen line, the market aisles, and plenty of awkward first weeks abroad.

1. Build micro-routines early

New places overload your brain. Street names are unfamiliar. Grocery labels look like puzzles. Even paying for the metro requires extra thought.

Micro-routines cut that noise.

Pick a morning anchor, an evening wind-down, and one weekly habit in your first 48 hours.

That’s it.

When I moved to Barcelona, my three were a 7 a.m. walk for coffee, ten minutes of language flashcards before lunch, and a Sunday market run.

Within a week, life felt “normal” enough that I wasn’t exhausted by noon.

The psychology here is simple: predictability reduces cognitive load. Your brain saves energy when it knows what happens next. Build a few predictable beats and the rest gets easier.

2. Say yes to weak ties

You don’t need a best friend on day three. You need people to wave to, a group chat to lurk in, and two recurring invitations that pull you out of your apartment.

Say yes to the coworker’s trivia night. Reply to the neighborhood WhatsApp group. Go to the language exchange even if you only manage five sentences.

I once accepted a “friend of a friend” dinner that turned into a monthly potluck. The food was great, sure, but the real win was leaving with six acquaintances, two recommendations, and one standing invite. Those loose connections create momentum.

Ask yourself: what’s the next low-stakes “yes” I can give? Then go.

3. Eat your way into the culture

Food is the fastest bridge from visitor to local.

Find the market nearest to you and become a regular. Ask the vendor what’s best today and how they cook it. Buy the same staple three weeks in a row and learn to make it two different ways.

In Taipei, I learned the city through bowls—rice with pickles, noodles with scallion oil, fruit sprinkled with salt and chili. Cooking those at home did more for my sense of belonging than any sightseeing checklist.

You don’t have to be a chef.

Pick one local ingredient—eggplant, chickpeas, buckwheat—and learn a simple preparation. The repetition builds familiarity, and familiarity is the seed of comfort.

4. Choose practical over perfect

Here’s a trap I’ve fallen into: spending hours trying to optimize my phone plan, gym membership, or insurance. All in the name of “saving money” while I burn daylight and willpower.

When you move, practical beats perfect.

Pick the simple, decent option, and upgrade later if you must. Rent the apartment that’s good enough and close to the life you want. Buy the used bike, not the boutique import.

This mindset isn’t just for newcomers.

Experian Automotive data shows that 61% of households earning over $250,000 don’t drive luxury brands. Instead, they drive Hondas, Toyotas, and Fords.

Practical choices are a quiet flex. Make them early and you’ll free up energy for the stuff that actually makes a place feel like home—friends, language, and great meals.

5. Learn enough language to be brave

Fluency is a long hike. Bravery is a first step.

Learn the “Five Opens”:

• “Hello”
• “Please”
• “Thank you”
• “Sorry”
• “How do you say…?”

With those, plus numbers and food words, you can navigate 80% of daily life.

My rule: every day, one real interaction in the local language — a coffee order, asking for directions, a compliment to the baker. I butchered verb tenses and invented words at an alarming rate. But progress lives in those tiny reps.

Also, ask for corrections. People light up when you invite them to help.

You’re not just learning words — you’re showing respect. That earns you a lot of patience.

6. Blend in, don’t peacock

Moving abroad can trigger a quiet urge to over-signal—designer logos, the fanciest gym, the most “look-at-me” gear—like you need to prove you’re doing it “right.”

Resist it.

You don’t have to shout that you belong. You just have to act like you do.

The thing is that these days, famous logo displays often backfire. That's exactly what makes brands seem inauthentic and less cool.

The same applies to settling in. Loud signals can create distance. Understated choices—simple wardrobe, no billboard branding, practical bag, local transit card—make you look (and feel) like you know your way around.

When you blend visually, strangers talk to you more. You get better recommendations. You attract the kind of attention you actually want: the helpful kind.

7. Keep a piece of home while you build a new one

Lastly, don’t throw your whole identity into a suitcase labeled “former life.”

Keep one or two anchors that travel well.

For me, it’s a short strength workout and a Sunday cook-up. I’ll do goblet squats with a backpack if I have to, then batch-cook a simple sauce and a pot of grains. That little ritual says, “I’m still me, just in a different place.”

Journaling helps too—five lines at night: one thing I learned, one thing I loved, one micro-win, one thing I’ll try tomorrow, and one person I noticed. It’s a gentle way to stitch a narrative while you’re living between versions of yourself.

You’re allowed to be new here and still be you. That’s the sweet spot.

The bottom line

Settling quickly isn’t magic. It’s a handful of choices you can make in week one:

• Build micro-routines so your brain isn’t fried by lunch.
• Say yes to weak ties so your calendar starts to fill.
• Eat like a local so you feel the heartbeat of the place.
• Choose practical over perfect to save your energy for people and language.
• Learn just enough words to be brave, then speak them daily.
• Blend in instead of peacocking so doors open.
• Keep a piece of home so you don’t lose yourself while you’re changing.

You’ll notice none of these require perfect conditions, just consistent reps and a willingness to look a little silly at first.

And if you need one mantra for your first month, try this: Confidence is the best outfit.

Wear that, and you’ll be surprised how quickly the place starts wearing you down.