Discussions / Moving Abroad
Moving Abroad Conversation Questions for Adult ESL Classes
Use these 20 discussion questions about Moving Abroad to run a full speaking lesson with adult learners (B1–B2). Each part opens with a vocabulary warm-up, every question is labelled with the thinking skill it practises, and each part fills roughly thirty minutes of class time on its own.
Reviewed by Brando Oxley · 23 Aug 2026
Part 1
Preparing for Life in Another Country
Focus: discussing reasons for moving abroad, preparation, housing, work, language, practical challenges, and first impressions
Choose one word from each category: Person: student, worker, parent, traveler; Action: pack, apply, rent, explore; Place: airport, apartment, office, school; Feeling: excited, nervous, lonely, curious. Use your four words to describe a short scene in two or three sentences.
EXPERIENCE
Have you ever lived in another country or spent a long period away from home? What was the experience like?
MOTIVATION
What are the most common reasons people decide to move to another country?
PREFERENCE
What kind of country or city would you personally feel comfortable moving to?
PRIORITIZE
What practical things should someone organize before moving abroad?
COMPARE
How is visiting a country as a tourist different from actually living there?
LANGUAGE
How much of the local language should someone try to learn before moving?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
Someone arrives in a new country and realizes their housing is not suitable. What should they do first?
ADAPT
What can help someone become comfortable with unfamiliar food, transportation, customs, or routines?
ADVISE
What advice would you give someone during their first month living abroad?
REFLECT
What personality traits make adjusting to another country easier?
Part 2
Culture, Relationships, and Feeling at Home
Focus: discussing culture shock, friendships, homesickness, identity, family connections, integration, and long-term decisions
Think of one challenge people face abroad, one action that helps someone adjust, and one feeling connected to living far from home.
Describe each word without saying it directly. Your teacher or partner must guess the word.
FEELING
What parts of living abroad might make someone feel homesick?
PEOPLE
What are good ways to make friends after moving to a new country?
COMPARE
Is it easier to become close friends with other immigrants or with local people? What might affect this?
CULTURE
What kinds of cultural differences are usually easy to accept, and which ones can be more difficult?
COMMUNICATION
How can someone handle situations where they accidentally misunderstand a local custom?
BALANCE
How can immigrants keep important traditions from home while also adapting to their new country?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
Someone has lived abroad for a year but still feels isolated. What changes could help them build a stronger local life?
FAMILY
How can living abroad change relationships with family and friends who remain at home?
EVALUATE
What factors should someone consider when deciding whether to stay abroad permanently or return home?
REFLECT
Can someone eventually feel that two different countries are both home? Explain your view.