Leaving a country and returning home after living abroad isn’t easy…
I have lived and worked in over 10 countries and will probably add a few more to that list in the years to come.
All of those countries were my home for a while.
Be it months or years, I created a daily routine, built friendships, had favorite dishes and favorite places to spend my free time.
Leaving a Country You Called Home
And then I left. All of a sudden my everyday life was a memory, people I met up with every day were now on the other side of the world.
I don’t regret leaving most of the countries when I did. But, I will forever miss some aspects of every country, parts of the routine I had there, and more than anything some of the people I met.
And every time returning home after living abroad was a challenge. The reverse culture shock is real and adjusting back to “normal life” at home takes time.
This article about returning home after living abroad gives an interesting impression of what it feels like to leave behind a place you once called home. And what it feels like to move back to your home country where everyone expects you to fit in again from day one which is, as I very well know, not always easy…
The 23 Hardest Things About Moving Home After Living Abroad
Number 7: Becoming incredibly jealous of anyone who is going there on vacation, because you wish so badly that you could be going.
And part of you selfishly believes that they’ll never appreciate it enough, or in the right way.
Number 13: Worrying that you’re bringing up your old country too much, even if you lived there for years, because you know that people perceive it as “pretentious” or “bragging” if you talk about the place you used to live…
Read the full article on Thoughtcatalog.com
Leaving the Country for Different Reasons
People move abroad for different reasons, and people also decide to move back to their home country for different reasons.
I’ve left countries for practical reasons such as my job ending or my visa expiring. But also for personal reasons such as feeling unhappy somewhere or feeling like it’s time to move on.
If you’re about to move home, take your time to get used to life back home again. Make some new, perhaps international, friends and build a new routine for yourself.
But if you’re about to leave your home country to start an adventure abroad, enjoy! I envy you in many ways because I know how great of an experience this will be. Challenging at times, absolutely, but something you’ll remember forever. Check out the article Things to Do Before Moving Abroad, to help you create a practical checklist.
Also Read:
- 6 Reasons Why Moving Abroad is Such a Valuable Experience
- Reverse Culture Shock: What Is It and What to Do About It?
- Living and Working Abroad: What You Thought vs What It’s Really Like
- How to Know When It’s Time to Move
Featured image: picture taken in St. Maarten, Caribbean when I lived and worked on the island
Nostalgia: As you leave behind the familiar streets, landmarks, and people, you may feel a sense of nostalgia for the memories you created in that country. It’s natural to feel a sense of loss for the life you had built there.