I’ve been living this expat life on and off since the age of 12 so it’s something I know too well. As I’ve gotten older and have been exposed to more people outside of my “bubble” I’ve realized what a profound effect it has had on who I am as a person.
I view the world differently than most, I have a greater understanding of people from all over the world, I can sometimes pronounce things oddly depending on where I learned the word, and I’m a strange amalgamation of all the different places I’ve lived.
However, through the travels and amazing experiences, there is one feeling that is constant no matter where you live – feeling homesick.
Our friends and family back home hear about our trips to Corsica, the French Countryside, or shopping in Milan but as a veteran expat, I am going to talk about the side of expat life that not many want to discuss or are willing to share.
Shop My Outfit Here:
Jacket//Massimo Dutti (old, similar utility jacket) Top//Hinge via Nordstrom (similar style) Jeans//NYDJ Handbag//Zara (no longer available, love this bucket style and this circle style) Shoes//Marc Fisher Sunglasses//Fendi
Where it all began…
My family first moved to England when I was 12, and I remember being devastated to leave my best friend and the only “home” I knew. Before, this point I had never lived anywhere else but Texas.
Since I could walk I had traveled to Italy during the Summers to see my family and while we were abroad we would take our own trips around Europe. However, living and traveling abroad are two very different experiences I quickly realized upon my first move.
Since that first move to the UK, I’ve lived in Texas again, then Switzerland, then England for a second time, back to the US, and now in Switzerland again. A bit confusing I know.
Sometimes the homesick feeling is stronger than I’d like to admit.
Some days it is easier to push away because there is nothing I can do currently, and I know so many people would want to experience these things so it’s important to appreciate it while it lasts.
I get to travel, meet interesting people from all over the world, and learn new things everyday. Check out this previous post where I talk about 3 pros and 3 cons to expat life.
I’ve realized that the homesick feeling gets stronger when I feel like I’m missing out back home (FOMO right?). For example when it’s a friend’s birthday, a girl’s trips, double dates, or not being able to help one of my best friend’s plan her wedding.
You worry if your friends will forget about you and move on with their lives because out of sight out of mind is a common friendship theme when you move a lot. I’m not going to lie…I’ve lost friends over the years. People who I thought would be my friends forever.
But always remember those true friends will be in your life no matter where you live or how often you see them.
When I visit home, it feels like I never left and that always a really comforting feeling. I try to remind myself of this when that homesick monster tries to tell you otherwise.
When this homesick feeling creeps up I try to:
1) Send my friends a message to include myself in their plans as much as I can and let them know I’m thinking of them
2) Walk away from social media (even if it’s just a few hours) because there is no point in looking at pictures of my friends and making myself sad
3) Do something for me – this could be taking a walk if it’s a sunny day, online shopping, working on my blog or watching a trashy reality show (which is my guilty pleasure).
I hope this post helped those who are living away from home. Even if you live just a few hours away the homesick feeling can hit us all at some point. I also hope this post shed a bit more light on the expat life and what it is really like to live abroad.
If you have any questions for me or want to share your experiences with feeling homesick feel free to leave it in the comment section below!
This is such an honest and wonderful post. I love that you are open about your homesickness, I can relate in a way. I feel homesick often too and I am a wife and a momma! Thank you so much for sharing and BEAUTIfUL photos!
XO http://www.lydialouise.com/
Author
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! You made me smile. I feel like that’s a feeling that everyone experiences and I wanted to share my take on it and how I deal with it 🙂
That outfit is so special ! Great tips for home sickness
Author
Thank you so much! That is so sweet 🙂
Miss you girly!! I’ll make the trip to Switzerland one day! And don’t worry you aren’t missing out on too much here, we will have to plan for some fun things when you’re back in town in August!
Author
I miss you too! I can’t wait to see you guys. I’m counting down the days 🙂
What a great post! Homesickness is definitely the worst part of travel for me.
Author
Thanks so much for your comment! I feel like homesickness is a feeling that everyone knows so I wanted to share 🙂
I love the honesty and vulnerability in this post. Also, those nude pumps are absolute perfection!
Author
Thanks so much, Heather! I really appreciate that. These nude pumps are my absolute favorite and are so comfortable 🙂
I moved from Arizona to Connecticut about 6 years and definitely felt homesick. I loved reading about your experiences.
xo, Ilse
http://www.livelearnluxeit.com
Author
Thanks so much for your comment! No matter how far you are away from home you’ll have this feeling. It’s universal. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Love this post! You look gorgeous, I’m really loving those block heeled shoes and coat! Have a great week! xo Jana | http://www.janastyleblog.com | IG: @jana_meister
Author
Thanks Jana! You are too sweet. I much prefer block heels because they’re so comfortable and still stylish. Have a fabulous day xoxo
So glad that you brought this up – this is the side of travelling people don’t usually talk about, especially with a trending ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle
Author
Exactly! Even though living this nomadic lifestyle has been amazing and I have enough stories for a lifetime, I really wanted to bring up the more human side of it. It’s something not a lot of people think about 🙂
Aww, this post is really vulnerable and resonated with me. I only live an hour or so away from my family, but it can be tough sometimes with busy schedules. I try my best to call my mom and grandma throughout the week. Sometimes, just hearing your loved one’s voice can help with homesickness. Thanks for sharing this <3
Side note, I love your outfit, especially the jacket. You look super pretty!!!
Author
I truly appreciate your comment and I’m so happy you shared your story too! It just goes to show that no matter how far you are away from home or your loved ones you will always experience feeling homesick. I completely agree that hearing your loved one’s voices can be really helpful 🙂
Wow, I cannot imagine moving all the way across the world at such a young age! How moving. I love your outfit as usual too 😉
Author
Thank you for this sweet comment! At first, I was really upset to move so far away, but after awhile you kind of get used to moving and also not at the same time. I hope that makes sense 🙂
I’ll have to remember this for my study abroad trip!
Briana
https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/
Author
I hope this helps you during that time 🙂