The truth about moving back home after living abroad

[@katieblake]

Lose* 💀🥲

[@junosaxon4370]

After having lived abroad for a long time, coming back to live in my own country feels so different. I feel like a fish out of water. The one big advantage was not to be told to 'Go back to your own country!' The thing is, now I am finally back, things have changed so much that I now feel like a foreigner in my own country. I am sure that one reason is because one changes after living abroad, one sees things differently, in a different light, however, the other reason is that it really has changed, and unfortunately not for the better. Mentally, it's a difficult place to be in.

[@nimsilva27]

i get this too katie- i was in scotland last semester and i saw somewhere that when you have been in a place for a while, you almost feel homesick for it afterwards; and yes i get that concept about it changing you, i feel sometimes i could really be my true self over there- or maybe i discovered that self, and sometimes when ur away from the exchange its harder to be that brave spontaneous self

[@katieblake]

This resonates with me so much. It took me a while to bring out my new sense of self that I developed. It was really hard to do at first. Each day I feel like I pull the two of them together a little more

[@Mike-e6c4w]

What you have to remember when you move abroad is that your home country, your friends and family members back home will move on without you because time waits for nobody.

[@CataPopa]

everything is exactly the same it was as I left it actuallt

[@Mike-e6c4w]

@@CataPopa I think it depends how long you leave for.I moved to Tenerife in 2006 for three years and since I've moved back to the UK I've only seen my school friends once so I moved location two years ago to a different part of the UK because I have no real reason to stay in the city I was born in anymore.

[@abigailbravo8939]

I needed this! I’m currently in Spain and I don’t want to leave but I know when leave i’m going to be in such an odd place when i return. the culture shock will be ROUGH. I love your videos!!

[@nicolec2311]

Just stopped in on a whim. You've described my experience after just a semester abroad in China, which I have such a hard time explaining to people here at home in the US. My time in China was a REALLY BIG DEAL for me, so much so that I moved back after graduation to teach. I'm in the US now for grad school (yay💀) but I find myself feeling suffocated here now. I fell back into who I used to be and honestly, I love who I am when I'm abroad so much more. These feelings are not easy to describe at all and I appreciate you putting into words at least a little bit of my feelings that I was not able to vocalize.

[@nik_tkmt402]

I feel the exact same way, I hope you’re feeling better a year after this comment. I just came back home and it’s been tough 🫠

[@LouisaFidelis69]

omg so true. Been studying in China as well and just came back home after pandemic was over and I feel the same way but it really gets better cuz home is home

[@pichhhhh]

I feel the same way and I feel like myself more and like myself more when I’m abroad

[@tialammers9551]

I am currently in the midst of moving back to America from being in the UK for the past year. I am currently feeling all these emotions and it really aches my mind knowing that change is always happening. And apart of me really wants to stay here in knowing that I am acclimated within this country now. Going back to America is something I wanted but now that it is in the works I feel that the emotions that come with it is so much harder than people really think. My mum and dad are ecstatic for me to come home but I genuinely don't know how to think or feel. This video was great thank you for sharing your truthful experience

[@Glimmerlight90]

Did you come home? How are you feeling lately?

[@maccoward]

I’ve been in the uk for almost 7 years and I am wanting to move back now. But after one year I would have struggled a lot more to move back.

[@LouisaFidelis69]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Most people on KZbin only talk about their experiences living or studying abroad without sharing their life after. Its a little bit challenging to adapt to the home environment after a long time of being away especially coming from the pandemic

[@snazzyducklovr1136]

I’ve been missing your uploads! Your videos were helpful for me in the process of deciding to study abroad and I just arrived in Norway three weeks ago. I’m really loving it and your opinions really resonate with me 🙏

[@katieblake]

Sounds amazing!! Hope you have so much fun! :)

[@salvocado]

I love hearing your new perspective about your quiet confidence gaining a louder voice, what a profound result of your experience!

[@orange661able]

Im in ireland right now studying only for a quarter, but even initially I completely agree with you on the american culture part. Ireland feels much more homey, even among strangers, like they want to include you. And for sure some of it is because im an american and Im new in the country, but it felt different in the US where my community kept labelling me and kept pushing me into things that They thought were best. And here it is so chill, I really am grateful for doing this, and thank you for making these videos, they’ve helped me a lot hahah

[@ambermariartist]

also i don't know if it was different for you because you were there for a year but for me, coming back to the US and my own life after only one semester felt like a time slip. almost as if the world kept moving but i came back, different. and i also felt like going to scotland was just something completely different. idk kinda like a rift in time. at least for me! i had to come back to one semester of school and feel so incredibly isolated because no one around me has shared what i had and i was just the old senior who had all her friends graduate😂 that sounds sad. but i totally am feeling everything you said rn bc i've been back for a month and nothing feels real yet

[@katieblake]

Yes that is such a good point. It is really difficult to explain how you are feeling when it comes to study abroad. It’s such a niche experience in a way but effecting! And hard!

[@ambermariartist]

@@katieblake it's so true! which is why i appreciate how much you explain such an unexplainable thing so well! like everything you said i felt too! so thank you katie (:

[@hannahdees1183]

Hi Katie! I wanted to let you know that your videos have been helping me a lot through my own study abroad journey. I found your videos when I was preparing to study abroad in the United Kingdom for a year, and I watched them religiously. I am currently heading into my second semester abroad, and this video is exactly what I needed. I've been stressed about having to go back to the states soon, so it's nice to hear your perspective and experience :) Thank you for doing these videos!

[@katieblake]

Thanks for watching!! I think second semester is where I really hit my stride. Hope you have the best time :)

[@luckyfriend82]

You have always made me feel so safe and curious, like open to new experiences. I love how you give the good and the bad to everything. Happy to see you back!! I can't wait to hear about possible grad school adventures :)

[@katieblake]

Wow that is so nice of you to say! ❤️❤️

[@KaylaLahti]

If you're in you're in your early 20s, I wouldn't worry about losing a year, especially to do something like work or live abroad. I'm in my 30s now, and it seems silly how I agonized over things like delaying grad school a few years when I was in my 20s. Yes, we all don't have an infinite amount of time. But a year or two is not that long, and the personal growth you'll have living abroad will more than make up for it! The older you get, the more you realize a year is not that long because you feel the time slip of being 10 years older and then 20 and so on. A year starts to feel like the blink of an eye. And yes, it can be lonely to come back and want to talk about everything you experienced abroad and realize no one really cares and it's better to keep it to yourself or talk with other people who studied abroad with you. I currently live abroad with my husband, and it's hard going home to visit family and realize they very little interest in what my life is like in a foreign country. When people do ask questions though, it can be hard to stop talking!

[@SCHEY101]

I moved back to Australia from France, here's the thing. You need a rental when you get back home, you have no bank statements, no local payslips, a foreign work history, a foreign rental history. You might need to borrow money but even though you have a good job you haven't worked in that position long enough, you can't provide a stable proof of habitation because you have dared to step out of the ordinary and travel. In short it's a nightmare coming home after living abroad and it's when you find out how sincere and straight up your relatives are because you will absolutely need them.

[@moriahthompson8489]

Hey Katie! Good to hear from you. It’s time to add some more photos to the green half of the collage because you’ve grooown! At the end of your videos. You know what I’m talking about ;) ✌️

[@katieblake]

Hahaha I was just having this thought the other day

[@Oyuoyupui]

Living abroad is like living in a pararllel world. Life staying abroard seems to be surreal to me once i back home. Everything there is so far away from home with the physical and time difference. It is a very odd inner experience.

[@mrcatsam]

Katie I'm so glad you're back! Don't ever shut up about your time in Scotland, as the people who value you will value your inability to shut up about it. Are you applying to graduate school this side of the pond(aka the UK)?

[@katieblake]

Maybe 😉😏😏😏

[@melissaantone9207]

Thank you for this video. I have a different situation, but your perspective has helped me. (Middle-aged lady who entered this phrase into KZbin, "deciding to move abroad.") Can you imagine asking KZbin to answer this question?! Ha! Anyway, that's how I found you and I quite enjoyed your honesty. I hope you are well.

[@AqmirAlhamdi]

I honestly agree with you even though i haven't study abroad, but i'm originally living in east Malaysia while i'm studying in west Malaysia. It only took 4 months living there and my perspective towards my living were changed a lot. I felt uncomfortable even my friends disagree as they assumed i looked comfortable living in west rather in east, this video helps a lot for people like me who wanting to study abroad in future, as always Katie thank you for sharing your study abroad experience with all of us

[@katieblake]

Moving around can be confusing but also helps to open your mind! Hope you get to go! Thank you for watching ❤️❤️

[@albin2232]

Travel really does broaden the mind. It's essential if you want to fully develop yourself.

[@marcys111]

this is my first day studying abroad and ur videos are su helpful

[@SunshineRain20]

Wishing you luck and an experience!

[@marcys111]

@@SunshineRain20 thank u so much!💚

[@katieblake]

Yes that’s so normal! I was homesick pretty much the whole time (it comes in waves) just know that home is waiting for you when you get back so just try to enjoy yourself ❤️❤️

[@ella4952]

I’m leaving for turkey abroad in a week and your videos have helped me so so much!:)

[@chaneln1469]

Living in China for 11 years, and going back to Madagascar definitely this July. I went home on January for one month, then came back to China, since then I can’t stop thinking about the moment spent with my family and friends, and now I decided to go home definitely to my beautiful country. 😊

[@santanalikesbanana6304]

For me it’s the other way around. I’m from Germany and I’m in a long distance relationship since 6 years and I just moved and got married to my husband in America and I simply hate it here 😅 Everything is so different and I’m just overwhelmed by everything. My husband expects me to be his wife and act like I used to but I just am so overwhelmed and stressed. I hate how everyone here is so talkative and I just miss how simple it was in Germany and everyone just minded their business. Everything is so large here and different and I just can’t seem to adjust… I love my husband so much and want to be with him but this is such a huge challenge for me here.

[@matthewlizotte8904]

I experienced similar after returning to the US after spending 4 years living in Russia and to be perfectly honest I have felt as if I was better off never returning to the States and instead thruout my American citizenship in favor of a new life in Russia.

[@estherbone4260]

Hey! This is so helpful. After living abroad for 3 years I can relate to a lot of this.

[@skols64]

No Worries about taking a break Katie! Glad you are back :)

[@andrewlr1225]

i just graduated highschool and am moving to London alone for school, ill be there for 5 years and this video is perfectly timed, I move tomorrow!

[@Rory.opal.]

Omg I leave in September to Swansea !!! I’m so excited but also scared I’m doing a bachelors

[@Rory.opal.]

I love your vids they make me feel confident that I can do this 😭🤍

[@katieblake]

You can!!! Congratulations:) thank you 😊

[@laxmandeshmukh460]

Mere Dharati Mata tujhe PRANAM.Jai Hind Jai Bharatvarsh.

[@maryamx31]

this video was pretty informative! hope this blows up!🤍

[@genralzombiecupcake7298]

Did you regret exchange at any point? Coming back and realising how much you had missed. How to world kept turning without you and you now had lost a year? A year of other people’s lives, that they had moved on and experienced things without you?

[@thelittlemerm0889]

I'm about to wrap up my study abroad year in Seoul, South Korea. I've been so worried about coming back home, but your video has provided some comfort to me to know things will be okay, but just different. 💓 I also don't want to go home and that's been a difficult process so far, even before I have left. 🙈

[@khangtruong4979]

Omg same. I just recently finished my year in Melbourne and I didn't wanna go back before even leaving. It got worse after I left but fingers-crossed its gonna be gradually better

[@penslensandplanes399]

Great video, Katie. Well done! It will help a lot of people.

[@user-oe7gc5py4c]

SD is way better for relaxed living, perfect weather, beautiful beach. only high rent bothers me, other costs are cheap, utility, medicare, foods are free for seniors. there is no need to move abroad. I learned how to avoid the hassle in America.

[@pichhhhh]

I have been having a hard time transitioning back to my home country, I have mixed feelings all over and confused about myself. It’s like my personality is completely opposite between living abroad and here

[@Oyuoyupui]

i feel quite empty after i come back from stuyding abroad

[@leticiaissa3449]

It's been almost 5 months since I moved to canada to study abroad and I just feel guilty that I'm not enjoying the experience as much as I should. I've met new friends that I cherish alot and I do enjoy going to uni however I just can't shake the feeling of homesickness and loneliness. I just want to make this experience memorable but my brain just wont let me. how do did u deal with the loneliness?

[@penslensandplanes399]

Leticia, you're going through a common and perfectly normal experience. But within that experience there's a lot more that may not be fully apparent until you give it time to mature and then reflect on it. As for how to deal with it, try to get involved in extra-curricular stuff. Every university has those things, be they clubs or local activities, or just anything that interests you. Good luck - and enjoy your time in Canada!

[@katieblake]

There were moments that I felt so out of place and lonely but if you push through and let go of expectations for yourself it can be really great ❤️❤️ best of luck

[@theinternationalnerd]

I can definitely relate!

[@BohemianPotanist]

I’m so terrified. I’m moving from Germany after 5 years abroad. I don’t want to 😭😭😭😭

[@M3xiiii]

Can you please come to adelaide ,south Australia. You're so sweet.❣️

[@katieblake]

You’re so sweet! Thanks for watching!! I’d love to go to Australia some day

[@sweater0115]

The concept of haggis is wild, but I found it delicious!

[@peersvensson9253]

9:06 random Vienna?

[@ibelieveinjesuschrist8911]

"loose time"??

[@ambermariartist]

5:25 okay i have to say, how do you love meatloaf and hate haggis??? haggis is so good

[@ambermariartist]

but it reminds me of one time my friend who i went to scotland with last semester had to explain to our french flatmate what a tator tot was😅😂

[@katieblake]

Hahahah to each their own! And I never said i love meatloaf 😶😂🥲

[@katieblake]

@@ambermariartist that’s so funny 😆

[@ambermariartist]

@@katieblake okay that's fair 😂 did you have haggis neeps and tatties together??

[@penslensandplanes399]

Haggis is like a bat out of hell.

[@GabrielVasquez]

I like your personality 🤍