What No One Tells You About Moving Abroad

Having travelled for long periods of time before, coming home was always the hardest part. So desperate I was for another adventure and not wanting to settle in life I thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I made the decision to move to Australia... But as it turns out, if I thought coming home was hard, leaving again was even harder. 

Here's the things that no one tells you nor do you expect when moving abroad;  

You'll meet someone in the weeks before you leave who may be the first person you've (unintentionally may I add) actually liked in a really long time and there is nothing you can do about it so you just have to try your hardest to give it up and forget about it. 

You'll miss the birth of your best friend since childhood first baby and be gutted that you won't get to hold him in those precious first few weeks, as well as missing out on other events like your Dad's 50th.

Although you're surrounded by friends and great people and you're rarely alone you'll feel really, really lonely at times. I've never experienced such a deep sense of loneliness like it before. 

Immigrating is different to travelling, you're paying bills, cooking meals and washing and working.... just in warmer weather.

Your friends at home still can't figure out the time difference even though you've shown them how to set up world clock and your destination on an iPhone. 

Sometimes all you want is a cuddle from your Mum even though she drives you crazy at home... and when you call her. (Yes Mum, I can hear you on FaceTime... You don't need to shout)

You're not sure where you belong, travelling changed me so that I felt I didn't fit in at home, but I don't feel like I belong here either. Although I get told 'nothing changes' or 'nothing has happened at home' very slowly and subtly it does - and you're alienated from it all.

I am still not sure where I belong but I do finally feel ready to lay some roots and settle down but without getting sucked into mundane life, if that is possible? Home is where the heart is I guess, where ever that may be.

Yet despite all of the above, the frustration, the tears, the homesickness I wouldn't change it for the world. Being pushed out of my comfort zone and forcing myself to try things I never would have done before (like skydiving for example) makes the whole thing such a rich and rewarding experience that I am determined to see the journey through to the end, no matter how hard.