Comments on: Do you miss it? About homesickness

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:18:56 +0000

Thanks, Jay, for including it!

Regards,
Rachel

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:37:01 +0000

Hi Rachel.. just wanted to let you know that your article on Homesickness featured in this month’s Expat Blog Carnival on my blog at
http://www.rovingjay.com/expat-blog-carnival-4/

thanks, Jay

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:26:51 +0000

Emma, I’ll check out your blog! Thanks for reading!

Rachel

By: EmmaK

EmmaK — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:02:41 +0000

Yeah I feel like you do. I am a Brit who has lived in the USA for12 years but I don’t have strong ties to my parents (also my dad is deceased) so don’t go back much. To some extent I don’t feel attached to any one country. I am raising my kids as global nomads too:

http://mommyhasaheadache.blogspot.com/2012/09/raising-global-nomads.html

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 22:40:04 +0000

In reply to Mary. Mary, My bagel will be plain with cream cheese and lox!

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 22:27:13 +0000

In reply to Kate (@shoegirlinDE). I agree: the longer I stay, the less I miss it, and the more distanced I feel. Ooh, Krispy Kremes!

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:02:05 +0000

I can absolutely relate to this! I’m an American expat hailing from NY currently living in Sardegna, Italy. I would do deplorable things for a NY egg everything bagel with cream cheese right now

By: Kate (@shoegirlinDE)

Kate (@shoegirlinDE) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:46:31 +0000

It’s funny, because even though my parents are still alive and I do miss them, I often feel a similar response. I don’t pine to be back there, I am where I want to be. The incredulous looks upon hearing this and where we’re from (also SF) are abundant: “Why would you leave CA and come to Germany by choice?!” But I’ve come to learn that it’s really all about perspective and what you want out of life.

You tapped into an important part of homesickness, at least for me – the expense. The cost of getting all the way back to west coast is a big part of why we haven’t been back in nearly two years. Why spend an entire year’s worth of travel funds on one trip back when we could go on countless trips around Europe? Driving to Paris or Milan is the same as getting down to L.A. or San Diego used to be. Explaining this to the people you care about ‘back home’ is tricky though. It makes for a tough balance the further and further your life gets from the people and places where you started.

Sure, there are things I miss, like Target and certain foods (oh, good burgers, Krispy Kreme and American pizza!) but we have fallen in love with our new home country and this is why we stay here. The longer we are away, the less of a pull I feel to go back.

americaninwiesbaden.blogspot.com

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:29:43 +0000

In reply to Shawn.

Shawn,
Your mom moved, I presume? Florida? Where is home to you now: where you live, where you grew up, or where your mom is? Anyway, thanks for posting!
Regards,
Rachel

By: Rachel Heller

Rachel Heller — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:26:09 +0000

In reply to Sue. Hmmm, Sue, that sounds like an idea for a new venture! To me, from this distance, there just isn't much difference between WI and AZ, except for landscape. Is the culture so different? What are people referring to when they ask you if you miss it? Anyway, thanks for posting! Rachel