What expats miss about home &
what they love about their new life
In this episode of our Expat Stories series we are looking into the old vs the new, what expats miss about their old life at home and the things they love about the new life they began in their adoptive country. In order to do this, we interviewed our favorite expats, our own Expat Heroes.
Something old, something new…
The vast majority of the answers show that people are nostalgic about their past and everything it means to them, but they are also happy with what they managed to achieve by moving abroad.
Understandably, most immigrants miss their family and friends and many also miss the food they could find in their home country. Other things people wish they still enjoyed are related to the climate or geography of their homeland: warm weather, snow, the sea, or the woods. Of course, local culture could never be replaced and it is yet another thing expats miss.
Turning over a new leaf
The things that most people like about their new lives are just the things they left home to achieve: a new job, security, a better future for their children, or a higher standard of living. Immigrants also appreciate the new people they met, the opportunity to travel more, and the sceneries they discovered. Freedom is also on the list of the best things expats found in their adoptive countries.
Erika Oliver is a nurse who left her native Germany to move to Florida, USA. She says she misses the time spent with her family and the way she used to enjoy life. “I miss the slower pace of life and taking vacations. I also miss my family and being able to be there for them when they need me.” Regarding her new life, she loves “the climate and the fact that we have such mild winters.”
Angelica Virgen left the United States for Spain and now misses her family, “the variety of different food in LA that is not found in Europe, and great designer consignment stores.” However, she now enjoys “the tranquility, the beaches, the people, and the language” of Spain and she is also happy everything is within walking distance.
Kathy Pierson moved from USA to Mexico to teach English and says she mostly misses her children, grandchildren, and friends. What she loves about her current life is the beautiful weather and the fact that she is helping people learn English.
Jean Claude Taylor-Cline is a student who moved from Togo to Canada to attain a better education. The things he misses about his native Togo are his “childhood friends, the food, and the warm weather all year round”, but now he is excited by the fact that he is able to care for himself financially and by the wonderful experiences he has had. He also couldn’t live without the people he has met since his life-changing move.
How about you? Did you find yourself in the paragraphs above or do you miss something else about your life at home? Take our poll now!
