I’ve been a nomad now for 10 years. A nomad that left home for the sake of new opportunities abroad – education, love, work, money and the sense of adventure and travel.
Being an expat is no easy thing, but it’s not just expats who spend time away from home and family. Even college students leaving to study or going abroad go through the difficulties of being away. (I’m sure a lot of moms suffer on their behalf, too!)
It’s been a few years since I last went home or saw all my family, so I’m feeling nostalgic.
What do I miss most from being away from home?
1) Food
I wasn’t sure if I should add this in position #1 or #2 – I haven’t decided yet if I miss food or family more. I love my family, but I’m dying for some of my home food… some anticuchos, empanadas, salteñas, pollo al espiedo, llauchas…
The food in Israel isn’t great. Monopolies in the food market make for little competition and options and bland, bland tastes.
No thanks, I’ll take my delicious Latin American cuisine instead!!!
Kirby knows what it’s all about
2) Family, of course
One of the more painful aspects of leaving home is that your family stays behind. They will always love you, but you’re no longer a day-to-day part of their life.
I left home at 19… I went back only after a few years, and the ‘kids’ were no longer kids. I was practically a stranger to them. It wasn’t an easy thing to deal with.
Things are different today. Thank god for Skype, Whatsapp, and wifi… when I left home, we just didn’t have that as openly available as it is now. Now I can chat with my family every few days, hear the latest gossip, and know what’s going on. But I still spend every day that much lonelier without them.
3) The view
I was raised in the mountains, and not just any mountains, smack in the midst of the Andes Mountains, a full 4000m (13000 ft) above sea level.
Now I live in the flatland that is Central Israel.
The view from my room back home was inspiring… gorgeous, majestic mountains of different colors and heights wherever you looked.
We have a beach here in Israel, so I can’t fully complain, but I am dying to feel the thin air of the high altitude, the crisp cold of the snow peaked mountains and the stunning view of a city in the middle of nowhere.
La Paz, Bolivia: the before… Ah, a view of mountains, clouds, and volcanoes.
and the after… Flat Herzliya, Israel. Booo! There’s a neat jogging park here, though.
4) The culture and traditions
I’m Jewish so I was always celebrating a combination of Jewish and Bolivian traditions. When I arrived in Israel, I didn’t feel completely out of place… after all, I had been celebrating the holidays my whole life and had some sort of awareness of the history and culture.
But oh, to hear the sounds of Carnaval, to see the dancing in the streets, the lights on Christmas time, the Easter eggs, and chocolate. I really miss all of those!
Carnaval dancing on the street in Bolivia
5) The language
I remember the days when I could communicate easily with those around me. I could ask for directions, get on the bus without misunderstanding what the driver said to me, understand all the signs and products around me. Those were the days!
Now I’m in the land of foreign language, an ancient language that is written and read the other way around, without vowels (!!), and requiring a lot of brain power on my behalf in order to speak properly.
I’d love to just go back to a few weeks of feeling the gift of speaking naturally instead of having to constantly search my brain for the right words and conjugations.
THIS is what it’s like to read in Hebrew.
Have you spent time away from your home and family? What did you miss most? Tell us about it below!
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My top 3 would be the same – family, food and nature. We have some amazing beaches here, but I miss my beautiful green forests.
I miss being in my hometown of San Francisco. It’s been like 7 years and I really miss it a lot. It’s hard when you leave behind someone or something that you really love but it’s also fun to look back and reflect. I miss all the fun things I was able to do in SF unlike here in NJ it’s pretty boring where I live.
I’ve never live anywhere but home I wished I had traveled more when I was younger.
I lived in India for a while and while I found a lot I loved, I also found plenty of things I missed. I found myself missing things I didn’t even like when I lived in the states. I’m back now though so I’m finding that I miss some things from India.
I’ve actually never lived anywhere but Massachusetts, so I really can’t even imagine what it must be like to be away from everything that is familiar from home. I get homesick after a week of vacation lol.
We lived abroad for most of my middle school years. While I did miss American candy, I was exposed to many new cultural foods, places and people. Wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Oh my, I would miss so much, too! I can’t even imagine!
I felt the exact same way when we moved to Germany from the USA. I missed the family, I missed some of the food. Not the american food though, ironically. But good Italian and mexican. lol. I missed MY mountains. But that wasn’t so bad, because I was surrounded by stunning mountains in Germany.
Now that i’m back in the USA; I miss all these again; but in reverse! I miss them all from Germany and I want to go back. I miss my “family” that I established there. I call them my Germany family. I miss the food and the mountains.-Amber
What I miss most about home is being able to see my grandparents whenever I want to and spending some time with them.
I have not experienced this but I do know I miss my family even when I am on a trip for a few days. Amber Nelson-
HA!! I love the Kirby GIF!!
I hope you’re able to visit a bit more so that you can immerse yourself in all the things you love. You sure make home sound wonderful.
I moved away from my home for 5 years, and then came back. I can’t really say that I miss anything because I have it all 🙂 If I did live anywhere else, I would definitely miss the community I have where I live.
Ive only been away from home once. I missed family the most.
I love this post! When I was 25, I moved from Wisconsin to California. This was back in 1980. I am telling you it was like moving to a foreign country, LOL. I grew up in farm country and moved to Los Angeles. Culture shock! The food was huge. So different in many ways. But I missed my family the most and still do. I miss the country. Peace and quiet and just how easy going and nice and helpful people are back in the Midwest. But there have been many positives about this move and so it all balances out and I go back as often as I can.
I’m originally from California and moved to Georgia in 2006. Let me tell you, I had a hard time adapting to Georgia. It is too laid back, the food is not that good, and the southern hospitality sucks! Only good thing is I’m able to drive to Florida.
This is a great post. Though I have never lived outside of the US, we have lived in a few different places here…and face the same sort of challenges. We are Ohio natives, and there are lots of ethic foods, certain pizzas, and amazing sub places that you just cannot find anywhere else.
I haven’t lived outside of the U.S. The husband and I have half seriously discussed living abroad after his military service. I think it could be fun.
I have never had the desire to travel outside the US, the flight alone just terrifies me. I did however move 3000 miles from where I grew up and even on that far the food, views and people are different.
I know a lot of people who miss the food when they move. That would probably be my big thing!
I moved to the us when I was 21 I am 31 now. although only 6 hours away from Toronto immigration laws prevent me from leaving the country to see my family, I have missed funerals, weddings, baby’s being born being a part of my family and friends lives.
I am a immigrant ha its’ funny to say that it’s not like I am all the way from over seas but the food, culture, traditions, way people speak and act are just different. Being homesick isn’t easy at all.
I think I would definitely miss the food if I moved abroad. Biscuits, cornbread, and good ole sweet tea…
You are a very brave person. I would miss way to many things to move. My dream is to live in the country but I will not because I am way to close to my family. I think I should learn a thing or two from you. All of the wonderful opportunities I am sure are priceless.
That has to be hard, being away from things that you know and love. You seem to be doing pretty good, so kudos to you.
I moved away from my hometown immediately after high school. The only thing I miss is my family!
Wow. You have lived in some really interesting places. I can see why you would miss Bolivia, though. I had no idea it was mountainous – I know so little about Bolivia, apparently.
I do enjoy traveling, and I’ve always said I could live almost anywhere…but it’s always good to come home!
I love traveling. I am not sure I could live anywhere, but there are a lot of place I could live.
When I lived in Japan for two years, food was one of the things I missed most for sure! I also missed commercials on TV. We lived on base and had AFN, so we didn’t have real commercials. Just public service announcements and base commercials (I was actually in a few, my ex was a journalist). Now that I’ve been home for over a decade, the thing I miss most about Japan is, of course, the food.
I would miss my family terribly if I lived a broad. I think you awesome for living in a different country. I bet you are having awesome experiences.
What an adventure to live abroad! I think I would miss the unexpected things – my fave hair coffee place and of course my family!!
I have lived in the same place in NJ for most of my life. I did live in another state (NH) for two years. I hated it. I missed my family the most.
I have lived in the same area for my life and can only imagine how difficult this must be! Hopefully you can stay in contact with skype and Facetime technologies.
I have been away from my home for a little over a year now and miss it so much. I am planning a trip home this summer but I know things are going to be a lot different than they were a year ago. My town has even built up quite a bit.. Its not going to look like home. I am a little afraid I will start to feel like I no longer have a “home” from when I grew up.
So interesting to read about your adventures! I love the idea of living abroad for a while, and can definitely see how you would miss all those things you mentioned. I would definitely need a Starbucks!
I grew up in the Caribbean. I love the slow relaxed lifestyle and I also miss being within walking distance to the beaches. 🙂
Would add to the #5
1. Expect to get lost. That’s how you will find your won path while living abroad.
2. Make friends with people from whatever country you’re living in. Find the locals and be their bestest pal, your life will be richer for it.