Often it is never told what it really means to decide to go and live away from loved ones, especially when you decide to go and live in another country.
This experience has two sides: on the one hand, there is the emotion and joy of transforming a new place in the house and of living new adventures; and on the other hand the guilt of missing moments with loved ones left at home.
This is not my first experience away from home, and not even my first time alone in another country.I have to say, I’m lucky to have a family that gives me the opportunity to have this kind of experience. Despite my happiness in being here, other emotions are mixed: guilt, agitation, nostalgia and the fear of missing important moments with my loved ones. When I share these feelings with my family or friends, I often get answers like “if you’re sad, then don’t leave” or “you have to be excited and happy to leave“; the first few times they told me, I thought they were right, that maybe I shouldn’t leave home feeling like this. But then I decided to leave anyway.
During my years away from home and talking to people who have lived or are living the same experience, I realize that I am not the only one. Then when you have to explain it to your family, or to people who have not lived this experience, it becomes difficult to make them understand what it means, and that these feelings do not lead to the desire to stay at home and not leave.
Now, after living the last six years in four different cities, had so many experiences, and known so many people,I have reached the conclusion that it is normal to feel happy and live all the experiences and at the same time have a little nostalgia, feeling homesick even though I’m having a wonderful experience somewhere else is normal.
I learned that eventually your home isn’t where you were born, your home is where people make it, wherever it is, so you can have more places you can call home.
Always remember: The house is wherever you have the right people, and that’s what makes the difference.
