Happy New Year: How it Feels Coming Home

I took a bit of time off to spend the holidays with our family in California and it was the full recharge we needed. I often talk a lot about being far away and what it means to live a life an ocean or two away from everyone you love. I wanted to talk a bit about how it feels coming home.

For starters, it feels incredibly normal. Which is often the part you notice right away. No more pantomiming your menu requests, you can read every sign in your first language, you can chit chat with any store clerk or neighbor and no one looks twice at you for any normal reason. It simply feels like belonging. When we get home, we usually have a short (or long) list of things we want to eat, see and do. What you don’t realize until you feel it, is how your mental load lightens when you are in your home country. Everything you do is just, easier. No jumping between 3 apps to translate or book a reservation. You know just where to go to buy that thing you need and you can get behind the wheel of your car and drive with ease. These are just a few things that we understand to be a given part of knowing and being in our home culture. As an expat, you do build a sense of resourcefulness and creative problem solving skills. You become very open to help (from other foreigners & locals alike). You don’t put time limits on running basic errands because most daily tasks are just more time consuming as you muddle through language barriers and cultural differences. It is a significantly different mental load to carry. Which is what makes coming home and resting such a special gift.

Having a home base in America is critical to your sense of self and belonging. My kids have never had a home that they have lived in beyond 5 years, but they have 2 very special family homes they have known their whole lives where so many of their memories are housed. They will hopefully get the best of both worlds; the ability to adventure out and live somewhere new without fear, but also know the comforts of coming home and how that feeds your inner peace.

And while the temps in Korea have dropped to frigid levels and the sky is gray and dark most days, I do have a sense of renewed energy as we come into the New Year and plan what 2025 will look like for our family. We have some more adventures on the horizon, some very exciting visitors coming in the Spring and a comfort here in Korea that feels like a 2nd home. I may not be able to talk to everyone here, but I love my neighborhood and have a sense of peace being here as well. We were welcomed back to Seoul with the most beautiful snow day and it was the perfect start to the New Year. Happy 2025 Everyone!