The author said she enjoys living abroad, but definitely feels the pressure of expat guilt from time to time.
Courtesy of Jaimee Marshall.
In 2020, I unwittingly moved to Australia on what was supposed to be a temporary trip lasting a few months. Instead of studying abroad for a semester and heading back to the Philly suburbs with some stories and a tan, I stayed for another six years.Now, I'm a permanent resident eligible for citizenship. My life here is complete with Aussie friends, hobbies, beautiful weather, and Australianisms that no longer feel foreign to me.I've built a life here, but it's at the expense of the one I used to have. Somewhere between my "morning cuppa" and my "arvo" lunch, despite the beautiful sunny day and the background noise of familiar magpie squawks, it hits me like a gut punch: expat guilt.What is expat guilt?Studies have shown that migrating to a foreign country introduces multiple stressors that can negatively impact mental health. These include "a loss of cultural norms, religious customs, and social support systems, adjustment to a new culture, and changes in identity and concept of self."
The author, shown learning to surf, said it feels a bit like a honeymoon when you first move to another country.
