Coming Home Was Harder Than I Thought
Returning home after years abroad is an experience that surprises a lot of people even when you know it might be tricky. For my family and I, moving back to the UK after living in Germany and Taiwan wasn’t about careful planning or following a perfect plan. It was the right time for us as a family for a variety of reasons - but even knowing that, it has been harder than I expected in ways I didn’t fully anticipate. Some things were familiar - the language, the streets, the routines. Others felt subtly different. Life has shifted, routines have changed and we’ve changed too. In many ways, it feels a little like starting again, even in a place that should feel like home. Living abroad gave us experiences that were exciting, challenging and full of connection with new friends and communities. We built lives where relationships formed quickly and day-to-day life had a different energy and pace. Coming back home, some of that ease and openness wasn’t immediately there - and that took some a...