The 100 Emotional Stages of Moving Abroad

A completely accurate and slightly unhinged guide to losing your mind (and finding yourself) in a new country

1. This is the best idea I’ve ever had.
2. I’m finally doing it.
3. Look at me, breaking free!
4. Goodbye, toxic job.
5. Goodbye, overpriced rent.
6. Goodbye, ex.
7. I am a minimalist now.
8. Why do I own so much crap?
9. Selling everything feels… weirdly good.
10. Should I keep this sweater?
11. Why am I crying over a sweater?
12. I will fit my life into one suitcase.
13. Two suitcases.
14. Three.
15. Okay, fine. Five.
16. Packing is emotional violence.
17. Saying goodbye is harder than I thought.
18. Especially to my dog.
19. And my barista.
20. Do I actually like my hometown now that I’m leaving?
21. Too late.
22. The airport feels like a movie.
23. I am the main character.
24. I forgot my charger.
25. Why does this flight feel like a rebirth?
26. Jetlag is a lie.
27. I can totally function after 3 hours of sleep.
28. What time zone am I in?
29. This Airbnb smells weird.
30. Where am I supposed to buy toothpaste?
31. Why is the supermarket so confusing?
32. Why is the bread so… soft?
33. I miss my bread.
34. I miss my bed.
35. I miss my mom.
36. This was a mistake.
37. No. Stay strong.
38. Google Translate is my new best friend.
39. What is this currency?
40. Why does everything cost that much?
41. I need a bank account.
42. I need a SIM card.
43. I need a nap.
44. Why does no one respond to my emails?
45. Why does no one queue here?
46. This café is cute.
47. I am mysterious and cool.
48. Do they think I’m local?
49. No. Definitely not.
50. I just got charged tourist prices.
51. I should learn the language.
52. Okay but maybe later.
53. How do adults make friends?
54. I’m not lonely, I’m independent.
55. No, I’m lonely.
56. Should I go home?
57. I’ll give it one more week.
58. Maybe two.
59. I just need a routine.
60. I joined a gym I’ll never go to.
61. I downloaded a language app.
62. I forgot about the language app.
63. I talked to a stranger today.
64. They were nice.
65. I found a café with decent coffee.
66. They remembered my order.
67. Is this… belonging?
68. I walked home without Google Maps.
69. I think that’s progress.
70. I understood a full sentence in another language.
71. I responded.
72. With a smile and panic.
73. I made a friend.
74. Or maybe a friend-ish.
75. We got lunch.
76. I had feelings.
77. Is this a life?
78. I laughed today.
79. I didn’t think about going home.
80. Then I did.
81. Then I didn’t again.
82. My family video-called me. I cried.
83. I miss my culture.
84. I love this culture.
85. I’m both.
86. I’m neither.
87. I’m something else entirely.
88. I had a bad day.
89. I survived it.
90. I had a good day.
91. I let it in.
92. This place is not perfect.
93. I’m not perfect.
94. But we’re learning.
95. I bought a plant.
96. I might stay.
97. Or I might leave.
98. But I’m not running anymore.
99. I made it here.
100. I made it.

💬 Want to know the truth?

You’re not crazy. You’re just moving abroad.

And this — all of this — is part of it.