Just visited my home country (EU) and I am now returning to my expat country (US) and a wave of depression hit me.
I never considered myself to be very attached to my family or my country but after three years and now finally coming back to visit, last night I was extremely depressed. I created an overall good life for myself in the US and I don’t think I would ever see myself coming back to the EU to live permanently, but now I am at the airport leaving and I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sadness.
I’m wondering what experiences other people had in regards to this. Does it get easier? And is leaving after visiting always this sad?
Eventually the world at “home” moves on without you so far, that when you visit, you realize moving back wouldn’t be “returning” home, but starting over in a new home where you happen to have a lot of connections.
Whether this is sad, bittersweet, or happy, is up to you.
Yeah, bittersweet is the feeling I had returning to visit my country of origin after a few years away