How long
does it take to adjust to life overseas?
Will I
always feel a bit lost, or out of place?
This is really up to you. An old axiom says that "A
real person of the world - feels comfortable everywhere
- but really at home nowhere." I don't know if I would
go that far, but adjustment is a real issue for many
people. Frankly, I feel most at home on Phuket, in
Thailand. I don't feel at home back in Arizona, in the
USA. But that is me - not you.
Adjusting
Some people never adjust, some people fit right in
immediately. I'm more middle of the road and need to
make a few friends, get to know the lay of the land,
learn where to shop, learn the language basics, etc.
before I start to feel comfortable.
Can
this stage be a bit uncomfortable?
Of course! But it doesn't usually take long. A lot
depends too - on how you view where you are living. Do
you look at it as a long-term home? A one-year visit? A
two-year party? After I had lived in Botswana, Korea,
Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and Bangkok, Thailand (from 1989
to 2002), I was desperate for a place I could call
home. I wanted a cat, a house, a yard - all those
familiar things from my "old" life. Once on Phuket, I
let out a big sigh - and knew this was home.
So
. . .
Once you have wandered for a long time, you might find
yourself seeking a place to put down some roots. It
will get rid of that edge of not belonging anywhere.
