I returned to Australia after 5 years in New York City. Moving home has been harder than leaving.
A woman shares her personal experience of the challenges involved in moving back to Sydney after living in New York City for five years. Despite the familiarity of her hometown, she describes the process of readjustment as more difficult than the initial move abroad.
Why it matters
This narrative explores the psychological and social complexities of 'reverse culture shock' and the difficulty of re-establishing roots after significant life changes.
Coming home after living in another country for five years was harder than I thought. Ashling Lee Last year, I moved back home to Australia after living in New York for five years. I thought my familiarity with Sydney would make returning easy, but it's been harder than expected. I'm still getting adjusted, but I'm embracing the slower pace of life and being closer to my family. When I moved from Australia to New York City in my mid-20s, I had no idea it would be the best five years of my life. I couldn't have scripted my time living in the city if I'd tried. I'd lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, learned a lot about my professional craft in communications, and made new friends who have truly cemented a place in my life.
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