Dream came true?

Indeed, most of expat are comparing ( I am one of them) living in new different culture with home culture, missing all old activities, friends, hoppies, even the taste of home food (for the same vegetable / meat/eggs).

Regards,

First comparison would be cost of living, then goes with food, people, culture, fun etc etc. If you are satisfied you time goes well but if not then its like disappointment in choosing that country. The only thing that could make someone happy in current country is work & money. Rest we all are short time visitors to non homeland.

The only thing I miss is friends and family 😩

Every country has its own taste. But being abroad, I miss family and friends and suffering loneliness.

So very true.. 

The problem is that I miss my old friends and family 

I try not to force both countries into a competition. They are different, as they should be.

But the hummus at home wins every time. The hummus here is repulsive.

Khalida.UNC wrote:

But the hummus at home wins every time. The hummus here is repulsive.

Ditto.

I live in Baltimore, but was an expat working in Kuwait last year. The flavor and texture of hummus in Kuwait was the best I ever tasted. Now back in the states I agree the hummus here is garbage.

wael2020 wrote:

Indeed, most of expat are comparing ( I am one of them) living in new different culture with home culture, missing all old activities, friends, hoppies, even the taste of home food (for the same vegetable / meat/eggs).

Regards,

Thank you wael2020. It is 3 years and I am still trying to get used to many things. New foods, new friendships, new culture new language.... But inside me all the time am asking one question (Really?? Is that this difficult??) Trying to make the same food but not taste like I made in my country. Friends are good but have to be very careful when you give a compliment, Sometimes you cant be open. Miss relatives all the time and memories are haunted inside.

suribhai wrote:

First comparison would be cost of living, then goes with food, people, culture, fun etc etc. If you are satisfied you time goes well but if not then its like disappointment in choosing that country. The only thing that could make someone happy in current country is work & money. Rest we all are short time visitors to non homeland.

Thank you suribhai.
yes I agree, cost of living is a main comparison. How about saving money?. If someone love to save money but after migrated, if you couldn't save a considerable money? You are correct but everyone can not choose the country. If you have chosen a life time partner from specific country you have to migrate there and live even it is not your best choice.
Yes if you are working and earning a lot of money, spending time on exploring new things at-least a new hobby then you can be happy. Ex. in my country I was not hiking but I am now addicted to it as this area has a lot of resources for hiking.

Kumarani wrote:

The only thing I miss is friends and family 😩

Hi Kumarini,
Yes me too. We all are in the same boat. 

LomondGabriel wrote:

The problem is that I miss my old friends and family 

I know it is not easy. Some friendships are years old. We had the family since birth. Phone, social media... can these make our friends/family closer? Never! All the time lil pain in heart

Khalida.UNC wrote:

I try not to force both countries into a competition. They are different, as they should be.

But the hummus at home wins every time. The hummus here is repulsive.

  Thats all??

Tfourcade wrote:

I live in Baltimore, but was an expat working in Kuwait last year. The flavor and texture of hummus in Kuwait was the best I ever tasted. Now back in the states I agree the hummus here is garbage.

Ciambella wrote:

Khalida.UNC wrote:

But the hummus at home wins every time. The hummus here is repulsive.

Ditto.

I have never had hummus in Vietnam, or even been to Vietnam, but I imagine it must be better than North Carolina hummus.

Tfourcade wrote:

I live in Baltimore, but was an expat working in Kuwait last year. The flavor and texture of hummus in Kuwait was the best I ever tasted. Now back in the states I agree the hummus here is garbage.

Israeli hummus is the best. Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, and even Syria are good. Turkey hummus is unusual, but good. I have not been to Kuwait, but it must be better than North Carolina.

mal wrote:

Khalida.UNC wrote:

I try not to force both countries into a competition. They are different, as they should be.

But the hummus at home wins every time. The hummus here is repulsive.

  Thats all??

I find most American food either too bland or ridiculously sweet. Even with "ethnic" food, they somehow bland all the flavor out of it. There is a Thai restaurant close to my house in North Carolina. I went because I love Thai food. Nothing at this restaurant was spicy or hot. Everything tasted like dessert.

mal wrote:

Being an expat, did your dream come true? Or was it an unavoidable life event happened in your life? I've heard comparing new husband with ex husband is not a good thing (even we do that all the time )
Do you always (or sometimes) automatically feel comparing your new country with old one- like I do? Like missing your favorite foods you used to eat years and years. Or social activities you used to do in your old country? Would you like to share?

Missing things like some special food, live unique instrumental music, events or any other activity etc is one thing and still like the memories of it is another thing.

The difference between missing things and still like the memories of it is, if you really miss something you want it back while you still like the memory of it, you don't have a longing for it anymore but you admit to yourself that you really enjoyed it.

When you really have enjoyed something you don't miss it anymore and you have no reason to compare it to something else either but that becomes an unique memory that's all. So answer to your question is I don't miss a thing from my old country.

I did decide to leave Germany in 1996 because I did not find any good reason to stay there except my Family but they will have soon their own life or will be gone. I did start travel at very early age and was always a little sad when i had to go back . The Country i lived in did take Control on most for any I wanted to do or did the more social the more Control . I also did learn that in this such secure Country not everybody is secure and in my Case the Social System did screw me not helped me in any Way . So I wanted to be in a Country where all this does not exist in such a big Way . It is not about doing illegal Things it is about Life control . I came here did not understand any Spanish or yes ok some like Si or No and some other little words but to make my point at a hotel i did arrive it did not fit . So I find out ,if i do not learn Spanish I will fail to live here in this Country . I also learned that many Things are very different than "at Home" but still it has been more comfortable than "Home" . Over the Time I am here I made this Country my Home. I never missed German Food , because even in Germany I did eat and cook international I was able to do much of it at home but found out better eat what Dominicans eat . I did live mostly in Areas where Dominicans lived and this Way i did learn to know and understand them . Not all here in this Country i like but I did not find one Country  with the perfect fit . I really enjoy to come together with Expats and cook , if German food or other  or Dominican does not matter the point is to enjoy . And this is what I miss : Dominicans somewhere over in the World  somehow come together doing their own Parties doing their own cooking and have a social life with their Folks . I do not see this here exception in Tourist Areas, but aside from it it seems like most Expats have very limited Circles . That is what I miss Social Contacts.

Great, Everyone dream but not everyone can achieve what their heart really want to. You have made a great move in your life by listening what your heart really want.

Keep going bud and always listen to yourself

suribhai wrote:

First comparison would be cost of living

Yes, unfortunately many people are so shallow minded that they cannot look beyond money.
Even though a universal fact is that you get what you pay for - "expensive" places usually offer better quality of life, "cheaper" ones come with poverty and all its issues. I'd rather live rich!

Live rich?
Sometimes i go up to the Mountains to stay in a small wood house  . My Air condition is the fresh wind always coming from the River . My Food I prepare on a wood fire . If I need to refresh I simply go to the River sit in and enjoy the peace around me . Sometimes get out the River some crabs or some fish and prepare it right there . At night I sit outside have some Dominican Ron or some Presidente  or simply some Water and I feel I am soooo rich ! and do not even need Money for it .
So many Dominicans miss their Country because "live rich " means live with control and Limits, that is really rich?

Pemiku95 wrote:

Sometimes i go up to the Mountains to stay in a small wood house  . My Air condition is the fresh wind always coming from the River . My Food I prepare on a wood fire . If I need to refresh I simply go to the River sit in and enjoy the peace around me . Sometimes get out the River some crabs or some fish and prepare it right there . At night I sit outside have some Dominican Ron or some Presidente  or simply some Water and I feel I am soooo rich ! and do not even need Money for it .

That's what I call "live rich".
Some other person might prefer to drink the Ron in a beach bar armchair - to each it's own!
But chasing money by pursueing long hours in the corporate office does not quialify as "rich" in my eyes.

Big Point !
I do not make much Money here do not live like I may could in other Countries not only my Country of Origin .
You got it ,that is great !

I like Beach and River nothing better than sit at a beach get some Fish grill it right there and enjoy !

So you got your beach, river and fish? Living a life with simple dreams can earn a lot of happiness sometimes than following longterm difficult tasks. I too enjoy hiking. I cant get that happiness from other resources. You cant buy happiness.

Sometimes I got to stay at the River and sometimes at the Beach but it is not my only source for to stay happy . I am a Pastry by Passion and I like to do Pastry , Sometimes only some Doughnuts and sometimes come Cake . Sometimes an Black Forrest Cake sometimes Sacher cake or an apple pie with Crumble or some Cinnamon Rolls . Or some Cooking or BBQ with Friends . Or do a new Painting . I paint Landscapes . Or simply do some other Handcraft . I am happy when doing this Things . I really enjoy it . And yes Money is not everything but without making any it is also difficult to live.

For me, very much a dream come true.
I've been in and out of Brazil my whole adult life, and am bilingual in Portuguese, so culture shock wasn't an issue.  I had always felt at home but still abroad in Brazil, a strange feeling, but not an unpleasant one.  Still, I didn't expect to end up living here fulltime.  Then, I met, fell in love, and married a Brazilian, whose family and career prospects are all here.  Moving was not a hard decision. 
We have a wonderful life in Manaus.  It's a real life, not just a dream, but the annoyances are the annoyances we'd have anywhere:  leaky plumbing, bureaucracy,  budgeting, and , this being Brazil, more bureaucracy.  But it's always Summer (at least, from a North American point of view!), the cost of living is low, people are friendly, we have a beautiful apartment, my husband is killing it at the university.  Communication with my family back home is easy and constant, and we can travel when our schedules allow.  We have a lot to be thankful for, and are.