We spend years planning to leave our countries, pursuing new adventures, job opportunities and better lifestyles for our kids, but when reality comes knocking on your door after a year of living away, you start realizing that leaving your family and friends is not easy on everyone.
While some excel the minute they leave and find their true calling away from home, many find it too difficult.
When you get sick and your mom is not there to give you a herbal recipe you’ve never heard of before
Craving your grandma’s cooking and reminiscing about her 7amam
When your sister gives birth and you only get to FaceTime
When your best friend gets engaged and you can’t skip work and book a flight
In an emergency, you have to wait for a visa and by the time you get one, it will be too late
Having to deal with heartbreak alone, when all you need is your sister to tell you that your ex was ugly
You miss all your niece’s milestones and you have to watch her grow up online, always worrying if she’ll ever truly love her auntie and uncle
You suddenly terribly miss Friday family gatherings that you always used to avoid
You get personal breaking news on WhatsApp and Viber
Eid is just another day. Nothing festive about it
When you are a guy who irons your own shirts, wash dishes and do laundry, only to realize some sweaters need hand washing, so you call your mom
Missing those after work hours you spend with your best friends having pointless conversations
You come back and excitedly making plans with your friends, but their lives have changed and they can’t meet you as often as you hoped
Celebrating that promotion with new friends who don’t understand how much of your life was dedicated for this moment
Hearing news about a terrorist attack where your parents live, trying to calm yourself down and call them
When you feel like sitting with your dad to talk about life while drinking Turkish coffee, but you’re stuck with Skype and bad Internet
Having to go through the heartache of leaving everyone behind again and again and again
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