Living abroad is beautiful, but it has its difficulties and challenges, the truth is that no one prepares you to live abroad; when I moved to Finland I felt that everything was going to be relatively easy and bearable but the truth is that I was wrong.
The migrant grief is the process related to the loss that begins when a person migrates. It is complex because it is associated with leaving behind everything you know, such as language, family, and friends. I think it is important to seek help if you feel it is very difficult to adjust. The symptoms of grief are as follows: you experience anxiety, anguish, you tend to feel unstable and you tend to isolate yourself. If you are experiencing these symptoms I recommend you visit a psychologist with whom you can share how you feel and what is affecting you, this can help you to combat and overcome this feeling that has you in the shadows.
Moving to Finland was a drastic change from which I still can't get over; leaving behind everything you know is difficult and although some people find it easy, in my case it was difficult and I must confess that I still don't find myself in this new country, even though it has been several years since I left my native Panama.
Living abroad is often idealized, as it is seen as a sign of progress, as long as it is voluntary and not forced as in some cases where people have to leave their countries for reasons beyond their control.
Social networks also create an implausible image about living abroad, and nobody is going to create content about how difficult it is to live abroad. This is what motivated me the most to write this post.
I want to be totally transparent about my experience. It has not been easy at all but I wouldn't change it for the world, but enough of the negative. Every experience has its positive side and in my case the positive is the following: it has taken me out of my comfort zone and to a certain extent you test your resilience; it has also helped me to meet other people, cultures, languages, and I even found my new hobby...Hiking.
I hope you liked this post.
I invite you to get to know me in this post and I also invite you to listen to the podcast Passport of the BraveThis podcast is from 2 girls, Fabiola a Panamanian living in Germany and Maria a Colombian living in Liverpool. They created this podcast for people like me who have emigrated or those who are thinking of emigrating, in it they tell their experiences, additionally they will have as guests experts on different topics such as health, beauty and others.
Amazing work! 🤩👍
I'm so happy you like my post!!!
So brave and bold my friend. Making decisions like this guided by love seem simple in the eyes of others, but you carry a lot of weight with them. I admire you very much and I am very happy to have coincided with you in this shared process.
Unfortunately there is no manual to help you go through all the changes and to some extent you feel like you are losing yourself.
I agree with you, for some it sounds easy but no one knows until they experience it first hand.
Connecting with you and giving us support from a distance has been a blessing for me.
Nothing prepares us for the brutal change of moving away from everything we knew! Hahahah
You are very brave Lene, how nice to read you!
One dives in head first and learns from the blows hahahaha. It's a brutal change but we are strong!!!!
You are also very brave. I love you so much!
Very interesting coz you don't try to give an idealist version of your experience. Lot of people would tell everything is perfect and they made the perfect choice. But you also don't complain and find strength in the experience. That's a smart point of view
Yes, I believe that people tend to idealize the experience and they rather hide the truth that its hard.
I have found a new version of myself. a strong woman
All so true, I believe that the migratory mourning is not simply once you arrive in the new country, the migratory mourning is given in the process of adaptation and for some people the process can be months and for others years.
Somehow we have to learn to love the process and connect with the positive aspects of the experience without leaving aside the negative.
I emigrated almost 5 years ago and every year I have seasons of migratory grief.
Thank you for your honesty.
It is important to see the positive in the process of emigrating and the process of adaptation.
Greetings!
Excellent post. I have been abroad for almost 14 years. I have made a life, but nothing has been easy. I still have moments when I feel homesick.
What I liked about your words is that you give a little insight to those who have never lived it to know what it is and why. There is no doubt that we grow as people in the process and become citizens of the world.
Thank you for reading my post. I feel it is important to tell our stories as many people have no idea how complex the process is.
It is a process of adaptation and you definitely become a citizen of the world.
Big hugs.
Thank you for sharing your experience Lene, you are brave and I admire you.
Thank you for reading my post. This experience has changed my life completely!
We are not ungrateful with life, we just do not ignore our feelings, nor do we make up the reality that not always everything shines and is perfect. Migrating hurts and I think it will not stop hurting, luckily we have each other even if it is at a distance to give us those words of support because without knowing each other we understand each other.
Thank you for your honesty Lene 😘.
What happens is that social networks show you a spectacular version but we also know that behind that is the reality... now not everything is bad but we must be more transparent with the experience.
Migrating hurts but there is also the beauty of migrating... the new friendships, experiences, languages and cultures.
I am grateful for the support you give me from a distance.
A big hug!