"After a decade of living abroad, I've realized the hardest part isn't adapting to a new place - it's coming to terms with what you've given up.In 2015, I left my life as a magazine editor in my native South Africa for the glittering skylines of Dubai. My path then took me to a job in Abu Dhabi, a stint in Singapore, five intense years in Hong Kong, and now, the tranquil beaches of Thailand."
"On the surface, it's been a decade of opportunity. But what nobody tells you when you first pack your life into a suitcase is that the hardest parts of being an expat aren't the initial struggles like finding an apartment, learning the customs, or battling bureaucracy. The real challenge surfaces years later, when the gloss has worn off and you're left making peace with the quiet, permanent sacrifices you've made."
"Do I say South Africa, the country on my passport that feels more like a historical fact than a home? The truth is, my heart is scattered across the world. It belongs to the glamorous streets of Dubai, the dragon-backed hills of Hong Kong, and the green slopes of Southern Thailand. After so many moves, I've developed what I can only describe as a kind of "international homelessness.""
Andre Neveling has lived as an expat across the Middle East and Asia since 2015, moving from South Africa to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand. The lifestyle offered adventure and professional opportunity but required ongoing sacrifices and uprooting. Over time a clear sense of home faded and identity became unsettled. Simple questions like 'Where are you from?' now trigger a quiet identity crisis. Emotional attachments span multiple countries, producing a scattered heart and feeling of permanent tourism. The lasting cost includes lost roots, blurred belonging, and a persistent sense of international homelessness.
Read at Business Insider
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