The part two of the Relocation article and if you haven’t read the first part, you can catch it here!

11. You no longer can keep up with happening to your country

You read news impacting the country you lived in, you do catch up news of your origin country but it just seems so far away now.

12. You tend to compare your country you came from and the country you reside in

Your opening statement is “But that is not how we do things in (insert your origin country)…” or “Back in (insert your origin country), we will not tolerate this.” Sounds familiar? Don’t worry about getting too defensive because when you go back home for a visit, you’ll be defending the country you moved to.

13. It is harder to make friends in your new environment

You don’t want to seem desperate yet every time you open your mouth to know someone, you felt like a tourist. You are not here nor there, not a local yet not a tourist as well but you just felt foreign.

14. You are a frequent flyer member

You fly so much to and fro, you kept seeing the same officer at the custom. I had flown in and out of Singapore so much, one of the customs officers actually remembers me and chat me up whenever I’m at her counter. It got so used to seeing her we address each other by our first names.

15. You want a pet

Whether it is a goldfish, a turtle, a Woof or a Meow, you just want to be greeted when you come home from work. You dreaded every evening, coming home to a bland four walls. Someone to cuddle with would be nice. Be aware that this is a major commitment that you’ll need to be responsible for for the rest of your pet’s life. You probably living in a rented place and you need to prep yourself should you move back home, your Snoopy or Garfield will have to move back with you as well. It can be a hefty sum and quite a trouble migrating a pet from a country to the next. If you are not ready for a lifetime commitment, opt for fostering. That way you get companionship without too long a commitment.

16. You start asking everyone you know to come and visit

You hanker after some familiar company. You don’t actually hang out with them when you are back home but you figured that you’ll probably enjoy their company when they make the trip and stay with you.

17. You start bingeing and crazy shopping whenever you went home

Either you can’t find the same brand of cereal or you think that brand of washing powder is really overpriced back where you stayed, you start massive shopping all those brands that make you feel just like home. I’m still shipping bottles of dishwasher liquid from Singapore to Malaysia. I’m just convinced that my favourite brand cleans my dishes better.

18. Your old bed is musty

No matter how much you change or your mum change the bedcovers of your old bed, it will never felt or smell the same.

19. You are more vocal about your emotions

Probably because every communication is across text, phone calls, emails and Skype or FaceTime, no longer Face to Face. I learnt to be vocal in describing my emotions rather than to have the other person second guess me.

20. You have moved on too!

Little do you know, you have actually moved on from your old home and old friends. It is not exactly a bad thing, you have grown outwardly as your own and you have made a new life, new friends, new environment. You will still keep your old life as close to you as you can but do embrace your new life because that is the new you!

Do you agree? Or do you have some more to add on? Share it with us in the comments below!