If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past year, it’s this: moving abroad is not for the weak. Not emotionally, not physically, and definitely not mentally. It takes grit, patience, and a whole lot of tissues.
Reflecting on this time last year, I was moving to Spain for the very first time. Everything was new and terrifying. I didn’t have an apartment lined up, I had no idea how to navigate a new country alone, and I was leaving behind friends and family for the longest stretch of my life. It was a lot, and my emotions made sure I felt every ounce of it.
Fast forward to the summer after finishing my first year abroad. I came back home to the U.S., and honestly? I became a complete homebody. I spent 99% of my time in my little bubble, soaking up quality time with myself, my family, and my closest friends. The first six weeks were pure bliss. I finally caught up on life, rested, and felt grounded again. But by week seven, something shifted. I found myself itching to get back to Spain. I missed it. I missed that version of myself who was curious, adventurous, and building a new life overseas.
Meanwhile, I’m also at that age where my friends and I are all in different seasons of life. Some are settling into big girl jobs, others are getting married or having kids, and here I am, hopping back and forth between continents. It’s bittersweet, but also really beautiful, to still be connected with people I’ve literally known since we were in diapers. That kind of lifelong friendship is rare, and this summer it felt healing just to be around them again.
I even got to celebrate my birthday with my closest friends, which made it extra special. Coming home always has this way of recharging me; it’s like I can exhale, slow down, and remember who I was before life switched up for me.
And then came one of those unexpectedly emotional moments: I went to my local hometown theater to watch Freaky Friday 2. On paper, that sounds silly, right? But I grew up watching that movie, and sitting there in the same little theater I went to as a kid… it hit me. Nostalgia has hands, and it smacked me right in the face. I may or may not have teared up, LOL. Sometimes the simplest things remind you how much home really matters.
Now here I am, 2 ½ days away from my second big move back to Spain. And let me tell you, I am an emotional mess. I’ve been crying for no reason, like my body is forcing me to release everything I’ve been holding in. It’s a cocktail of pride, nostalgia, and nerves. But here’s the difference this time around. I already have an apartment lined up. I have friends hosting me along the way, and my final destination is set in Alicante. Year one broke me open, but year two feels like it’s going to build me stronger.
Over the course of my early 20s, I’ve learned to create and appreciate “home” wherever I go, whether that’s Tennessee, another corner of the States, or Spain. This whole experience has softened me. Moving abroad, coming back, and going again teaches you to stop taking things for granted. You start to notice the small comforts that make a place feel like home, the little routines that ground you, and the people who make the goodbyes worth it in the first place.
Because when you’re constantly navigating between countries and cultures, you begin to appreciate the opportunities life gives you. Not everyone gets the chance to start fresh in a new country, or to meet a version of themselves they didn’t even know existed. And honestly, that realization alone makes the hard parts, the tears, the goodbyes, the endless adjustments, worth it.
So here’s the truth: if you’re an emotional mess by nature, moving abroad will amplify it. You will cry, you will doubt yourself, you will miss home. But you’ll also grow in ways you never thought possible. Because moving abroad isn’t for the weak. It’s for the brave, the messy, the ones willing to feel it all and still keep going.
And if you’re standing where I was last year, overwhelmed, terrified, maybe even second-guessing yourself, know this: you’ll survive. More than that, you’ll thrive. And one day, you’ll look back at this version of yourself and think, “Wow. I really did that.”
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
