I’m(30m) from Scotland but have lived in Spain since 2017 I was a musician and music teacher I’ve been an English teacher (just kind of fell into it and turned out to be quite good at it) and I’ve lived in a few different cities and I’ve run summer camps for English learning. I’ve been in the north of Spain since September after I got a bit overwhelmed with living in a huge city as a neurodivergent person it was getting a bit much for me.i always thought Spain would be my forever home. I decided to travel Latin America between leaving city life in Barcelona and moving up here.

I have an ok job my living situation is ok not ideal but very cheap. But things just aren’t how I thought they would be after 4 months. I miss my friends and my family I’m struggling to make friends here and feel quite unmotivated to start from scratch when I have friends already I’m speaking to frequently at home and I’m falling into a bad cycle where I just go to work and sleep during the week and wander around on my own listening to podcasts on weekends.

In the back of my mind I have been toying with moving back home to Scotland…

Ive noticed there is limited career prospects in Spain and though I am an experienced English teacher after 6 years my pay doesn’t reflect it. I love the Spanish way of life but I think it would be a good idea to go to graduate school in the UK to try and have a feasible job in the future so I’m not living pay check to paycheck.

If anyone has moved back to the UK how did you find reconnecting and fitting in. I find my self thinking a lot about home all the things I have missed being away from and feeling nostalgic about being home and seeing family frequently and catching up with old friends who I’m still in contact with but I know the reality is very different and I would probably harder to adjust than I think.

Any advice appreciated.

  • PDOUSRB
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    10 months ago

    Moved back to Ireland after 20 years away.

    Everyone had moved on. Friends not in the same place as me re family etc. The place/world seems less social now. Couldn’t find a rental in Dublin where I’m from and don’t already own. Couldn’t get a mortgagae despite decent salary. Couldn’t get kid in loczl school where we settled.

    Overall, just miss being an expat, so off I go early next year after 2 years back Not for everyone but I miss the little and “weird” communities I’ve had over the years and being somewhat "special’ in the “host” country.