Living Abroad as an American: Identity, Expat Guilt, and Leaving the US: S1E5

Send us Fan MailWhen Jennifer left the United States, she didn’t expect living abroad to change her political beliefs, religious identity, family relationships, and sense of home so completely.In this episode, she reads her poem “Daddy, Do You Still Believe That?” publicly for the first time. Written to her father, the poem questions the patriotic, political, and religious beliefs she grew up with and explores what happens when the identity you inherit no longer fits the life you’ve lived.Jennifer shares how travel and life in Spain, Latin America, South Korea, Mexico, and China changed the way she understood the United States. She talks about growing up in a conservative Republican and Catholic family, watching her family struggle after the 2008 housing crisis, and finding greater financial stability abroad.We also discuss expat guilt, political divisions within families, the hidden relationship cost of living overseas, and why returning home can feel harder than leaving. Jennifer explains how living abroad forces you to question your values, routines, relationships, and assumptions, often before you even realize how much you’ve changed.This conversation is for anyone interested in living abroad, leaving the United States, expat identity, reverse culture shock, religious deconstruction, political differences within families, and the emotional cost of building a life far from home.In this episode:Jennifer reads her poem publicly for the first timeHow living abroad changed her political and religious beliefsWhy she addressed the poem directly to her fatherGrowing up in a conservative Republican and Catholic familyAdventure, economic opportunity, and leaving the United StatesExpat guilt and the relationship cost of living overseasWhy people back home often misunderstand expat lifeThe difference between traveling and living in another countryLosing friendships after changing abroadWhy returning home can be harder than leavingFinding identity, community, and love outside your home countryWhy the challenges of living abroad were still worth itOriginal publication date: October 15, 2018📬 Traveling abroad long-term? Traveling Mailbox gives you a permanent US mailing address you can access from anywhere: https://travelingmailbox.com/geopats/?ref=3422💰Need a global bank account: I use Wise for multiple currencies https://wise.com/invite/dic/debrad107📸 Instagram reels from my past and present life abroad: https://www.instagram.com/geopatsabroad/🎥 Daily video clips from my life abroad: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfWdoMjmqpcbULZw-hVgew🎙️Start your own podcast. The podcast host I recommend most often is Buzzsprout. Use this link and get a bonus when you upgrade:https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2022201📬 Weekly podcast discoverability tips to help your older episodes keep getting found:  https://podcaststeph.substack.com/