Hey loves,

In continuing this journey from living abroad to moving back home, this week, I hope to share a quick snapshot of my transition journey back to American living. When I initially had thoughts of leaving life abroad in the Middle East, I received so many questions. Namely? Why …

Yet after months of meditation, the various reasons to give up my guilded life became increasingly clear … Or so I thought. With my life repacked in four oversized suitcases, this time last year, I hopped the next plane back to the United States. At the time, little did I know, that the adventure coming home would be even more taxing than the initial steps of leaving to Qatar.

In the months that followed, I came home with a significant about of money in my pocket and a fresh pair of rose-tined glasses. I planned to rest a bit, working on my creative pursuits for the next six months before returning to the “real world” and 9-5 life … But not before adding new stamps to the passport by island hopping and discovering more the Caribbean while visiting the U.S Virgin Islands, my maternal home … Most of all, coming home meant reconnecting with my loved ones and, in my mind, picking up right where we left off. Only? Better. They say time heals all wounds, right?

Sadly, I had no idea things would fall apart almost as soon as I landed at the airport (JFK). From struggling with my luggage as no one was there to meet me, to falling right back into interpersonal family drama … I realized almost immediately that a true sense of peace would once again, only come via escape. Leaving my hometown where I initially landed, and moving back to NYC (which had been my home for 13yrs) allowed for just enough distance from the chaos I’d walked back into, while enjoying the simple pleasures of “coming home.”

The only problem? The cost of freedom (and rent) was expensive, both financially and emotionally. The following vlog below discusses my journey of hopping back into NYC life, finding work after life abroad, landing in a sweatshop, and key realizations about home. Hope to see you guys there!

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