08/05/2026
Nobody tells you the full story. Here is what actually happens:
Stage 1: The âI made itâ high.
Everything feels exciting and new. Youâre taking photos of everything, even the grocery store. Life feels like a movie.
Stage 2: The âI can figure this outâ phase. I You start building a routine. Finding your go-to coffee shop, learning the bus routes, feeling like a local. You think the hard part is over.
Stage 3: The 3-month slump.
Nobody warns you about this one. Around month 3, the excitement fades and reality hits. Youâre tired, the novelty is gone, and you start questioning everything.
Stage 4: The âShould I just go home?â moment.
This is the hardest stage. Youâre homesick, lonely, and you feel like you made a mistake. Most people who quit, quit here.
Stage 5: The quiet rebuild.
You stop fighting the new life and start accepting it.
You find your people, build small habits, and slowly start to feel okay again.
Stage 6: The identity shift.
You realize youâve changed. You donât fully belong back home anymore, but you donât fully belong here yet either. Itâs uncomfortable, but it means youâre grow
Stage 7: The âI wouldnât change itâ feeling.
You look back and realize every hard moment was building something. You are not the same person who first arrived, and thatâs the whole point.
If youâre stuck in stage 3, 4, or 5 right now, just keep going. It gets better.
Which stage are you in right now?
Let me know below.
