7. When home no Longer feel like home – The Reverse Culture Shock

Gabi’s first trip to South Korea began with a ten-year dream, a spontaneous flight booking, and an unexpected feeling of being home. Three weeks were enough to convince her that she needed to come back for longer.

We talk about what it means to leave when you are an only child, especially when you live with your parents and feel responsible for them. Gabi shares the guilt, excitement, and fear that came with leaving her family, pets, friends, and a stable job behind for a year.

Living in Korea also gave Gabi the space to rediscover herself. She had felt disconnected from who she was since she was a teenager, but being abroad helped her realise that some of the things she believed about herself were not necessarily true.

Then came the harder part: going home. Gabi talks about returning to Hungary and feeling caught between the person she had become in Korea and the version of herself that existed before. She shares how difficult it was to fit back into a life that suddenly felt unfamiliar, even though everything around her was the same.

We also talk about mental health, therapy, and learning not to give up on the version of yourself you found abroad. Gabi reflects on why asking for help is not a weakness, and what she would tell her younger self about slowing down, making decisions for herself, and not letting other people’s expectations determine her life.