Dear Therlie,

When I imagine going back to my home country I also feel a lot of negativity. There is a reason and mine is different then yours. But the fact is also that I have to spend few months in my home country next year and I am already thinking how to make that experience somehow enjoyable

You say you have the feeling you are going to miss out on life and adventure. On the other side the masters degree is a good investment in your life. My thought is by staying in your home country you wont experience the type adventure you know from being in Cambodia, but you can try experiencing the other side of travelling and with it I mean hosting.

I saw you are Dutch. Try hosting travellers from platforms like Couchsurfing. Learn to be a great host! Study your town and show foreigners around. Cook them traditional meals. Make them experience your country. You were the foreigner till now, now you are the local. Flip sides.

Dutch universities are international, but a lot of foreign students never learn Dutch as they enroll in English programms. They spend years in the Dutch society without getting to know it. So enroll in programms like Study buddy and help some foreign students. Join the international club.

This is my own plan for a person who is used to live abroad ,but has to spend some time in his home country. This way you will still have the international environment you are used to, but you will have a different perspective. I bet you had those moments in the countries you lived in when you had to ask for help about basic stuff everyone knew. And people made fun of you. Now you can see what the foreigners find bizzare in the Netherlands.

I have the experience from both sides: as a foreigner I am thankfull for all the locals who helped me. And those great people who realised that a foreigner may feel lonely in the beginning and helped me out with it too 🙂

One of my best experiences as a host was a girl from another continent who was for the first time in her life abroad. In a completely different culture with a language she didn’t understand. It made me think of my lifestyle a lot 🙂 So yes, it is possible to have international adventures in your home country! Plus you get bonus point for helping people out and you may learn something for your career abroad 🙂

Also as Anita mentioned, if you never lived alone in your home country now is the time to rent a room on your own!

Best wishes,

Diyana