Do you feel at home in your native country/culture?

[Traveler27]

I've often felt that I don't belong in my native country and have even lived abroad twice which confirmed to me that I felt more comfortable in a country and culture that is not my own.

 

Does anyone else feel this sense of alienation...feeling no interest in your culture and yearning for another?

[Clinton]

Not me. I love Canada. I've traveled extensively and always enjoy coming back home.

But some people don't and that's fine. It's what you feel comfortable with. Totally a personal preference.

[Seraphim]

I am Canadian too. I love my country. I would never live anywhere else. I like other places but this is definitely home to me.

[Man with Dog]

Having been in over 40 countries, I can honestly see the advantages and disadvantages of most of them.

 

The trouble with England is we don't do much any more. We have always imported most of our food and we don't manufacture much any more. We are even net importers of technology.

 

I love my country but I also love my wife's. I won't say here because it would uniquely identify me but there are disadvantages to living in my wife's country, too.

 

The hardest lesson I've learned is that I can never escape myself.

[Patrick974]

I like my country and feel at home as I speak the language and was raised with its culture.

 

However, like Man with Dog I traveled quite a bit and would feel comfortable elsewhere too. Its a matter of luck and opportunity. Getting a job abroad, marrying a stranger, you never know.

[Zuri]

I love living in my native country - the United States, especially in Texas.

Where are you from? What are the things about the culture that don't like? What is it about the places you have traveled that you do like?

[1a1a]

First generation Australian of English/Scottish/Irish/Welsh decent. YES, OMG YES I DON'T FEEL ANY SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH AUSSIE CULTURE. And having only ever lived here I couldn't say if I would feel more at home somewhere else.

 

I love this country, as in, the landscape and weather and animals and what have you and I can't imagine living anywhere else. But all that cliche Aussie culture stuff, mateship and snags on the barbie, and beeeeer and Sport!!! Just doesn't resonate with me at all.

[Traveler27]

The hardest lesson I've learned is that I can never escape myself.

 

This is so true. You will be "you" wherever you end up in the world. I know this because I've lived abroad twice and haven't magically become a better or happier person based upon my physical location during those times. What I did feel was more of a connection to the people and overall culture, thus I felt less isolated than I do in my native country.

[Capricorn3]

I feel at home in my native country/culture (which is not the country I live in now). I also feel very at home in this country because it's almost identical to the country of my birth, so we fit right in. I have traveled extensively and have lived long term in three countries, and I find I usually adapt and fit in very quickly.

[charity]

Yes I have felt this way since I was a young girl before I even had travelled to another country. I just always felt like I didn't fit in in my own country (Ireland), which is kinda sad. Once I started travelling I felt happier. Now I am back in my home country with kids.... I have started to accept it, its not a bad country by any means...I just don't identify with the culture here. I am half Italian so maybe it is something in my genes.

[Zuri]

I traveled to E. Europe two summers in a row. While I did not dislike the country, I felt more appreciative to be from and live where I am from. I was homesick after a week. I missed the food (although the food in that country was delicious), my apt, and my car. That was 10 years ago. I will be spending the entire summer in Delhi this summer. I am hoping to have more of a "I love this place. I am sad to go back to America" type of experience!

[castaway91]

Kind of. Not really. It's hard to explain. I never truly feel satisfied living in the U.S. I think it's just the overall feel of it. I have visited many countries in Europe, but I still haven't found home in there, either. Then again, I have so many places left in the world to one day explore.

[Saharacoelho]

Me! I don't identify with my culture or country at all! Although I was born in Portugal, I feel at home in Spain. I felt at home in Thailand as well, but never at my place of birth.