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A lot of people that have moved abroad focus on how supposedly terrible the place they came from is, but I think one of the most underrated aspects is that you

A lot of people that have moved abroad focus on how supposedly terrible the place they came from is, but I think one of the most underrated aspects is that you think more about your origin country and what it means to be an American/Frenchman/etc. - more than you normally would, had you never left. There’s something about being outside of a thing that makes you consider it more, and see it more insightfully. That is also probably why Fitzgerald wrote Gatsby while abroad in France. To me Gatsby is pretty much the quintessential American identity novel, and having been an American living in France (in the past, not currently), I feel like I understand the novel and “what it means to be American” more.

poszlem 2y ago
This is absolutely true. There is a Polish-Danish singer who moved to Denmark when he was 5 years old. He returned to Poland at the age of 28 and created a song called "I hate you Poland" that explains this very concept. I'm not sure how well the lyrics would translate, but they address this issue ("here" means abroad, "there" refers to Poland): I hate you, Poland I can't help it I hate you, Poland Because you have power over me I count long months I don't know how many in total I'd like to return, but I can't Because I can't love you There, I was annoyed by stupidity Poverty and misery, young and old Here, I'm annoyed that I have everything I could ever wish for Maybe someday those will understand Who left the country long ago That there, poverty is real And wealth here is just pretend I'll tell you if I dare Because it's a very silly topic There, Sunday mass irritated me Here, I'm annoyed that there isn't one Here, pedants annoy me There, slobs annoyed me Everything got mixed up And I don't know what I... feel! I hate you, Poland I can't help it I hate you, Poland Because you have power over me I count long months I don't know how many in total I'd like to return, but I can't Because I can't love you I resent your heritage Still alive within me Because you are primitive And I am a primitive Someone wanted this Someone had this in mind There, I became a degenerate Here, I'm becoming a patriot! I noticed the same thing, the more I live abroad the more I love my home country. Then when I come back I hate and resent it again and miss my home abroad.

poszlem 2y ago

This is absolutely true. There is a Polish-Danish singer who moved to Denmark when he was 5 years old. He returned to Poland at the age of 28 and created a song called "I hate you Poland" that explains this very concept. I'm not sure how well the lyrics would translate, but they address this issue ("here" means abroad, "there" refers to Poland): I hate you, Poland I can't help it I hate you, Poland Because you have power over me I count long months I don't know how many in total I'd like to return, but I can't Because I can't love you There, I was annoyed by stupidity Poverty and misery, young and old Here, I'm annoyed that I have everything I could ever wish for Maybe someday those will understand Who left the country long ago That there, poverty is real And wealth here is just pretend I'll tell you if I dare Because it's a very silly topic There, Sunday mass irritated me Here, I'm annoyed that there isn't one Here, pedants annoy me There, slobs annoyed me Everything got mixed up And I don't know what I... feel! I hate you, Poland I can't help it I hate you, Poland Because you have power over me I count long months I don't know how many in total I'd like to return, but I can't Because I can't love you I resent your heritage Still alive within me Because you are primitive And I am a primitive Someone wanted this Someone had this in mind There, I became a degenerate Here, I'm becoming a patriot! I noticed the same thing, the more I live abroad the more I love my home country. Then when I come back I hate and resent it again and miss my home abroad.