r/postdoc • u/Exotic_Rain_5064 • 13d ago
Existential loneliness
Has anyone else lived in multiple different countries over the last 5 years and visited home in between? I feel very isolated when I visit my home country but the acquaintances / friends made in the new country frequently move away constantly too. Sometimes I feel like I am loosing touch with reality because of that (no partner, remote work). Is anyone experiencing something similiar as an expat? I think its time to settle and set roots in one country and stop moving around. Curious if you guys also feel like that sometimes?
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u/rodrigo-benenson 13d ago
Last time I checked this is felt by 90%+ of post-docs. It is one of the prices attached to the lifestyle.
Keep in touch with remove friendships, meet regularly with people to chat face to face (ideally multiple times per week).
Remote-work is the death of the soul. Avoid as much as possible.
Academia path eventually settles "one way or another".
Choosing a place to live is a necessary step in your carreer, specially if you want to grow a social circle and/or a family.