I didn’t notice it at first, but constantly comparing myself to locals was wearing me down. In 2025, I finally let that pressure go—and it completely changed how I experienced expat life.
The Moment I Realized I Didn’t Need to Be Like Locals Anymore (2025 Abroad Story)
Table of Contents
- How Comparison Became a Daily Trap
- What It Did to My Mental Health
- What Helped Me Stop
- Tips for Expats Struggling with Comparison
- FAQ
How Comparison Became a Daily Trap
Every day, I saw locals fluent in the language, confident with bureaucracy, effortlessly social. Meanwhile, I was fumbling with paperwork, missing jokes, and eating dinner alone. I started thinking, “Why can’t I adapt like them?”—as if I’d failed some invisible test.
What It Did to My Mental Health
It built slowly: self-doubt, isolation, burnout. I wasn’t just struggling with culture—I was judging myself for struggling. Social media made it worse. Everyone seemed settled except me. I stopped reaching out, convinced I didn’t belong.
What Helped Me Stop
A therapist asked me one question: “Would you judge someone else for needing time to adjust?” That flipped something. I started journaling small wins—navigating the metro, making a local friend. Slowly, I rewrote my self-talk.
Tips for Expats Struggling with Comparison
- Mute perfectionist content: Curate your feed to feel encouraged, not inferior.
- Celebrate local wins: Survived the bank queue? That counts.
- Join language exchanges: Practice, fail, laugh—repeat.
- Talk to other expats: You’ll realize everyone’s faking it a little.
Progress abroad isn’t linear. And you’re not behind—you’re just human in a new context.
FAQ
Is it normal to feel inferior as an expat?
Yes. Cultural gaps, language struggles, and isolation can all trigger comparison—but they don’t define your worth.
What’s better: expat groups or trying to blend in?
Both can help—but only if they make you feel supported, not pressured. It’s okay to belong halfway to both worlds.
Letting go of comparison doesn’t mean giving up—it means giving yourself the freedom to grow at your pace. And that’s the most expat thing you can do.
