Most expatriates are very good at settling in. They find a place to live, open a bank account, learn how the systems work, and figure out where to shop, eat, and commute. They know which forms to fill, which offices to visit, and which WhatsApp groups to join. On paper, life looks organised. Everything seems fine. And yet, many people who have lived abroad for years will admit, often quietly, that something still feels missing. They are settled, but they don’t quite feel that

I didn’t fully understand Malaysia while living in it. That may sound ungrateful or even strange, especially for someone who calls it home, but distance has a way of sharpening things. It removes the noise of the everyday and leaves behind patterns, habits, and values that were always there, just harder to see from the inside. It was only after living in places like Japan, Ireland, and now Slovenia that certain things about Malaysia became clearer to me. What I miss deeply, w

Most people don’t move countries because they want an easy life. They move for work, family, or curiosity. And yet, not long after arriving, many of us end up inside what’s often called the expat bubble. It’s easy to see why. The bubble makes life smoother. You don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t worry as much about saying the wrong thing. Conversations flow, systems make sense, and you feel understood. When everything around you is unfamiliar, that kind of comfort isn’