After a Decade Abroad, an American Feels Like an Outsider in Her Own Country
Catherine Work reflects on the 10th anniversary of leaving the United States after her father's death. She moved abroad at age 21, serving in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, then living in Costa Rica, Belgium, and traveling extensively. Over the decade, she has spent only a few weeks per year in the US. Returning home, she feels disconnected from family and friends: she no longer understands pop culture references, her lifestyle (slow cooking, long lunches) contrasts with her family's convenience-food habits, and her life experiences (traveling to 50+ countries, learning languages) don't translate into easy conversation. She feels like a visitor in her hometown and an imposter in her own country, while also realizing the US has changed without her. The piece explores the grief of losing connection to one's homeland and identity.
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