So I’m not sure if this is age related or not. I’m a 21 year old male, maybe you could share your age as well.

So basically for a long time (probably my whole life) I had this deep longing/fantasy to live at a different place than the one I’m living right now. As if I don’t belong where I’m from and need to be somewhere else to truly feel home. I’m from northern Germany and always had the deep desire of traveling places.

When me and my family went on vacation when I was a kid for example when we flew to Egypt it felt like a wonderful dream as if I was in heaven or something. I just love when I’m in totally different environments like coming from the cold Germany into a tropically warm climate, in a country that is very different, with very different culture and mentality in this beautiful and gigantic hotel resort.

Idk how to describe it but it’s like my core desire got fulfilled.

I never felt home here in Germany and my deep desire always was to live somewhere else where there is a very different culture and environment.

A significant amount of time I always wanted to go to America. I’ve never been there so far unfortunately.

But I always had this feeling that I didn’t felt right where I’m from and was always searching for this place where I can feel home, where it’s wholesome and I feel freed from all worries, where I have deep/meaningful connections and can fully live in joy and embrace every little moment of life in this deeply joyful way like living like a child again.

I assume a lot of this is probably just some psychological phenomenon that is inducing a fake/unreal fantasy. I assume even if I could move to some other country I might not feel as joyful like when I was a kid and even if I do, at some point it might not feel special anymore and it might not be like I hoped.

So maybe this is just this classic “the grass seems always greener on the other side” thing and in reality it might not be like that.

But I wonder does any of you also have this deep inner fantasy of living in a different place/culture where it kinda feels magical to live and you have ultimate happiness? It might be something unrealistic or a place that doesn’t exist but it’s like a deep feeling in me and I wonder if others also have it. Maybe it goes deeper and it is this “leftover” from childhood that I remember and that I’m longing for? Maybe it’s a fantasy of being a kid again?

  • Apathy@lemmy.world
    1·
    5 hours ago

    It’s good to experience the different cultures of life, society and societal structures have not always been around. We have primitive desire to explore and understand as humans

  • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
    4·
    11 hours ago

    We Germans even have two distinct words for that: “Fernweh” and “Wanderlust”. It’s definitely a thing. I’d argue the first one matches your feelings more closely. Probably a lot of people can relate. Even for grown-ups vacation is special. You get to relax, go on an adventure, be far away from mundane every-day life, work and obligations…

  • x4740N@lemm.ee
    1·
    9 hours ago
    1. Japan
    2. United Kingdom

    But the United Kingdom did get a bit soured for me recently because of the whole TERF island stuff but I fell in love with the UK originally because of ancestral history and I like certain types of architecture from there

    But I’m going to always prioritise Japan over the United Kingdom because I feel more connected to Japan

    Yes I know Japan is just normal people living a normal life

    I like the anime because it’s fun to watch but the included cultural references made me look up Japanese culture to confirm things amd I love the culture

    I also have loved Japanese food for the longest time

    There’s probably some things I’m forgetting

    Japan feels calming and home like to me more than the country I was born in and I wish I was born in Japan but that part of the reality lottery failed me just like it failed me in being born into the wrong body sex

    I don’t feel connected in any way to my the country I was born in

    Who knows, maybe I had a past life in Japan or something because I really feel connected with Japan

    So yeah I do have a deep longing for Japan

    • Owl@mander.xyz
      2·
      8 hours ago

      You have to have pretty solid financials to afford travel (in good, enjoyable conditions)

      Even though OP is german It is likely that at 21 he doesn’t have the kind of money required

    • BreadOven@lemmy.world
      6·
      1 day ago

      This.

      I had typed up a long-winded reply, but it wouldn’t let me post, and I didn’t copy it. But it essentially came down to this. It’s much easier in Europe than many other continents, so take advantage of it if you can. Also as someone else mentioned: working visas should be easy? To get. I don’t have experience in that, but solid idea.

  • countrypunk@slrpnk.net
    2·
    19 hours ago

    I had the same feelings that you did for a while. I moved and travelled different places and ultimately that made me appreciate home a lot more.

  • twinnie@feddit.uk
    4·
    1 day ago

    It’s not impossible to do at all. Until you’re 30 there’s lots of countries that will let you have a working visa. There’s some cultural exposure program to encourage young people to travel the world and experience different cultures. I’m pretty sure Canada’s on it. I’m not interested in going to the States myself, I like how much room there is but the culture isn’t for me and I find the towns and cities dull.

    I like travelling myself and I’m always looking to move somewhere else, being at home is just boring to me and I find it hard to settle.

    If you want to make a life of it you need to look at getting some kind of job which will enable that kind of lifestyle like the military or some kind of diplomatic service.

    I’ve lived overseas myself and you need to be aware that every country has good points and bad points. Something that seems like a quirk will be fucking annoying after a few years. It’s all good fun though.