The Hardest Journey: When an Expat Gets the Call No One Wants

A personal reflection written in May 2025, during a journey back to my family.

There are many kinds of travel, most of them exciting, filled with anticipation and curiosity. But then, there are journeys you never want to make—the ones you dread, yet have to embark on when you’re living thousands of miles away from family. For expats, this is the hardest part: when you get the call that your mother or father has fallen ill back home.

When Home Is 36 Hours Away

Suddenly, the world feels impossibly vast. You can’t just hop on your bike or jump in the car and be there in a few hours. No, for many of us, “going home” means a marathon journey across continents and oceans. In my case, it’s a grueling 36-hour journey, each minute heavy with worry and longing. While you sit in airports and try to doze off in cramped airplane seats, your mind is somewhere else entirely—at the bedside of your loved one, willing them to hold on until you arrive.

This was already the second time that year I had made the journey for this reason, and it was only May. There was a weary familiarity to finding flights, packing a bag and telling friends I would be away for an uncertain length of time. My mother was critically ill, and the thought that I might not arrive in time stayed with me through the journey.

Having Lizz Beside Me

I am so deeply grateful that Lizz is with me on this journey. She is my anchor, my comfort, and my support. Her presence is a quiet reassurance in the chaos of packing, airport queues, and the endless monotony of travel.

Together, we pray that my mother pulls through, that she keeps fighting, that I can see her smile again.

A Life Between More Than One Home

Being an expat means building a life somewhere new, but it also means you’re always a little bit divided—your heart anchored in more than one place.

If you are living abroad and going through something similar, I hope these words offer some company. Circumstances differ, but the worry of being far from someone you love can be difficult to explain. A kind word, a prayer or someone beside you can matter a great deal.

At that moment, I held onto hope, faith and the love that connected us across the distance. This was not a journey of discovery. I simply wanted to get home.