The Wandering Librarian

I recently watched a YouTube video of a German expat living in the United States.  She was cooking some of her favorite family and childhood recipes as she was experiencing homesickness.  It got me thinking, was I homesick or had I been since arriving in Ecuador?

In August of 2025, when we moved to Cuenca, Ecuador from rural Missouri, I fully expected to experience some homesickness.  After all, I had been homesick to Oklahoma when I moved to Missouri.  And when I lived overseas previously, on the island of Saipan, I really struggled with missing my family and adjusting to the culture.  While I miss my family and friends, I have no strong pull to return home this time around.  So, why is this time so different? What makes Cuenca so much more welcoming and comfortable for me?

I think that an immense amount of stress has been removed from my life since I took a break from full time work.  I left a faculty librarian position at an R1 level research institution in June of 2025.  I just went back to work on a part time, 20 hour a week basis, in January.  The new pace and better balance of work and family life has had a considerable impact on my overall wellbeing.  It’s hard to miss something that had you stressed out, anxiety ridden, and getting sicker and sicker on a physical level.

Having a really strong relationship with my spouse has also made this move much easier than my previous move to Saipan.  I feel connected, emotionally acknowledged, and far from neglected.  Being with the right person has the capacity to make anywhere feel like home whether it is a rural plains town or a city in South America.  My husband is also incredibly social, and this has really helped to expand our networks and support system while living in Cuenca.  We have made a lot of friendships with other expats as well as Cuencanos.

Daily life is just less challenging here in Cuenca than it was when I moved to Saipan.  I have been able to navigate getting a job and the health care system a lot better than I ever could in Saipan.  When living remotely on a Pacific Island, I went seven months without any job when I really needed a job! I was a brand spanking new librarian with only a year of professional experience to my name, and navigating the bureaucracy and corruption in Saipan as I tried to get hired was infuriating.  Here, I do not have to work.  And as a well seasoned librarian, I found a remote position with relative ease after a couple of months job hunting.  I think it helps that I am not seeking to work locally, as well.  As for healthcare, as a remote island, a lot was lacking.  Getting treatment or regular checkups was difficult with limited resources.  Here in Ecuador, I am able to be seen by my doctor the same day, starting with my shingles episode within the first few weeks of arriving.  Despite this rough start, my experience with health care has been far superior to any care I previously received, even in the mainland United States.

Finally, my own mental health is in a much better place.  I have access to much better mental health resources here than I did in Saipan or in Missouri (or anywhere in the US mainland).  My bipolar disorder is well managed so I do not have any more deep depressive episodes or mania.  I also have appropriate treatment for my ADHD, something that was denied to me in Missouri.  This has a huge impact on my stability and overall quality of life.

So, it seems that a lot of things are working in my favor to make this experience of moving and living away from friends and family more enjoyable.  Will it last? I do not know. Doesn’t everyone get homesick eventually?  Have you ever moved abroad or traveled for a long period without being homesick or has a new place ever felt just right to you?