What We Lost and What We Gained: The Quiet Story of Migration

Is living abroad really as good as it looks from the outside? As someone who left Türkiye to live first in the USA and then in Spain, in this video I talk about what being a nomad, expat life and building a life from scratch in another country have taught me.
Why did I move to the USA at 35? Why am I in Spain at 40? Did I leave because I couldn't make it in Türkiye? I made this video mainly in response to these questions I get asked so often.
On social media, immigration and life abroad are mostly shown through the cities you visit, great food and new experiences. But living in another country has a side you don't see. You move away from your family and friends, leave behind the routine you know and rebuild your life in many ways.
I also talk about the financial challenges of earning money in Türkiye while living in Europe or the USA, and the disadvantages of living on Turkish lira against the euro and the dollar. Life in Spain and life in the USA have their good sides, but they come with their own challenges too.
My experiences in Miami and Barcelona showed me that nomad life is really a constant state of stepping out of your comfort zone. Renting a new home, getting to know a new city, finding out which neighborhoods are safe, communicating in another language and adapting to a different culture all mean learning life all over again.
In the video I also answer, from my own perspective, the questions people living abroad keep hearing: "Couldn't you find a job in Türkiye?", "Why did you leave?", "Are you coming back?"
For me, it's not about running away from one country or making another look perfect. Türkiye, the USA and Spain each have their own advantages and their own problems. What matters is deciding what kind of life you want to live.
Being a nomad brings freedom, but that freedom comes at a price.
I sometimes compare life to a web browser. We keep opening new tabs but never close the old ones. At some point you need to close some of the tabs from the past and keep going.
For anyone thinking about moving to Spain, living in the USA or building a new life abroad in general, this video is less a guide and more a personal reflection based on my own experience.
Do you think living abroad is freedom, or does it mean giving up too much? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Chapters:
00:00 Why Did I Move to the USA and Spain?
00:20 Life as a Browser Full of Open Tabs
00:45 Closing the Tabs from the Past
01:14 The Questions I Get Asked Most
01:21 "Couldn't You Make It in Türkiye?"
01:40 Life Is a Journey, Not a Destination
02:05 Why Am I in Spain Now?
02:25 What Is Being a Nomad Really Like?
02:55 Earning in Lira, Living in Europe
03:23 Moving Away from Family and Friends
03:34 "Europe Is Finished, Immigrants Are Going Home"
03:52 Why Do People Leave Their Countries?
04:14 The Problems of Living in Europe and the USA
04:46 Have I Experienced Racism Abroad?
05:13 How Big a Decision Is Emigrating?
05:21 Starting from Scratch in a New Country
05:32 The Best Part of Being an Immigrant
06:05 The Risks You Don't See on Social Media
06:18 Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
06:28 My First Year in Spain
06:39 Why Are People Living Abroad Judged?
07:00 Questions About Immigration
07:41 Why Do I Share the Positive Side?
07:52 What Pushed Me to Become a Nomad
08:18 Your Questions About Immigration
08:30 Wrap-Up
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