The Unexpected Journey of Finding Home Abroad
“How long have you been living in Singapore?” is a question I’ve heard often from taxi drivers since my arrival from New York almost two decades ago.
Initially, my responses were brief: one year, then two. My husband and I embarked on this adventure with a two-year plan, believing it was an exhilarating new chapter in our married life. We left some of our belongings in my sister’s Brooklyn basement, thinking we’d return soon for them.
As the years passed beyond our original plan—five, then ten—those boxes gradually followed us to Singapore.
Nowadays, it’s not just the drivers who are curious about our plans to stay. My mother often remarks on the distance between us, which now includes her grandchildren. My in-laws gently remind us of the benefits of being closer to family. There’s a widespread expectation of a next, more permanent destination.
Yet, over time, Singapore transitioned from feeling like a temporary chapter to becoming part of our routine. The tropical climate has diminished my tolerance for cold weather. In New York, it feels peculiar to enter a home without removing my shoes.
Nevertheless, reminders of my transnational life persist. As an American, I am required to file US taxes annually—a constant reminder that I live between two worlds. My children’s bewilderment when asked about their origins underscores this duality.
We’re not alone in facing such questions. In 2024, an estimated 3.3 million Americans resided overseas—a 15% increase since 2010—based on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which compiles data from tax records, Social Security, and foreign censuses. However, as Americans aren’t required to register abroad, an official tally is elusive.
This series will unveil stories from others who have established homes abroad at various ages, for diverse reasons, and at different stages of permanence, all contemplating the same question: Where truly is home?
