Journal 5: The Reality of Renting as an OFW

Since moving and working abroad over 15 years ago, my wife and I have moved houses nearly ten times. We’ve probably lived in almost every corner of Singapore.

In this journal, I want to talk about the quiet exhaustion that comes with having no permanent address abroad. Beyond the physical act of packing boxes, there is a psychological weight to being a “guest” in a foreign country.

We look at the emotional toll of constant moving, the harsh reality of room rentals compared to the dream of ownership, and why so many of us feel pressured to buy property back home as soon as possible. It ultimately comes down to feeling caught between two worlds: never truly belonging abroad, but slowly becoming a stranger to your own country.

This is not real estate advice. This is just a journal entry about the trade-offs we make for stability.