Kotex in the black box I’m told they’re exactly the same as the ones sold in Australia. My nieces swear by the non-winged kind but I’m not convinced. I’m a Stayfree kid/old lady and their ultrathins with wings might work as well. Don’t get “longs” or overnights as those are very long. Very thick.

I was in your shoes when I got to Italy earlier this year as I couldn’t understand how badly I was messing up to get “granny style” pads over and over…and then realized many are pulling double duty as incontinence pads but stocked right next to sanitary napkins…they’re labeled almost identically!

Good luck!

It seems they’ve gotten into their heads that you’re making bank in your new country and should be supporting them now. Paying for every action once thought as a favor/what family does for one another. Why do they think this? Or have they always been like this and you never noticed/absence made the heart grow fonder?

My sibs tried to make me feel guilty over the years but were only looking at how my presence benefited them. “Your nibblings miss you, you should be closer” because then I could babysit? Or because the kids needed schoolwork help? Because technology had me literally at their fingertips and we had tutorials any time they wanted growing up. We had a great time. They still call me just to chat now they’re grown.

Parents?? (Mom specifically?) They got it. They immigrated to a new country and understood. I know I’m lucky that way.

But nope. You are not responsible for how they feel. You are living your life, not theirs.

The US hasn’t been big on infrastructure in a really long time…there was some kind of quick growth stuff happening in the 90s when all the strip malls became a thing? But after that…not so much.

At least that’s my opinion. But go to some place like Seattle with lots of redevelopment and you can’t count the cranes (or couldn’t when I was last there) there were so many.

It’s going to depend on your schedule/ workload. I left home for undergrad and only returned if I had nowhere to go when the dorms were shut for vacations (US uni), but once I lived off campus I’d maybe go once a year for a couple of weeks, during one of the longer breaks if I didn’t have work or a project due.

In grad school I had no extra time for anything. They came to me for graduation. And then as I never moved back home, it really did become once a year or every two years depending on everyone’s schedule.

I’m currently in Italy, just got here a few months back, but due to visa reasons I was actually at my mom’s for 3 months…the longest stay in 30 years (since I left for uni…) knowing it might be a few years again until I saw them…if they’re around (mom just turned 88).

Depending on what part of the US, it’s a fair bit away so no 3 day jaunts. You’re going to want to focus on the much longer breaks. Good luck!

Canada. There is lots of wildlife up north! And plenty of it can be as dangerous as Australia (my SO is Australian. It’s a bit scary once you leave the urban areas.)

But also? Probably more Mexican food choices in Canada. And (I’m in northern Italy currently) as much as you think you won’t miss it? Oh for some real comida corrida where I don’t have to make everything from scratch (and there are no appropriate noodles for a sopita de fideo!)