Expat Life in Bali: Choosing Between JOMO and Homesickness

Stick It Out or "Bail" Out? 🇦🇺➡️🇮🇩 There’s a saying I love—JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out—and most of the time, I live by it. Choosing this life, moving to Bali, and building something new for our family has been an adventure filled with incredible moments that I wouldn’t trade for anything. But then, there are times—like now—when I start to feel it. Homesickness. Not because I miss Australia itself, but because life keeps moving on back home. Family milestones, celebrations, moments we’d love to be part of but just can’t. It’s the reality of choosing a different path—you gain so much, but you also miss out on things that once felt non-negotiable. And after 12 months of being here, I think it’s finally hitting me. So what do you do when you feel that pull? When you start to wonder if you should stick it out or bail out? For me, it’s about recognizing when to embrace JOMO—to remind myself why we’re here, what we’ve built, and that being present in this life doesn’t mean we love or value our people any less. It’s okay to feel the weight of missing out and still choose to stay. But it’s also okay to acknowledge when you need to shift gears, plan a visit home, or find ways to feel connected even from afar. If you’ve ever made a big move, you know this feeling. So tell me, how do you deal with it? When do you lean into JOMO and when do you let yourself bail out of the funk? 💭👇 #JOMO #Homesickness #ExpatLife #LifeAbroad #BaliLife #BigMoves #MissingHome #FindingBalance