A millennial Brit has gone viral after crying about the brutal reality of moving away from home.
Niamh Thompson never thought she’d abandon Ole Blighty.
But the 29-year-old was desperate to tick Australia off her bucket list.
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Originally, the Londoner had planned to stay on the sunny continent for a year – but she’s now decided to remain indefinitely.
In a clip that has racked up 5.4m views and 1.1m likes, she reveals the biggest challenge of moving away from home.
“I loved being at home, as it was so comfortable,” the social media manager told What’s The Jam.
“I was living the dream, but something was telling me to take the jump and move.
“Even if it was to a country I had never been to before.”
In the clip, Niamh films herself crying as she drives her car.
The text reads: “Everyone talks about how hard it is to watch your kids grow up and leave the house, but no one talks about how heartbreaking it is to grow up, move away and watch your parents leave after their first visit to your new life.”
Social media users have flocked to the comments to share their reactions.
“I bawled my eyes out the day I moved. I felt guilty for leaving my parents as the last kid living at home,” Brooke said.
Megan added, “It feels like I’m living two lives. The goodbyes never get easier. I wish there were a way to live in two places at once.”
“Growing up, I was so excited to leave home and start new adventures. But now all I want to do is go back home and curl up next to my mom,” Kirsten commented.
Another user added: “And they get older each time you see them,” followed by a crying emoji.
“It actually hurts so bad I can’t even talk or think about it,” Morgan said.
Niamh originally filmed the video to send to her boyfriend, Mack, 30, on the way home from the airport – but later decided to share it online.
She has particularly struggled with being away from her family, especially when her grandparents got sick.
But Niamh hopes to convince her parents to make the move next.
She said, “In the UK, I always felt like an outsider, but that’s not the case here at all.
“My family didn’t accept the idea, and they still haven’t.
“They always make comments about when I’m going to move back home.
“I was so hysterical [when my dad left] that I could barely open my eyes.
“I nearly had to pull over and park up, because I was unable to see anything.
“The emotional toll is heavy.
“And I carry a lot of guilt for leaving them, which multiples over time.”
Niamh and Mack had only been together for a few months when they made the move.
They’ve now been in Australia for six years with no plans of coming home anytime soon.
She added: “I don’t know [if, or] when I will go back to the UK.
“Mentally, I’m calmer, clearer and more confident in myself.
“I’m no longer climbing this never-ending ladder to nowhere.
“Without sounding selfish, moving away from home was the best thing I ever did.”
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