This as-told-to essay originates from an in-depth interview with Clare Brown, the insightful founder of Homeschool of 1. The narrative, while edited for conciseness and lucidity, faithfully captures her reflections and emotions surrounding a life-altering decision that reshaped her family’s trajectory.
Having been born and nurtured in England, Clare always regarded the United Kingdom as her true and irreplaceable home. She, her husband, and their young son Freddie enjoyed the rhythm of a peaceful life in a quaint Leicestershire village—an environment surrounded by rolling countryside, familiar faces, and the comforting proximity of extended family. Their home stood only a short drive from lifelong friends and relatives, providing a steady and deeply rooted support network that enriched their daily existence.
At that time, Clare balanced multiple roles with remarkable dedication: she worked remotely, managing a blog intended to support homeschooling parents, while simultaneously devoting herself to teaching and nurturing Freddie, who was then nine years old. Her life was both demanding and rewarding—a mix of personal entrepreneurship and intimate family education.
Then, quite unexpectedly in December 2018, her husband returned from his position as a director at an engineering company with an extraordinary proposition. He had been offered an opportunity to relocate to the United States—an option that represented both promise and uncertainty. After careful reflection, the family collectively decided that such a move would not merely be a relocation but an adventure, a chance to explore a new continent and way of life. Crucially, the flexibility of homeschooling lessened the logistical and emotional weight of transition; without the constraints of a fixed school system, their plans became infinitely more manageable.
By April 2019, the Browns had courageously left behind their English home, cherished relatives, and familiar cultural rhythms. They resettled in West Palm Beach, Florida, a vibrant and sun-soaked city that immediately contrasted with the gentle greys and greens of rural England. Their first year there unfolded within a gated community populated by other young families, creating an initially exhilarating atmosphere of novelty and discovery. The endless sunshine, sparkling swimming pools, and impromptu gatherings with neighbors transformed daily life into what felt like a perpetual holiday. Clare vividly recalls those early months—summers spent outdoors, laughter echoing by the pool, and an immersive sense of new beginnings.
When September 2019 arrived, Freddie expressed a keen interest in experiencing American schooling firsthand. He enrolled in the local public school, an experiment that continued until March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly closed campuses worldwide. The family seamlessly returned to their earlier homeschooling routine—a change Clare welcomed with enthusiasm. They soon moved out of their rental accommodation and into a home they purchased, marking a deeper stage in their commitment to life abroad. Yet by this point, the initial excitement had begun to fade. The shimmering novelty of the transatlantic adventure gave way to a more sobering awareness of distance and longing.
Both Clare and her son began to feel the subtle ache of isolation. Despite the many children living nearby, Freddie often found himself alone during the day, seeing his neighborhood friends only after school hours. Clare, too, felt a profound absence—the irreplaceable comfort of extended family and the shared companionship of old friends in England. Simple acts that once provided respite—her parents watching Freddie for a few hours or hosting him overnight so that she and her husband could enjoy a rare evening out—no longer existed in this new life. The realization was bittersweet: they had gained a new world but lost the ease of the old one.
Holidays intensified that sense of longing. Christmas and Easter, seasons when her family traditionally gathered to celebrate, amplify the ache of distance more than any other time of year. To preserve their sense of connection, Clare has made it an unwavering priority to maintain regular communication, speaking with her family weekly and traveling back to England annually. These efforts—though modest compared to daily proximity—allow her to feel tethered to her roots despite the physical ocean that now separates them.
Nevertheless, beneath this rhythm of adaptation lies a deeper concern: the realities of aging parents and the difficulty of caring for them from abroad. Clare’s father passed away two years ago, and she reached England just in time to say goodbye. The experience was both heartbreaking and awakening—it underscored the fragility of time and forced her to reckon with the question of future responsibilities. How, she wonders, will she and her husband offer support to their families when separated by continents and careers?
Yet amid the challenges, Clare perceives an undeniable gift in displacement. Being far from extended kin has tightened the emotional threads binding the three of them together. Without grandparents or cousins nearby, the Browns have learned to depend on one another fully, cultivating intimacy and mutual reliance that might have remained unexplored had they stayed in England.
In June 2024, another professional opportunity redirected their path once more—this time to Huntsville, Alabama. Although geographically close to Florida, Alabama revealed itself as an entirely distinct world, one defined by unique cultural rhythms and landscapes. For Clare, the adjustment proved unexpectedly difficult. Over the past year, she has found this chapter to be the most emotionally taxing of all their relocations. Freddie, now older and seeking independence, chose to attend high school to experience quintessential American milestones such as prom. He has adapted admirably, forming friendships and discovering new interests. Her husband, immersed in his professional circle, has also built connections through work. Clare, however, has felt her own sense of belonging diminish; with Freddie increasingly absorbed in his teenage world and schooling, she no longer occupies the same central role in his day-to-day life. The home-based homeschooling community that once sustained her sense of identity and purpose no longer exists in the same form.
Despite these feelings of solitude and dislocation, Clare remains steadfast in her conviction that she would not alter the course of their journey. She views their decision to live in the United States as a gateway to future possibilities for Freddie—opportunities that might never have presented themselves in England. More importantly, she recognizes that the shared experiences of moving, adapting, and rebuilding have crystallized a profound familial unity. Through every transition, they have become more closely connected, discovering strength in one another and forging bonds deeper than geography could constrain. What began as a simple relocation has evolved into a profound lesson in love, resilience, and the enduring flexibility of family life across borders.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-from-uk-to-us-i-struggle-with-loneliness-2025-10
