“I Don’t Think I’m Supposed To Be Here”: American Woman Sobs As She Longs for SA Life
- An American woman shared an emotional video revealing she's been depressed since leaving South Africa in May after visiting KZN and Durban
- She explained that everything went wrong after returning to the US, after she experienced multiple incidents
- South Africans told her she has a home in SA and encouraged her to come back whenever she's ready
Source: TikTok
An American TikTok user, @ariellyndsey, who shares personal content on her page, posted an emotional video on 8 November 2025 where she broke down while talking about how much she misses South Africa. The woman revealed she's been struggling with depression since leaving the country in May and feels like she's in the wrong place. The video went viral, getting over 7,000 reactions and more than 1,000 comments.
The woman captioned her post with an emotional line:
"Aggressively oversharing, don't mind me, I might delete later."
In the video, she explained that her last trip to South Africa was spent mainly in KZN, where she visited Durban and Nongoma. During that trip, she met the Zulu King and went to one of her best friend's shows. She said everything flowed perfectly when she was in SA, and she felt aligned.
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Ever since she returned to the US, things have been completely different. After getting back to LA and going between LA and Florida over the summer, she faced one problem after another. The place she was staying in had mould, and she got mould poisoning. LA was also going through a difficult time with protests and other issues. Her car was broken into while she was in Mexico on a date. She went on a work trip, and she got stranded in a city. When she came back, she was kicked out of where she was staying. She dealt with the FBI, then got to Florida, wanting to leave immediately, and ended up in a car accident about a month ago.
She said that while she was in South Africa, everything worked out, even when she got scammed in Camps Bay. She ended the video by saying she doesn't think she's supposed to be in America right now and needs to figure out logistics so she can come back to SA without running into the same problems.
Source: TikTok
SA welcomes her home
Social media users from South Africa showed support and told the TikTok user @ariellyndsey that she has a home in the country:
@Ricardo Prins wrote:
"Just know South Africa misses you as well 🇿🇦🫶 Can't wait for your homecoming 🏠"
@QtheCrazy 🇿🇦 said:
"Ariel... This is your home now... South Africa 🇿🇦 is part of your soul... Take your time, but come home 🙏"
@MissJuel shared:
"I travelled the world for about 5 years, but I've always said there is no place like home, my beautiful South Africa❤️❤️"
@Maphalala joked:
"Trump says bad things are happening in South Africa😂"
@hunter87inoz🇦🇺 added:
"South Africa is just a magical place!!!🇿🇦"
@Fuze wrote:
"And I remember you booked the whole 16 seater taxi from Durban to KwaNongoma 😂🔥, just come back and recharge."
What is reverse culture shock
According to travel experts on GoAbroad, reverse culture shock happens when coming back home after living abroad feels tougher than adjusting to the new country ever did. Around 70% of expats go through it because the “home” they expect to return to has changed, and so have they.
People often feel restless, misunderstood by loved ones, or disappointed by how ordinary life feels after the excitement of living abroad. Many also miss the routines, friendships, and freedom they had overseas.
It usually takes about three to six months to settle in again. Experts suggest recognising that you’re a different version of yourself now, staying connected with friends from abroad, finding people who understand the experience, and rediscovering your own country with fresh eyes.
Watch the TikTok video below:
More on American and SA life
- Briefly News recently reported on a US woman living in Cape Town who shared her progress attempting to get her desired South African body structure by eating pap.
- An American woman discussed the biggest differences between homes in the USA and South Africa in a TikTok video that amazed Mzansi.
- A woman showed off American products at a newly opened international retail store in Johannesburg, sparking mixed reactions about pricing.
Source: Briefly News
