In our series, Citizen Expat, Megan Murray interviews women across the globe about their expat experiences, including building community, connecting to a new culture, finding the best local spots, and the travel tips you need to know. This month, we speak to Citizen Femme’s managing editor, Katie Silcox.
There are different kinds of expats and – listen, that’s okay. For some of us, it’s six months in Paris, or perhaps a job opportunity that takes us abroad for a year or so; enough time to collect a few dinner-party anecdotes, meet some new friends and call it a chapter. Book closed.
And then, there’s people like Katie Silcox; Citizen Femme’s managing editor, for whom the past 15 years have been shaped by saying yes to adventures across the globe. London to Mumbai, Mumbai to Dubai, a brief, “does this count?” stint in Sri Lanka (it does), and then Athens, which was meant to be three months and turned into seven years. She hasn’t just lived a chapter or two of expat life, she’s practically written the book.
Now, after almost two decades of living outside the UK, she’s back in London, trying on home again and, most crucially, processing what’s changed – both in the city and in herself. For budding expats, Katie’s story is unusually useful because it strips away a couple of clichés at once. First: that moving abroad is a long-held dream or takes months of planning. Her first big move to India happened quickly, sparked by redundancy and a spontaneous “why not?” application. Second: that you’re bound to feel homesick or get stuck in an expat bubble. She’s disarmingly honest about loving, whole-heartedly, the life she built and how much of her ease came down to new-found community: generous colleagues, introductions that snowballed, and leaning on locals.
And now, newly returned, she’s reflecting on the less-discussed side of the expat arc: not just the thrill of arriving but the internal shift that tells you it’s time to leave.
Here, our managing editor shares the secrets from her whopping 15 years living abroad, living across Mumbai, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Athens. She also tells us why she’d encourage anyone thinking of an international move, and all about the attitude that got her through any wobbly moments.
Have you always dreamed of moving abroad?
Not specifically, but looking back at my childhood I think it’s easy to connect the dots. Every year my mum hosted foreign exchange students from all over the world, from almost any country you could name. We recently uncovered a guest book and it was amazing to find the messages students had written in it. I’m sure that had a huge influence on my love of travel and meeting people from different backgrounds, which you didn’t find a lot of in Norwich, where I was born and brought up.
Your first move was India. How did that happen?
Katie Silcox on the River Ganges
It started with redundancy – twice, in quick succession. I was working in London in travel media, and I suddenly found myself job-hunting. I saw a role at a travel magazine in India and thought, ‘why not?’ I applied fully expecting nothing, and it all happened so fast: from the first phone call to moving, visas, packing up my flat – it was very, very quick. What’s funny is that I’d recently been on holiday to Thailand and as I flew over India, I noted that this would be my next destination. Almost as if I knew it would be an important place for me. Although, I had meant a holiday, not to live! None of my friends were surprised when I told them, though, they knew this was the kind of thing I’d end up doing.
What did it feel like arriving in Mumbai, alone, having never even been to India?
I guess it’s quite unusual to move that far without having visited the place. But, I was mainly undaunted. There was a moment, when I first arrived at the airport, that I realised I was alone; I wasn’t sure about the process, or how to find my way to my accommodation. And then, I just re-focused: ‘you are here. You live here now. Get on with it, hold it together – let’s go.’ I didn’t have loads of scary moments, but I do remember that one.
Was the culture shock what you expected?
Honestly, not as much, partly because I didn’t have time to overthink it. And because my colleagues were amazing. One tiny-but-not-tiny example: at lunch everyone shared food from their tiffins. I was being very British and not dipping into anyone else’s, while everyone was dipping into mine. My food was disappearing and I wasn’t really eating. A colleague noticed and sat me down and said, ‘This is how we eat. If you want to eat, you need to get in there.’ That sort of kindness made everything smoother.
You’ve lived in India, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Greece. Do those places feel like one long chapter or totally separate lives?
Distinct phases. In each country I learnt something new, and I was at a different stage of life. And also: the people. I have my friends from India, my friends from Dubai, my friends from Greece – I always feel like they all know each other, but in reality, they don’t.
Santorini, 2025
Which place felt most ‘you’?
India. It surprises everyone, but yes – India. Mumbai is still my favourite city in the world. It’s busy and noisy and chaotic, but it gives me energy. There’s an energy there that I still can’t really describe.
Finding community is a huge part of being an expat, how did you find yours?
For me, the biggest piece of this puzzle was that the more I moved, the easier it got. The expat community is international and so I’d often find that someone, knew someone, who knew someone where I was going. The kindness of strangers, friends connecting me with other friends, was the bedrock of how I met people, rather than apps etc. However, I did happen to make a friend on Twitter who was sharing similar topics to me, and I used Meetup a few times, too.
Do you have any advice for expats trying to find their people?
Activities can be helpful. I tried things like cooking classes – you go with one person at first, but you’re introduced to a whole circle with similar interests to yours.
Looking back, what made relocating repeatedly feel manageable rather than overwhelming?
I think a lot of it comes down to attitude. When I first moved to Mumbai, I stayed in someone’s house temporarily while waiting for an apartment. The place I eventually moved into wasn’t ready and instead of worrying or complaining, I just said, ‘I’ll take it’ even though I couldn’t yet see the final space. I remember the owner’s family saying to me, ‘I love your attitude. You’re just like, yes, we’ll make it work.’ And I think that’s followed me everywhere. There are positives and negatives in every place, every apartment, every neighbourhood. If you expect perfection, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re willing to make it work, you’ll usually find a way.
Where was the easiest place to be an expat?
Dubai, 2014
Unsurprisingly, Dubai: it’s really well set up for expats in every way which makes all the official processes far less stressful – from getting a visa to finding an apartment. Finding friends is easy, too, as there’s a huge expat community and everyone’s happy to make connections. It’s brilliant because you meet people from all over the world.
Were there practical things you learned, especially as a woman moving alone?
Lean on local knowledge. A week after I moved to Mumbai, a colleague taught me a phrase in Hindi to say to taxi drivers so they wouldn’t try to rip me off – along the lines of, ‘I’ve lived here for several years’. It helped me feel more confident. Small, practical things like that make a huge difference. The people who live there know the nuances, far better than anything you can Google.
Did any place change your lifestyle in a way that stuck?
Agistri island, Greece, 2023
I think who I am and the way I live changed as a result of each place, but Greece, and living so close to the port and beach, had a big effect on me. I’m a hard worker, but in Athens I lived walking distance to the sea, and people around me would put their work down and go to the beach. It showed me a balance. And the freedom was amazing: in summer I could just jump on a ferry and be on an island spontaneously. People plan their whole holiday around that, and I could do it on a Friday afternoon.
You’ve shared that you didn’t feel particularly homesick. So, what made you come back to the UK now?
Throughout my time as an expat, I really embraced the life I was living and, apart from missing a few milestone moments like weddings or babies being born, which does make me sad, there wasn’t a huge amount of homesickness for me. Now, it’s hard to explain but, it was just a feeling. My family are here, my nephew’s growing up quickly, and a lot of friends I’ve made abroad have moved back too. And my work is here now, based in London. There wasn’t one single reason, but something in me just felt like now is the right time.
And finally: is this the end of your abroad era?
I’ll never say never. I can absolutely imagine living abroad again, just not in the near future. For now, I’m here. And I’m loving being close to friends and family and the ease of it. I went to my friend’s for a roast on Sunday for a few hours, and I’d already seen her earlier that week. It’s just… easy to be in people’s lives.
If Athens is calling this spring, what are your favourite things to do, see and eat while there?
You’re in luck, I’ve just published a pretty comprehensive guide to the best of Athens in spring. You can read it here. My main advice for visiting Athens (or probably any city, to be honest) is to get away from the tourist hotspots. Of course, go and see the Acropolis – go first thing before both the heat of the day and the crowds set in! – but the beauty of Athens, for me, is in the more day-to-day life.
Take a seat at a kafina – a Greek coffee house, you’ll find them on every corner – order a freddo espresso, and watch the world go by. Athens is one of those cities where anything can happen right in front of you… and usually does. Take your time, there’s no need to rush your coffee here, and no-one will make you feel like you need to.
Once you’re ready, these are some of my favourite places and things to do in Athens that you might not find in every guide:
- Tour the street art: Athens is covered in it and there are some really great, and really important pieces to discover. Last year I took a self-guided tour of it using the Narratologies app. It was great, and even pointed out some places and things I’d never seen, despite having lived in the city for years. Don’t miss perhaps the most famous piece of street art in Athens: All Dogs Go To Heaven (Loukanikos) in Psyrri. You might recognise this portrait of a dog – he became famous as the “Greek protest dog” after running beside protesters in 2011. He was also later recognised as (and photographed for) one of Time magazine’s personalities of the year.
- Taste the local food: Athens is a city of (and for) foodies and the list of my top restaurants is long. For elevated Greek dishes, I’d recommend making reservations at Makris by Domes, Merceri, Ateno, Akra and Pharaoh. For souvlaki, try Kosta in Agias Irini Square, and Hoocut which is just around the corner.
- Have a drink on a rooftop bar: the best have Acropolis views and I love those at Taratsa, The Dolli and Retiré.
- Leave the city centre! You’ll discover a more authentic Athens in the city’s suburbs. Try the more gritty Exarchia or Kypseli, both of which I love. These are some of the best spots to visit in both.
- Explore the coastline: did you know that the Athens Riviera has 45 miles of coastline? It’s stunning, too, with some sections that truly rival the beauty of the Greek islands. There are beach clubs dotted along a lot of it – some fancy, some not. Or simply find a public beach and settle in with a book. Set just a few metres back from the sand in Vouliagmeni is a natural lake that is truly one of the prettiest places I’ve ever seen. It’s paid entry and can get very busy during summer though, so arrive early to bag a lounger.
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?