I left the US in 2015 and have since lived around the world. Reverse culture shock hit me harder than leaving ever did.

Kat Smith exploring a Cambodian market.

Courtesy of Kat Smith

• In 2015, Kat Smith joined the Peace Corps as a volunteer and moved to Ecuador.
• Since then, she's lived all around the world in places like Peru, South Korea, and currently is in Italy.
• Smith told BI she loves being American, but she feels more at home abroad.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kat Smith, 35, who has lived abroad since 2015. Smith, the founder of Away Abroad, a website for female travelers...