Hello, I am in a very similar situation as you!

I will be 24 in a few days, I have graduated from college, am living with my parents & am applying to teach in South Korea right now! First of all, congratulations on graduating and choosing to do something – honestly doing ANYthing – I think is just so important, especially as we are young & trying to figure out where we are happy and what we want to do.

I have lived abroad already twice (studying abroad & as an au pair, gone 7 & 8 months respectively). This time was really important for me, & can honestly say I am not the same & will never be the same because of it. I have issues with my mother specifically, & struggle with anger management (really). It is only with my mom – when I was away both times, I could see/feel my potential to live differently than I thought possible. I thought I was nothing more than a monster with how I would get so angry with my own mother, but each time, the anger was more or less gone (unless Skyping with my mom, but this is about you, not me!). I also dealt with my mom really interfering with my decisions, which resulted in my breaking up with a boyfriend that I love(d) whom I still have feelings for over a year later.

It was an incredibly freeing time. I could see more clearly when I was away, that even though I blamed my mom, for example, for breaking up with my boyfriend, in the end it was my decision. I chose to listen, & run with her advice. You can hear your family out, because they do (most likely) just want you to be safe & happy. But at the end of the day, no matter what anyone says, you know best what experiences you need/are looking for & what is going to make you feel alive, fulfilling your purpose.

I couldn’t find the exact video, but I LOVE this girl’s YouTube channel. She is a black British gal teaching in South Korea, & she has a great video about her family disapproving of her moving abroad – sorry I couldn’t find it, but dig through & you should come across it. I think it could help or at least be comforting for your big move.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MySoKoAdventure

Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you have to do for yourself. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.

Best of luck!!!