{
  "id": 56321,
  "title": "I moved abroad to reinvent my life. I forgot to change my dating habits.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/i-moved-abroad-to-reinvent-my-life-i-forgot-to-change-my-dating-habits",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-02T20:34:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-abroad-reinvent-myself-forgot-to-change-dating-habits-2026-8"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Carmen Esselink moved to Cape Verde in search of a new start and adventure. However, she found herself staying put and dating the same type of people she had hoped to leave behind. After nine months in a relationship, she realized the partner was not ready for a committed relationship. Esselink then dated four other people, all emotionally unavailable partners, despite being in different locations. One such relationship ended in a situationship that she realized was unhealthy, even though she rationalized it as a potential change in the future. The author reflects on her fear of not achieving the \"happily ever after\" she dreamed of and acknowledges the possibility of self-handicapping, where she creates obstacles to avoid facing her fears. Today, she is in a new relationship with someone who shares similar traits, but she is cautious about repeating past patterns and fears.",
  "summary": "I landed in Cape Verde and soon got myself into a classic situationship. Now I'm working to be true to myself and my needs.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}