Relocation. It’s exciting, nerve-wracking, and a little like dating a city—you never really know what you’re getting into until you’re knee-deep in it. For creatives, the stakes are even higher. A new city doesn’t just change your surroundings; it flips your routines, challenges your identity, and forces you to rewire the processes that keep your imagination alive.
We sat down with four trailblazing creatives—Moyosore Faith Agboola, Wendy Okeke, Tahnee Farfan, and Yumiko Sakuma—who’ve turned this challenge into an art form. Their stories are proof that thriving in a new environment isn’t about “fitting in.” It’s about discovering how to stand out.
1. Time Zones and Mental Shifts: Reimagining the Clock
Moving across time zones doesn’t just mess with your sleep; it scrambles your creative flow too. For Moyosore Faith Agboola, a performance poet and filmmaker, shorter winter days in the UK felt like a cruel joke. “It feels like the day ends when the sun sets,” she says. Her fix? Restructuring her schedule to focus on productive morning hours and leaning on a “body double”—another creative working alongside her to keep the momentum going. “It’s like having a workout buddy, but for your brain,” she jokes.
Digital nomad Tahnee Farfan approaches time zones with strategy and a touch of flexibility. “I lose all clarity late in the day,” she admits. To counteract that, she schedules morning meetings and adjusts her routines to match the seasons. “In summer, I dedicate certain nights to creating during those early hours when the world feels asleep—it’s magical.”
2. Cultural Rhythms vs. Creative Process: A Delicate Balance
Settling into a new city often means making peace with its quirks—and its vibe. For Wendy Okeke, moving to England brought a stark contrast to the communal energy of Nigeria. “The quietness was deafening,” she recalls. But instead of resisting it, she leaned into it, creating rituals like golden-hour writing sessions. “Now, the stillness feels like a canvas—it’s where I paint my thoughts.”
Tahnee, on the other hand, found herself in places where creativity seemed to take a back seat to party culture or endless beach vibes. Instead of forcing inspiration, she pivoted. “I started looking for stories in conversations with locals or letting the city’s rhythm guide me. Even a random street musician can spark something if you’re open to it.”
3. The Outsider Advantage: From Intimidation to Individuality
There’s nothing like being the new kid in a city full of seasoned creatives to make you question everything. For Moyosore, performing in the UK with her Nigerian accent felt daunting. “Would they even get my references?” she wondered. Turns out, her fears were unfounded. “What I thought made me stick out actually made me memorable. My accent and Nigerian-centric themes became my superpowers.” Her poetry now resonates with audiences across the UK, proving that standing out beats blending in any day.
Wendy found herself facing similar doubts but reframed the situation: “What makes you different also makes you necessary. Being an outsider doesn’t diminish your voice—it amplifies it in ways you didn’t expect.”
4. Tools, Tricks, and Grounding Practices
Sometimes, the simplest changes have the biggest impact. For Moyosore, downsizing to a compact camera for filming was what she needed. “I realized I didn’t need a studio to tell my stories—just a good lens and some creative lighting.”
For Wendy, her way out was intentional walks. “There’s something about putting one foot in front of the other that unclogs my brain. I don’t always come back with answers, but I always come back lighter.”
For Yumiko Sakuma, who describes herself as someone easily overstimulated by new surroundings, staying grounded is a daily practice. “When I arrive in a new city, I land in the evening, eat, stretch, bathe, and go to bed. That way, I can start fresh the next day,” she shares. Her advice? “Don’t worry so much about fitting in. Be sensitive to the culture, but also remember—you’re uniquely you.”
A Shared Journey of Creativity and Resilience
Through their stories, Moyosore, Wendy, Tahnee, and Yumiko remind us that creativity doesn’t have a fixed address. It’s fluid, shapeshifting with every new environment but never disappearing. Their reflections show us how the spark may dim in unfamiliar settings, but it can also reignite—brighter, bolder, and better than before.
So whether you’re navigating time zones, negotiating with your muse, or figuring out how to be both an insider and an outsider, remember this: creativity thrives when you embrace the journey. Or, as Tahnee says, “It’s not about finding the perfect city—it’s about finding the inspiration wherever you are.”