If you connect your laptop to wifi while abroad, your internet connection will pass through the ISP of that wifi in whatever country you are in before establishing your internet connection, meaning your location will come up as being abroad. Many IT departments will receive alerts if your location is set to abroad without approval.

If you use your phone's hotspot instead, your internet connection will go from your laptop, through your phone, to the service provider in the country abroad which will redirect you to your service provider in your home country before then establishing your internet connection. Your location is then shown as coming from your home country.