It all started when I was feeling overwhelmed by my mental to-do list as we prepared to move overseas for the first time as a family. There were emails to answer, deadlines to meet, and people to see. There was a twenty-page visa application to complete, a college course to finish, and a baby’s arrival to prepare for. Not to mention the stress involved in sorting through every single possession—deciding what to take, what to store, and what to give away.
Read MoreI am not here to tell you that less is more, because less is actually less.
Less—it is a simple word not used much in Western culture. I don’t hear many people proclaiming they want less stuff, less activities, less house, and less friends. I definitely have never heard someone say, “I want to be less.” In Pope Francis’s documentary, A Man of His Word, he said, “We can all get by with less.” That is a novel notion for those of us that come from consumer culture. What if we all started striving to have less, instead of running about striving for more of everything?
Read MoreI have moved to a third new country in seven years (and that’s not counting all the moves back and forth to my passport country.) Your story is probably similar if you are reading this blog, and let’s be honest, it is exhausting. Besides the logical nightmare of moving countries, there is the emotional nightmare of finding your place and your meaning again.
During the previous moves and other life transitions I started to compile a mental list of rules to help me with the transition. These rules, silly and serious, have helped me settle into life in a new host country, and I hope some of them resonate with you as well.
Read MoreSo, you’re going to do it.
You’re moving to a country that’s foreign to you, with a language you don’t understand, a climate that you’re not used to, and a whole lot of people you don’t know.
You’ve got your reasons, and I’m sure they’re tremendous. You’ve got your plans and your goals, and maybe you’ve even got a calling. Those are all good things, so as someone who’s lived abroad longer than some (and shorter than others), I’d like to welcome you and say CONGRATULATIONS!
In addition to a hearty welcome, I’d also like to offer some musings for the move. Here are some concepts and resources that have been a deep well of help for me, and many others too.
Read MoreLast weekend, on a whim, we took the kids (including our 7-week-old) on quick trip to a beautiful mountain town here in Germany. We enjoyed sunny skies, crisp fall air, and inspiring views of snowy peaks. We didn't have much of an agenda. We just wanted to get used to traveling again, now as a family of six. We'd taken a travel hiatus during my third trimester and the first several weeks of our son's life, and we were excited to get back into the habit.
Things went pretty well, I'm happy to say. But in bed that night I kept thinking about the things I’d forgotten to pack that I’d wished we’d had with us.
Read MoreSometimes I feel like all I do is pack and unpack bags. It is kind of a joke in my bio that I am a “professional packer of bags,” but it is also very true. I bet you have also felt like a professional packer of bags at times during your expat journey of traveling and moving across all kinds of borders. I bet you have spent a few weeks just shopping, sorting, organizing and packing those bags to head back to your host country.
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