There is so much that aches to be told but can hardly be said when one moves to another country. As it happens, from time to time, I find myself falling into a state of muteness. Expats go through a deeply nuanced process known to those who have packed their lives into big shipment boxes… Continue reading This undeniable isolation, and things some expats avoid openly talking about
In multiple ways, I was prepared to do well as a first-time expat leaving my country, family, friends, career, routines, lifestyle, and almost everything that I knew too well. My husband and I decided to move to the Middle East when he accepted a new position. I “retired” from my career as assistant vice president… Continue reading What I didn’t expect about being an expat
For weeks, I’ve fallen into the habit of over-rationalizing everything, suspending emotions over reason, getting too busy to pause, and keeping a neutral face amidst all the hasty changes that come with goodbyes.
A few weeks from now, I’ll pack my life in boxes to live overseas for the first time. I’m leaving with my husband carrying the role that I’m still slowly coming to terms with: a trailing spouse. Although we have known of the move for five months now, the spiralling emotions take over as the… Continue reading Thoughts of an Imminent Trailing Spouse
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