Life of an Ex-Pat

Most of my blog posts to date have showcased new and fun experiences that we have had. Whether it's traveling to new places, learning the language or meeting people -- we are really enjoying ourselves and we are very lucky to have this experience.

However, the ex-pat experience can have emotional downswings too. When we first moved here, we were so excited to be in a new place (Switzerland!) and explore. But at times, we can feel quite lonely or homesick being so far from where we're used to. The language can be a challenge and isolating -- for example, we attempt to read the local news, but I assume that we are missing a lot of local information because of the language barrier. (We're making progress, though.) And the culture here is not starkly different from ours, but it can make us feel like outsiders at times. We miss being able to see family often, and the price of visiting prevents many from making the trip. Skype is helpful to talk with people, but honestly -- it's just not the same. So, supportive friends and neighbors close to us have become our family away from home.

Many ex-pats have told me that there are three major phases of the expat experience: initial excitement and exploration, then a "reality check" accompanied by homesickness. This is to say that the feeling of being on a vacation abroad is replaced by the reality that we are living abroad. However, if the move is not permanent, these feelings are then followed by the realization that the time that you have in your location will end quickly...and you better make time to see everything on your wish list! I completely agree with this cycle, and with the recent grey, winter days, I feel that we were somewhere in the cycle trough. A good way to lift our spirits is staying busy making plans for vacations and sightseeing. We have a lot to look forward to in the spring and summer, with many work holidays and family visitors in the summer.

Spring weather seems to really help everyone's mood as well, so we are happy to be outside with everything spring: bike riding, playing in the parks, and enjoying the flowers coming up in the garden.  May you be experiencing the spring feeling as well! Bis bald! ("Until later!")