travel

Let me begin by saying that we were thrown into a terribly challenging situation when we arrived in the UK. We were baptized by fire. We arrived very near to Christmas and had a very small introduction to my husband’s new work family before he was released for Christmas break and we were left to our own devices. Much like every big move, our stuff was in transit and we only had whatever would fit into our 2 large suitcases for an indefinite amount of time. Christmas would be slim and bleak. We anticipated that.

What we didn’t anticipate was that the letting agents (Americans: realtors who show rental properties) would all break for Christmas by mid-December. So, we settled into a small temporary apartment(s) and began searching online for a new permanent home. We moved 4 times in 3 months due to changing leases/rental agreements and availability. Once the letting agents opened back up around the 2nd week of the year, we started really seeing homes. After 3 long months, we found a place and ~~settled~~ finally had a home.

For perspective, when we moved to Korea, we were in our permanent apartment by day 10. Our belongings were delivered and assembled in their rightful places by 2 months. Wham bam thank you ma’am. Settled and content little ex-pats in no time at all.

So, here we are one year in and I am driving 35 minutes to a shopping centre that has become my little go-to getaway for a little retail therapy. As I am driving home with a passenger seat full of treasures and a left hand cradling a Starbucks latte, I realize I am finally settled. My husband is out of the country on business, I am driving in the dark, and I am singing wildly to Jess Glynne. How did this happen?

There’s definitely no trick to making a home abroad and there’s definitely not a set timeline, but you know it when it happens. And, it may take you by surprise. Somehow you’ve figured out the lay of the land, you can actually drive on the other side of the road [in the dark], and it feels like home. Sure, you still say “home” in reference to the place your family lives in conversation, but there’s a definite claim to this new place you spend all of your time.

I can definitely say to those of you struggling with making a home in your new overseas location, keep on. It will get easier. You will find a rhythm and a purpose. It may not look anything like what you were previously used to, but it will eventually make sense. And, don’t forget it’s OK to have moments, days, even weeks where you miss home and hate it here! but try to find the positives. Don’t spend too much time in those thoughts, because this is still your life and for better or worse, you are experiencing something in your lifetime that a select few get to experience. You will know yourself so much better because the entire world is your home.

❤ Kimberly

There’s something fantastically thrilling about taking the leap to live abroad. Watching all of our worldly possessions packed neatly into cardboard boxes and loaded into crates that will set sail for another shore that will soon be our home, sets butterflies a flight in my belly. Perhaps, living in the same city for most of my life has stirred a sense of spontaneity that can only be satiated with a big, bold move to say… South Korea! Then, as if that weren’t enough, we kept the party going and shifted over to the UK. Through these life-changing experiences, I’ve gathered a list of what I like most about the ex-pat lifestyle. Here is that list in no particular order:
1. The thing that I love the most is the being close to the other side of the world. On the weekends and in those rare vacation opportunities, your options for travel are endless. You know how you have your go-to stay-cation spots, or those road trips that are sure to satisfy? Well, living in a new place offers so many unexplored destinations. It’s always a challenge picking the first trip location. So exciting!

2. THE. FOOD. As a proud “eater,” (notice I do not call myself a “foodie”—that’s another blog post) living abroad opens you up to so many new food choices. Now, this differs from just traveling to a location and eating at the local haunts. What I mean is wandering through your neighborhood, following the crowd, and waiting an ungodly amount of time to get a seat in the local pub, because you know the wait has to be worth it. When you’re on vacation, ain’t nobody got time for dat.
3. Meeting new friends, local and ex-pat alike, makes it all so much more memorable. There’s something really uniting about meeting someone who is in the same shoes as you and understands the ups and downs of being away from home. Likewise, meeting people who have only known your new town as their home creates a bond that is unmatchable as you begin to find the beauty in your new friend’s home. People make it all worth it.
4. Being an outsider has its perks. While it can be tiring, most of the time being a foreigner creates an immediate topic of discussion. Depending on where this conversation is taking place, you can totally be whoever you want to be. 🙂 It’s perfectly OK to make up a wacky, whimsical story of where you are from and how you got to this random pub at midnight with an “I’m 30 & Flirty” button pinned on your blouse. Come on, don’t all ex-pats do that… sometimes?
5. For the first few months of moving to a new place, I ban iPods, CDs, etc. in my car, because I really want to listen to local radio. I truly get a feel for my new home by listening to local radio. I enjoy learning the popular music of the country and also the local DJ discussing upcoming events and news.
With that said, certainly there are drawbacks to being an ex-pat. I will not lead you to believe that I do not get homesick and long for familiarity, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned being away from home, it is to focus on benefits. This experience is not forever and I would be a fool to squander it by wishing for something different. So, let me know what you think is the best part of living where you live…
❤ Kimberly

herfleetingthoughts

the ramblings of a world traveler. newlywed. humanitarian.

Finding Home