Good afternoon !
Sometimes I feel so confused about the "expat situation". You see, I speak with a lot of people, either expat-wannabes, ready-to-go or already-been-there and there are so many stories I hear before-during-after their expat life.
The truth is that relocation is a complete upside down of all our life. Not even one part of it can't be affected. Usually, the decision includes a better position and/or a better salary, perhaps an attractive relocation package -all expenses covered- creating totally acceptable dilemmas and deep thoughts. This is the time where long, very long, very-very long lists pop-up from everywhere; pros and cons list, schools' list, homes' list, move list, to do list, etc.
The point is that after the first reactions and worries, the time to announce the news to family and friends arrives. Some of us maybe organize a farewell party and spill the beans there. This is the time where -suddenly- all the "pros and cons" of the previous list become "super-incredible pros and challenges easy to be managed..." as we analyze our future situation to everyone in order to convince them about our fluffy-cloudy-dream life we are about to live from now on.
The question here is if we really want to convince others about how well things gonna be or ourselves ...
Ok, it's normal. Having the responsibility of making the right decision that would affect our lives and our family's lives is something really scary, isn't it indeed?
I've seen this so many times. We desperately have the unbridled need to exclude from our mind or sight any negative thought idealizing everything around our relocation and consider the new beginning as a timer; that everything will start from point 0; that somehow everything happened till now won't happen again; that every problem will be solved in a magic way; that we will also be brand-new in some way... and we desperately need everyone around us not only to believe it but to support it and maaaaybe to be a little bit envy about our great luck !
The above "procedure" is repeated during our relocation and of course after our repatriation.
Everything will / is / was PERFECT !
But it won't be. It won't be perfect and nowhere will be perfect because that's life and that's normal. There is nothing wrong on realizing that there will be things "not as we expected to be". All conditions will be definitely different. There will be times that we will face situations similar to the ones of our homeland whereas other times something funky. In any case we should accept and be prepared for the fact that "Yes, this step is for the best, BUT there might be bad times and troubles as if everywhere. The sooner we accept it and lower our expectations the better we will be adopted to the new situation and we will experience all aspects of our new life.
