Soo.... as I've probably said my last anniversaries, which falls on the 18th of October, time flies super fast. Lots of ups and downs and now I am realizing more than ever that expat life is hard! You don't feel here or there or anywhere. When I went home this spring, it did have that same nostalgic "home" feeling, but I also felt distant from life there and even people! Then I come back here and here most of us are transient and because they don't allow citizenship (not like I would get it), but it is not "my" country and anything can happen here. Although days are full here, life can get lonely sometimes because people here are into their own work and lives, we are all known individually to be a bit selfish. Nothing wrong with that, it's just the way it is.
When I think back over these last 4 years, I do have to admit I have changed... more so grown up. I think I was a bit naive before and probably over-optimistic about things, and maybe a bit immature. But to survive here you have to be strong, assertive and stand your ground. I also am much more practical and have found that I don't B.S. as much as before, not "fluffing" things over, but saying things as they are. Hmm... I guess when I write it like that, it sounds rather ... harsh! I still feel I have my Midwestern values and niceness though :-)
Although in our lives whether expat living or not, we all go through ups and downs, hi's and low's, but what comes up must come down and I know I have learned soooooo soooooooooooooo much about myself and others here. My mind has really opened to all nationalities and cultures and I have a much better understanding of it than before. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that my workday is full of diverse patients, really, from so many different places around the world. It's so great listening to them, learning from them, learning about their cultures and traditions. Not just life stuff, but also health - perceptions of pain really vary culturally.
Definitely a big o highlight of my time here is the traveling I have done. Even I am amazed! In the States would it be EVER an even consideration to have about 2 months of holidays and travel to places like Mongolia, South Korea, and Ethiopia? Not to mention a European trip coming up? No way! Probably ONE "big" holiday a year, if that. That is the norm here and I love that most Expats here are world travelers and it's not "if" you go somewhere it is "where" are you going. People don't open their eyes big or shake their heads in envy of my travels, they usually say something like "that's so cool! I loved my trips to X, Y, and Z" and so it goes.
I also think how far I've come with my favorite topic of diet and exercise. I remember when I first lived on my own out of Chicagoland area, when I did my grad school internship in Colorado. Oh boy, although I swore I ate healthy, I guess Subway sandwiches and Lime chips isn't that healthy. I totally ballooned! My cheeks and face were double the size and I was the heaviest I've ever been. I was a bit worried that would happen out here, and granted the 1/2 to full year here was a bit of a hodge podge, but slowly yet surely I took ownership of my health and started all my little diet trials, as I have written ample about. I actually do feel I am healthier here, although there is of course crap food as in America, I don't have such bad influences here as I do there (even friends too, my friends here are health nuts!). And coming here, who would have thought I would pull a Michael Jordan and get out of retirement to have such a great comeback in my running career? Am still so proud that I got my best marathon time TEN years after my last marathon, when I was in my prime youth of my early 20's (haha). And I've felt more in shape these past couple of years than I have in ages (hmm.. with some exceptions of course like my triathlon days). So that's been really great!
And of course people! Although I don't have nearly as many friends as I do back at home, the friends I do have are quite dear and also positive people. Not the same bond and/or tie as my friends back at home, I call them my "new" friends, but I've finally found friends that are equally as obsessed with diet and exercise as I am... as well as travel and other stuffs.
I also think how far I've come with my favorite topic of diet and exercise. I remember when I first lived on my own out of Chicagoland area, when I did my grad school internship in Colorado. Oh boy, although I swore I ate healthy, I guess Subway sandwiches and Lime chips isn't that healthy. I totally ballooned! My cheeks and face were double the size and I was the heaviest I've ever been. I was a bit worried that would happen out here, and granted the 1/2 to full year here was a bit of a hodge podge, but slowly yet surely I took ownership of my health and started all my little diet trials, as I have written ample about. I actually do feel I am healthier here, although there is of course crap food as in America, I don't have such bad influences here as I do there (even friends too, my friends here are health nuts!). And coming here, who would have thought I would pull a Michael Jordan and get out of retirement to have such a great comeback in my running career? Am still so proud that I got my best marathon time TEN years after my last marathon, when I was in my prime youth of my early 20's (haha). And I've felt more in shape these past couple of years than I have in ages (hmm.. with some exceptions of course like my triathlon days). So that's been really great!
And of course people! Although I don't have nearly as many friends as I do back at home, the friends I do have are quite dear and also positive people. Not the same bond and/or tie as my friends back at home, I call them my "new" friends, but I've finally found friends that are equally as obsessed with diet and exercise as I am... as well as travel and other stuffs.
Sooo.... another year down, ???? to go!!!!!!!!!
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