"Did they live happily ever after ?" - Are you happier now ?

Good afternoon, 

Today I would like to start thanking you so much for showing me your support by sending me your warm messages !

It is really encouraging to see step-by-step that not only the company gets bigger but that you're enjoying and start participating in this honest effort to touch common expats' issues and discuss them all together. 

It would be even greater to start using also the blog's environment to exchange our opinions and comments so in this way to help other readers to have a more thoroughly idea of our experiences in every subject we discuss.

In our subject now.

Hmmmm.... what do you think ?  Tough query ?  This question is mainly addressed to the older expats. The ones that have completed all the first steps from making the decision until adjustment to the new reality.

Actually, I was wondering how many of us have we made a small pause to reply to this -hard indeed- question.  

Some of us we made this decision under strictly radical parameters; some others again took the decision spontaneously, with a "why not" spirit, following their heart or their adventurous character or even covering deeper personal needs.  

This situation reminds me a little bit the romantic movies where all the story is until the point the heroes get married, and then... : "THE END".  And we are all content about it. 

But the question is what happens after the "THE END".  Was there a happy end or not ?  Did they live happily ever after ?

Something like that happens in our case.  We took the decision, we vigorously supported it to all our relatives and friends, we packed, we said goodbye, and we left.  

What happened after ?

In the beginning of course, there is no time to think about "happiness".  We act in a twirly tycoon of continuous adjustments; practical and emotional.  Trying to find new balances is not easy at all and the feelings are mixed.  Loneliness, homesick, insecure, anxiety are only some of them.  Moreover, sometimes acting robotic tends to be a routine.

So the question is, what happens when this adjustment period passes too ?

What is the outcome of our "balance sheet" ?  Positive or not ?

The truth is that happy expats are those who welcome the new reality considering all the previous mentioned "negative" feelings, as part of the "induction" procedure; as something natural.

Happy expats tend to be curious for everything happens around them.  They want to explore this new ground and they enjoy the process.  Yes, sometimes they feel homesick, but again they don't try to change everyone and everything around them and they don't blame anyone for anything. They share their feelings -good and bad- and they face this reality as an enlightening experience.  

Actually it is, isn't it ?  Just consider how many things do we realize not only about ourselves but also for all the people around us, both strengths and weaknesses.  Everyone and everything is tested and re-presents itself...

The point is that all of us have a different reply in the question : "Why are you leaving ?", but I strongly believe that no matter what that reply is and what kind of need it may cover, we should mainly target to be happy with this decision.

I hope and wish  "HAPPY END" to all of you !!!  You can have it if you want it !