Just over a week ago, I arrived in a new country, ready to begin my first expat journey with my husband and our dog.
Since my arrival, my heart has continually been filled with thankfulness for:
- Our safe travels and that our little family is together again
- Friends and family in the states that were incredibly supportive through our transition
- Virtual friends here that have offered advice and encouragement – they are indeed made of flesh and blood and so welcoming!
- A beautiful new home and modern conveniences that will make the transition a little easier.
We will be living on an expat compound – which I have fondly renamed “Sesame Street.”
These are my First Impressions of Life on “Sesame Street”
- It is a place filled with parents of great vision that are determined to give their children a global understanding of people, geography, culture and history.
- It is a place filled with courageous families that continually adjust to life in different climates, with different customs, with different transportation systems, with different freedoms and different restrictions.
- It is a place where everyone knows your name.
- Where it’s normal to knock on your neighbors door and welcome them to the neighborhood.
- Where doors are frequently left unlocked.
- Where kids play in the streets, leave their bikes on the sidewalks, and play freely throughout the neighborhood.
- It’s a place filled with people of all colors and from all nations.
- And a place of instant camaraderie.
It is also a place where the ideal runs into the real: