In late November 2012 we had just said yes to our first expat adventure. We were facing massive unknowns, planning for the transition that this change would bring and choosing our attitudes.
One year later as I reflected on that season in our lives, the thoughts and feelings came back in a flood of emotions.
In order to fully share that experience I have to take you back in time…
Do you know anyone that is struggling with a change in his or her lives right now? Do you know any organizations that are in the midst of extreme change and sinking instead of swimming? Are you aware that 3 of the top 10 Critical Human Capital Issues for 2013 are CHANGE related?
A series of events in our expat journey has convinced me that anyone that has grown up as an expat child has developed wisdom and skills that will help others navigate change. So I asked a couple of friends to share their experiences. (Special Thanks To: Amy Murphy & Lynette Elrod Hudson for sharing their stories!)
After hearing their stories, 6 lessons stand out:
1. Provide vision and stability in the midst of extreme change.
“When we moved to a new country, my dad would go ahead and scope things out and then come back with great stories of what he had found. Sometimes he would be gone a month or two as he started a new job and found a house and we finished that year in school, so when he got home we were just happy to go wherever it was to be together.” Lynette
2. Form relationships with people based on their character, not the color of their skin …Or the shape of their face!
“The first time I realized that people of different races looked different was in 3rd grade. (I’d been an expat child since I was two.) I thought my classmate had a flat face and I asked, “Why?” Amy
