The other day, I was talking to a friend about missing the comfortable. As I shared with her my thoughts and feelings about living abroad, my friend said, "but shoot....u just go to abu dhabi!"
What I am not sure she or others realize is that living abroad, at least as I have experienced and observed so far, is not a case of leaving one's existence and prior experiences in one's home country and forging ahead with a new life in the new country. Actually, for me at least, being in a new place, with new people, a different culture, and having new experiences away from close friends and family, amplifies a need/desire for comfort. Some seek this comfort in pictures of friends and family, regular Skype conversations, Facebook-ing, finding familiar brands of food, a beloved stuff animal, etc. I seek this comfort by trying to recreate what was my place of comfort. I hope that as I find comfort here, be that through close friendships, teaching, traveling, spending more time with myself, etc., I will seek comfort in the past less.
But, notice the two words: "was" and "will"; past and future. My goal now is to appreciate my present; the "am" of now. I am, at times, uncomfortable. But that's ok, because, "shoot, I just got to Abu Dhabi."
It's really interesting to read about someone else's time abroad - especially someone who is as firmly rooted in home as you are. I was kind of rootless when I traveled. I am a very different person now, so remembering my travels is strange - like it was another lifetime. I feel like I've lived 10 already. ;) You're so right to want to appreciate the present -- before you know it, your life in Abu Dhabi will be something you remember like it was another lifetime. Live it up now! Thinking of you. L
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