International moves are their own particular kind of stress.
Take for instance THIS VERY MOMENT. It's 5:30 am on Monday and I start the moving process in exactly 48 hours. I am sitting on the balcony in the blue-black morning listening to the ocean crash on the beach, rhythmically counting down the final minutes of my brief summer vacation. My chest is tight with panic even though I know the sun WILL rise, the cat WILL move to his new home today, and I WILL manage to pack my whole life into one suitcase...because that is what needs to happen.
Moving to a new place is always stressful. It's one of those life-moments that people reference when they talk about 'the most stressful life events' (though really, I think the media makes that list a bit longer each year). But moving to a new country, one where the language, driving style, and monetary units are significantly different from what you know ... let's just say, it adds a level of *excitement* to life (and by *excitement* I mean *heart palpitations*).
So why then do I do it?
Because, stress or no stress, living life abroad is the most rewarding, fulfilling, economically sensible thing to do. Because the world is bigger than our back yards and the sooner we all realize that, the better off this planet will be. Because I'm a life-long learner type and I can learn more from living in the world than seeing it through the eyes of Almodovar, Woody Allen, or Ang Lee. Because I love the flavors of travel, the scent of foreign markets in foreign lands, and the feel of textiles that have been hand-made with love and care.
But the moving part, oh the moving part, make no mistake - this part sucks.
**Update: Little Man is installed at my Dad's, merrily exploring his new environs while his new roommate, Inky, hisses and sisses at him; which I'm told he generally ignores. My packing saga will begin in a few hours . . . just after I finish this four shot cappuccino that some woman got all judgy-on me about at Starbucks. LADY I NEED CAFFEINE THIS MORNING! That is all. This time tomorrow I'll be seated with my tray-table stowed taking off to start my new life in Mexico!
All photographs were taken by, and are copyright of, the blogger.
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