Living abroad

Roots: roots, what roots? I claim I don't have any (although I recognize that I am exaggerating), especially relative to my husband who basically grew up in the same town. He has friends he is still close to dating back all the way to Kindergarten. This is an absolutely foreign concept to me. And perhaps I am a little envious because I now recognize the beauty of having a longstanding friend to turn to.

• Roots: roots, what roots? I claim I don't have any (although I recognize that I am exaggerating), especially relative to my husband who basically grew up in the same town. He has friends he is still close to dating back all the way to Kindergarten. This is an absolutely foreign concept to me. And perhaps I am a little envious because I now recognize the beauty of having a longstanding friend to turn to.
• Out of sight, out of mind: by default, moving overseas disconnects you from family and friends and it is very difficult to maintain a deep relationship when life experiences seem to do nothing but pull you apart. People I was once close to begin to vanish because they can no longer relate to me and the same is true on the reverse. Stories around celebrating Christmas in Lima, Peru while on vacation seem to fall on deaf ears. I wonder why?!
• Nothing is forever: this concept is a combined positive and negative outcome of leading an international life. When things are good I obviously like them to last forever; when they are bad, I find comfort in knowing firsthand that situations which are difficult will pass. The trick is in hanging tough when the knee jerk reaction would lead me to pull away just as a means to protect myself from things I find challenging.