Living Overseas : I will be turning 30 in a few weeks... in France!

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My life in France has been totally different and sometimes most of the time too overwhelming.  It helped me speed up my personal (and professional) growth. Moving here has taught me a lot of things, many things. Things like having the courage and being brave watching my life back home pass by, the birthdays and Christmas come and go, the marriages and special occasions. I've been absent to a lot of events, then I just realized that life doesn't stop and wait for me - okay this may sound a bit melodramatic <insert background music here>, but the moment you have decided to start leaving your safety and monotony behind, it is already courage and bravery. And you know what? This is not for everyone.

When you're living abroad, your concept of time changes... Time flies really quickly, twenty four hours a day is not enough for me. More so, life back home goes by faster and the next thing I know, my nephews and my nieces are not young kids anymore. However hard it is, the fact that life goes on for the people I left behind is something I have learn to accept.

And I will tell you, living abroad isn't like going on a vacation when all you have to do is to pack your bags. No, you need to pack and bring with you the determination, emotional and psychological strength. Imagine leaving everything you've grown to love and cherish for a long time? That's seriously tough! Imagine missing those special days that supposed to be enjoyed with your loved ones? Okay, that's the toughest!

So here, a big tap on the shoulders to all the brave ones… Of course, I am giving one to myself for a "so far" job well done! 

I honestly didn't imagine that I will be celebrating my 30th birthday 6,672 miles away from my family and friends. But here I am, building my own family and working for our future.

I will be contributing to the HIFX Expat Tip page (see here) which aims to offer advice to those looking to move abroad, so if you're planning to live miles away from your homeland, you should swing by their page for further tips and advice from other expat experts. If your dream is to move abroad, make it happen. Start slow, test the waters and see how far it'll take you. Importantly, be brave and have the courage to pursue that dream.


 Love, Cynthia


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