3 Lessons From 3 Years Living Abroad
We'll celebrate three years of living abroad in a little over a month. I, Kamil, still have the faded one-way ticket to Cancun from Baltimore in my drawer as a keepsake. When we set out to create a new life in Mexico, we had no clue what awaited us. It's safe to say that this journey has been chopped full of highs and lows, but it's worth it.
I'm sharing three important lessons I've learned in honor of the third anniversary of my departure from the States.
1. There is a learning curve; be patient.
It was only the second night in Mexico when I cried outside my hotel. It's like any fear and hesitation about moving had waited to surface at this exact moment. The trigger? I ordered food from a delivery service and didn't speak enough Spanish to communicate my location with the driver. I felt defeated and questioned if I'd just made a terrible decision to move to a place where I didn't fully speak the language. Even though I've cried too many times to count during these three years, I'm happy to report that my Spanish is much better, and so is my ability to offer myself compassion. Doing new things, like moving to a new country, can be scary, but you don't have to figure it all out at once. Allow yourself to be a beginner.
2. Community is priceless!
After calling DC home for eight years, I was nervous to be away from most of my support group. I'd always made friends fairly easily, but this was my first time moving to a new country during a global pandemic. Luckily, from the moment I arrived, the universe was looking out, and I was being put in place to meet folks who have been integral to my life these past three years. Loneliness can significantly impact our well-being, so connecting with people we can do life with is essential.
3. Remember, you're a visitor
Though I love living here, I can't ignore my presence's impact on the local community. With a massive influx of expats from various countries, I've seen a shift in daily life. What's most concerning is how easy it can be for people to forget that they are just visitors. From overlooking and sometimes downright disrespecting cultural practices to pricing locals out of the areas they've called home for decades, it's a vicious cycle. I'm interested in connecting with friends ( locals and expats) to discuss what it means to be a good visitor, whether short or long-term. There’s still so much I’m learning about the community here and how I can be of intentional service.
