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Somewhat often people ask me about how it is to live abroad. They have some kind of expectation that I am living an a Xangri-La, some kind of American Dream, where all is perfect. I would like to start by saying that once a foreigner, always a foreigner. Surely, there are individuals that do all they can to incorporate and try to do everything to be like a native. My perspective is that it seldomly works. We cannot become someone we are not.

When folks ask me about that, my answer is: it is a tradeoff. Firstly, I would like to say that I DID NOT MOVE ABROAD BECAUSE LIFE IS BETTER ELSEWHERE. People need to stop thinking that the grass on the other side is greener. If your grass is not green enough, work on it! Moving elsewhere WILL NOT give you automatically a better life. I do not mean that it is impossible to get a better life by changing. Changes can be good, but that is about making an informed choice and putting the effort for it. That said, depending on where you come from and where you are living, you can get more of what matters for you.

I live currently in a very safe country. Everywhere is safe. Is that good? Of course! What did I lose by moving there? Abundance of healthy vegetables and fruits, all year around. Did I gain more things? Yes, better work hours and work safeguard laws. Did I lose other things? Yes, laughing everyday with people around me. I can keep on going with the tradeoff list, but living abroad is that: a mix of victories and losses. A negotiation between what matters for you most and what you can make in the host country as you did in the home country.

Why do I stay abroad despite the challenges? As you might know by now, I am a believer in Jesus Christ and, by reading the Bible, I understand that:

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV).

In my prayer time (1 Thessalonians 5:17-19), I understood that this is the time for me to be where I am. I do not always understand. I get frustrated, I get offended and I am not always good with coping with the odds. However, I know that God is with me and that if I am inside His will, that is what matters.

Have safe trips and see you in the next post!