Tuesday 13 March 2012

Setting short term goals as an expat

It seems to be all or nothing as an expat. Busy one minute with visitors and trips 'home', followed by endless time with nothing going on.

My friend is arriving on Thursday for 9 nights. I'm so excited. In the past 20yrs I've seen her once and that was for 5 hours in the pub on my trip to the UK in December last year.

Then in April the children are off school, they'll get under my feet and on my nerves, but their 17 & very nearly 13 so just a bit of supervision from the sun lounger and they'll be fine. We will be camping over Easter and I'm sure my friend and I will have a few 'play dates' of our own.

In May my son comes out for two weeks. He'll turn 20 over night during his flight out here and again I've not seen him since December. We will have cake and banners at the airport.

But then I know I'm going to slump, I know I'll need picking up again. It happens everytime. It seems to be all or nothing, surrounded by family and friends then they go back to their lives and I sit here moping, alone, isolated, feeling like I'm missing out in life and it's just passing me by.

We make an excellent holiday destination, little time zone difference, no jet lag, you can get a flight here between £500 and £800 depending on the time of year, we have the perfect weather to top up your tan, a pool to lounge by in the evenings with a glass of wine and I don't think I'll ever tire of taking you all on safari.

So what am I going to do to stop the slump that is coming around the end of May, when everyone has gone home and the kids are back in school?

Nothing, I'm not going to worry about it. I'll know by then if I've got the volunteers role at The Olympics or I'll be back in the UK end of August to visit everyone.

I'm going to take each day as it comes and if I feel sad, lonely, depressed then I'll ask for help, I'll allow myself to sit and wallow. Then I'll pick myself up with love and care from my husband, children and friends and then it'll be time to get excited about the next round of visitors.

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