Focus on What is Important

We've been living outside of our home country for 3 years now. There's a German family I met through the course of what I do here. They were coming into this country to 'check things out' at the same time the husband and I were. We were all making the agonizing decision whether or not to move our families here. In the end, we did all end up moving our families here. I found out this afternoon that this family I felt a special bond with are moving back to Germany. I'm happy for them, but I will miss seeing them around. Their oldest child is now totally fluent in English; it was a hard earned skill. For my munchkins, coming here has made them more resilient; that is another hard earned skill.

When making the decision to move to another country, it is so very hard to maintain focus on what's important. Why do people leave their home countries? To make more money? To provide a better life for their family? Maybe, they move so that they can keep their family together? But, I feel, that in so many of these reasons, there is a common thread - family. For those who can maintain the focus on family, I believe that they 'last it out' a bit better. For those who come mainly for money - to just put more money in the bank - I don't think they are as happy.

It is really hard, I think, on folks who leave their home country and their families behind. So not only is that ex-pat trying to adjust to a totally different place, but they are trying to adjust to being alone, not an easy road to travel. I can't fathom how hard it must be to leave family behind. I know a few women here who have left newborn babies back in their home countries so that they can come here to earn enough money to see that their baby is provided for. The babies are then raised by grandparents and/or aunts and uncles. Imagine working in an office, or as a housekeeper, or as a nanny caring for the children of others all the while your own babies are thousands of kilometers away. Yes, this is not an easy road to travel. But again, that common thread is so very often 'family.'

May peace be upon all these hard working folks.