“Which did you like more, city A or city B?” or “Which was your favourite city so far?”. Those are questions I am getting the most after being away from home for 13 years. My reply is always the same: I love all cities! You are probably rolling your eyes right now, thinking “Yeah right!’. Well yes, I don’t like every place from the moment I set foot in it but I make sure I hold on to the one thing that will make sure it will all turn out fine: a positive, open-minded attitude!
As expat and especially as trailing spouse, you have little say in where you go next. You get an offer and of course, you can decline it if you don’t like the place or package, but then you also don’t know when the next offer will come and what that will include...
Instead, why not make every place work for you?! You can do it - trust me! I have lived a year in Zurich, Switzerland, not a complicated or dangerous place but for a single, 20 something-year-old who was (still is) really not that much into hiking or skiing, it is lovely but somewhat boring. Still, did I sit home, wishing I was somewhere else? No! Switzerland is in the center of Europe and from there you can travel either in the country or to neighbouring Italy and France in no time at all. So that’s what I did.
Similarly, being a foodie I was often asked how I “survived” living in Dubai where there is no pork or in Mumbai where beef was most of the time banned and pork scarce. But I never once felt this was a problem. The Middle East is home to an amazing cuisine and Dubai has made sure to cater well to the varying taste of its close to 90% expat population. Mumbai is in no way lacking behind. Between its local street food and restaurants offering food from all 4 corners not just of India but the whole world, there is something for everybody. I am still eating a hamburger first thing when getting home to Germany but I certainly have never felt deprived, either in Dubai or Mumbai.
Fact is, every place has its pros and cons and there will always be locations that make it easier for you to fall in love with and others which you have to work hard to only just like. Whichever it is, it is worth every bit of effort. If you call a place ‘home’ for a few years, are you really prepared to waste this time of your life hating it and your life there for the next two or three years? It doesn’t change anything but making yourself miserable.
So wherever you go: explore and find yourself people, places and things you love and just focus on enjoying those.
Do you agree? What has been your experience? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you think.