My life as an ex-pat

I've trying to post to this blog often to keep a record of our experiences. I enjoy sharing what we are learning and doing with others. And I don't want my readers to lose interest. I'm probably the least interesting ex-pat to ever write a blog though. A lot of my life is spent at home. I'm okay with that because I'm a bit of a homebody and I also have some health issues that necessitate me carefully budgeting my energy resources. But that doesn't always make for interesting blog fodder. The other challenge is that I'm using this year as a chance to regroup and recharge. I've got personal projects that I can finally focus on with more time on my hands. Again, that makes for less than exciting blog posts. But that is the reality of this experience. Not every day has an earth-shattering cultural experience. I'm still the mother to 5 children. That requires cleaning, cooking, homework monitoring, etc. All of those things take time. Add to that my personal projects of scrapbooking, spiritual practices (such as studying scriptures), piano practice, and an effort to exercise more and I don't always have the time to run outside the compound for interesting excursions. And did I mention that I have a 2-year old son who stays home with me? I believe in naps with my whole heart. So we are usually home in the afternoons so he can nap and function normally. That is why I've made a personal goal to go out at least twice a week. I don't care what it is, I try and go out. And I try to make the most of those experiences. I'm always observing people, architecture and trying to interact with others. Sorry if my posts are less than riveting. But that is reality.

I can't really speak for what other women do on the compounds. I think that if I didn't have children, my life would be very different. I would probably try and work or volunteer extensively. Some women take classes like art, music, or cooking. I see a lot of socializing with mums meeting and visiting. The pool is becoming a real hot spot.

I appreciate the opportunity to meet and socialize with other women from all over the world. I love learning about their lives and hearing them talk about cultural differences. That kind of stuff is so rejuvenating.

I also appreciate the quiet pace of my life. I like being able to work on my projects without interruption. I am happy that I can sit down at my piano and play for 30 minutes. It's lovely. I also enjoy writing for this blog and compiling recipes for my cooking blog.

So believe it or not, I feel very content with my life right now. I adjust things as needed. If I feel stir-crazy, I make going out more of a priority. If I need rest, I pull back. That is definitely working for me right now.