I have been blessed/cursed with the ability to enjoy the company of myself. When I was a kid, I would invite friends over and then get tired of playing and just go off by myself. When my sisters and I played our epic wagon train game where we pretended to cross the plains like pioneers, I would get bored with the game about half-way through and dramatically engineer my own tragic death, thus ensuring a smooth exit from the game. Then I would lock myself in my room and read or do a project I was thinking about.It really is a blessing to be able to keep myself entertained and happy without needing people all the time. But it is also a curse. I've been kind of isolating myself in my villa--not from fear of going out or shyness. I like people and I like exploring. I also happen to enjoy quiet time and working on my favorite projects like scrapbooking.
So I think I'm going to make a list of things I want to do and see and start tackling it.
If you lived in a foreign country, would you explore all the time, stay at home, do both and why?
If I knew I was going to be there for a longer amount of time 2-3 yrs + I'd pretty evenly explore and stay home. My kids thrive on routine and heaven knows you don't get that by exploring all day long. But if I knew we'd be somewhere a shorter time, 1-2 years maybe - I'd try to adapt to a new normal of exploring as much as possible. One of my dear friends was abroad - they expected to be there for 2 years but her husbands position switched and they returned to the States after 1 year - and she spent most of her time at home trying to be "normal" with her kids. I'd just be so sad to have wasted the opportunity of seeing more of the world!
ReplyDeleteWell, I know myself, and no matter where I am...I stay home :). Even though we move repeatedly, I have a hard time emotionally adjusting until I have my bearings. I need "my" library, grocery store, gas station, etc. Once I have that down, I settle in. I often enjoy family time that comes from having a road trip but I get so anxious to go anywhere. There's nothing I love more than my own little routines at home...
ReplyDelete