Talking about life as an expat reminded me of this beautiful text written by the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne in the book "The Marble Faun". I came across this text for the first time in 1997, when I went to my first overseas experience in London. Back then, I was sixteen and went to England to do my A-Levels (the British equivalent to America's high school). OMG!!!! It was yesterday lol
"The years, after all, have a kind of emptiness, when we spend too many of them on
a foreign shore. We defer the reality of life, in such cases, until a
future moment, when we shall again breathe our native air; but, by and
by, there are no future moments; or, if we do return, we find that the
native air has lost its invigorating quality, and that life has
shifted its reality to the spot where we have deemed ourselves only
temporary residents. Thus, between two countries, we have none at all,
or only that little space of either in which we finally lay down our
discontented bones. It is wise, therefore, to come back betimes, or
never."
a foreign shore. We defer the reality of life, in such cases, until a
future moment, when we shall again breathe our native air; but, by and
by, there are no future moments; or, if we do return, we find that the
native air has lost its invigorating quality, and that life has
shifted its reality to the spot where we have deemed ourselves only
temporary residents. Thus, between two countries, we have none at all,
or only that little space of either in which we finally lay down our
discontented bones. It is wise, therefore, to come back betimes, or
never."
Bear in mind this text was written in 1860....One wonders nowadays how some expats feel with families becoming more and more international and the world becoming smaller and smaller? :) It is indeed a roller coaster journey, full of different feelings. It makes me feel so alive though!!!!
I like thinking that home is where your heart is as well. And I try to keep mine in the present. And the present for me at the moment is in New York. It is very hard being away from family. But sometimes I feel closer to my family being far away. Does it make any sense?
I know things can change tomorrow. But tomorrow is another day, isn't it?
By the way, I am so happy to be part of the Expat Women community. The stories are so beautiful and inspiring!!! I will have to dedicate a post to talk about this amazing community I have become part of. Thank you lovely ladies for sharing such amazing stories with us :) Definitely worth a visit if you have not been there yet.
Have a lovely Saturday!!! xxxxxx
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