Happy New Year! It's hard to believe we've been back in the US for 6 months... I wish I could say it's been an easy transition and I don't miss Qatar, but that wouldn't be true.
It's a bit hard to explain, but although we have moved back to about the same area, it feels as though we moved back to a new place and are starting all over again. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just a reflection I've made since we've been back. Change is not always bad, but is often hard at the beginning.
Before moving back to the States I read up on various blogs of other expats and their process of repatriation, so I knew that we were going to have our challenges acclimating back with friends, bills, new jobs, etc. It's one thing to know in your head it would be a challenge, but its another thing to actually go through it.
When we first moved to Qatar there was a lot of transition to their culture, jobs, friends, etc., but it felt like an adventure, so although we were homesick at times, looking back it didn't seem as "hard" as it sometimes has since we've moved back to the States. Plus, the community there was so welcoming and it was easy to make friends/build relationships there. I think one major difference was our simple lifestyle - when you have less you worry less and stress less, is what it seems like. I also think God helps us to forget some of the more challenging times in our lives, where we don't remember the tough times and remember the better times. So, although I know we had our challenges in Qatar, those memories have faded away more.
Since moving back, Mark and I have bought a house (exciting, but scary!), started new jobs, tried different churches to call our "home church", began meeting new people, and spent more time with family (its nice to not have to reply on Skype/Facetime as our main form of communication). It's been an extremely busy 6 months. I definitely miss the simplicity of living as an Expat. Maybe it has something to do with the fact we didn't have bills, so we were able to travel the world while saving money at the same time...just a thought. ;)
Our jobs were extremely less time consuming in Qatar. I didn't bring home work hardly ever during the week (or quite a bit less than now) and was able to go tutor (by choice) after school and be home by dinner each night. Unfortunately, now I can't even imagine tutoring, because I get home by dinner, but still have work I could/should be doing... That goes for both Mark and myself. We had it easy, there is no two ways about it.
Mark has started a new job endeavor in personal finance, so we will see what that has in store for us in the future. He continues to teach, but does personal finance on the side.
Our work-life balance has been a hurdle for us thus far in the transition. This is a constant prayer for us to find that balance to ensure we are spending time with one another, growing closer to Christ, spending time with loved ones, and ensuring we are doing a great job as an educator for our students. I won't even try to sugar coat it...it's plain TOUGH. I am beginning to sound like a Cubs fan when I say, "maybe next year" it will get better with that balance. I love where I work though, which helps to make that transition more enjoyable. I work with wonderful teachers, have a great administration, and love my kids.
Other somewhat expected challenges at first were re-acclimating to American grocery stores and the American culture (dress, societal views, etc). I wasn't prepared for so many options with certain items while shopping. It's funny, there are probably 30+ options when it comes to BBQ sauce, but only about 4 choices when it comes to rice. It was normal for us to see an entire aisle for rice in Qatar, where as here it is a small section in one row of an aisle. There are many things I struggle with in our American culture, but will just leave it to that for now as I see this post is getting long. I just found a true appreciation for modesty while living abroad, which isn't necessarily something always seen here. On the flip side, I truly value our freedoms here. We are very fortunate!
One true blessing this year was spending the holidays in the States. The holiday season was often more challenging abroad and was a time where we felt more homesick. A tradeoff to help with that was traveling. Although the traveling was amazing, it was nice to spend the holiday season with family and friends this year and enjoy the yummy food. Trying to make certain dishes in Qatar just didn't taste right for various reasons. So, we definitely got our fill this holiday season. ;)
The list truly goes on for the various ups and downs of returning back to the States...so, I'll leave it to that. Although there have been some challenges along the way, God has continued to bless us in many ways.
In 2016, I am looking forward to us getting more acclimated in our roles at home, work, and church. We have settled on a church for the time being and are looking forward to spending more time with loved ones, getting plugged into a small group, begin volunteering, and continuing to grow in our faith.
May your 2016 be a year filled with love and joy! :)
With Love,
Kristin
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