Moving and Expectations...

First, and foremost, I have to say I'm a million times better than I was a few weeks ago. We are settling in...I am settling in. (I think my family has been pretty settled since we moved here in August.) I truly appreciate all the love/pep talks/smiles from near and far when I had my meltdown a few weeks back. I've always said I would tell you the truth in my blogs - not just the glossy, magazine picture-worthy parts of living abroad. So thank you for being so supportive.

That being said, I had a great conversation with an ex-pat/mom/all-around-great woman named Aimee last week and I was telling her how I had found this move much more difficult than Malaysia. She has moved several times during her ex-pat adventures and said that perhaps it all comes down to expectations.

I said to myself, "But, I had high expectations for this move."

That's the problem.

"On your first move," she explained, "You have no/low expectations."

You hope to make some friends. You hope your family is happy. You hope to visit a few cool places.

And, you do all of those things and then some. You conquer the first move like a champion. You are the rock star ex-pat.

Then a second move comes and you think, "Hell, I conquered that first move like a boss! I've totally got this! I'll have close friends in no time and life will be good. The new place will be amazing! I'm going to love it!"

Your expectations are through the roof!

And then, it's not so easy.

Aimee was totally correct. My expectations for Poland were sky high! So high that Poland didn't even have a chance to meet them.

So...I don't want to say I've lowered my expectations, but let's just say they are in the normal range. A range they deserve to be in.

And, things are better. And, I am smiling.