Moving as an Expat Spouse
As a spouse you are immediately and constantly exposed to everything new. For those who have never been expatriated, this may sound odd; but it is draining to not know where to go just to get minor things done, at the same time as struggling to find your way around the city/country you have moved to.
There are certainly days where I thought to myself “Why did I think one more relocation was a brilliant idea?” Spouses also lack structure in our day as we are not attending school nor work, at least in the initial period. Integrating a family though, to a new environment and culture represents a full-time job for up to one year. A job that is unpaid and offers no pension, and one that requires a multi skilled effort.
Having relocated 4 times I will personally vouch for the work as a spouse to be considered a vital support-function and one that is beyond full-time. Add to it, that it can be a very lonely job too results in the fact that spouses must seek their own source of energy and purpose to keep themselves thriving.
Too much hanging around on your own makes it harder and harder to get out and meet new people and may result in depleted self-worth and a sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Energy, purpose, and inspiration are to be found in networks and it is crucial for a spouse to identify them and start showing up and getting involved. Here’s how I did just that in Singapore on an accelerated timeline.