Anna Overseas: Problem-Solving

Just to take a break from navel-gazing about Christmas and Winter and how *woe* they are not the same here as they are back home, I wanted to tell you all a secret.

It's a very well kept secret, but I think one that needs to be revealed to the world.

Frankly: moving to another country does not automagickly make all your problems disappear.

This may not be a new concept to some of you, but the number of times I email someone, or chat with them over ICQ, or whatever, and am talking about *something* that bothers me (I don't hear from some people enough, I don't have any iced tea, I wish it would snow, whatever), I'm told the following:

But... you're in Edinburgh! That shouldn't matter!

And to those people I merrily say: Bullshit.

Living in Scotland does not make me exempt from feeling left out of things back in Edmonton. Do you think I didn't want to go to various birthday parties? That I don't wish I was going to the Wake? That I don't miss various things we used to do? Of course I do! And if you moved overseas to some place "exotic" (more on this later), you would, too.

Yes, I'm having grand adventures, and so are a lot of the other expats I read. But it doesn't mean we don't miss home. It doesn't mean we don't still have issues with things back home.

This is not another sermon that you'll read about how Living Overseas Is Not A Way To Solve Your Problems. This is... don't think that your friends/loved ones/blogging buddies suddenly don't have issues because they get to see a castle every day.

And the other thing I'd like people to remember: Where you are living right now is exotic to someone. Yes, even Saskatchewan. The number of times I've mentioned "I'm Canadian" to someone to have the excited response of "Oh my god, really? I've got distant cousins living there someplace! Do you know the Roberts Family from... from... the place in the middle, it's so flat?" Trust me, your home is exotic and exciting to someone.

I'm asked quite often why I'd want to come to Edinburgh. See, to them... it's so dull.

Comments

At your next to last paragraph, I couldn't help but be reminded of this video.

Posted by: ben | December 21, 2005 3:07 PM

haha, cool video ben. by the way, the group that did that skit is called 2 dead trolls in a baggie (www.deadtroll.com) and they have some very funny stuff - many of them about canada. they have mp3s on their page and a link to mo3.com (i think) where you can download more, if you like them.

Posted by: Jen | December 21, 2005 8:24 PM

(oops, mp3.com)

I know from experience that what you say is true. Sometimes I would go so far as to say that living abroad masks issues that you should be dealing with, I know that this is the case with me.
My blog has also been reflective over the last few weeks. I wonder where it will lead us....

Posted by: Anne | December 22, 2005 1:05 PM

The real trick is making your home exotic and exciting for yourself.

James

Posted by: James | December 22, 2005 4:27 PM

Nice site. Thanks!!!

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