Lock-down, taking stock & a barrel of laughs

I didn’t think I would find myself perched at the laptop, still writing about the situation the world finds itself in. My last post was a mere week into our lockdown in Kuwait and here we still are, day 70 and counting. I guess I am here because this situation is a unique one, one that I will want to remember and forget all in one go, but also one I want to document. There have been so many questions asked, so many unanswered, so many emotions felt. I can’t be the only one that has been on the verge of breaking down one day, rolling around in fits of giggles the next. Schizophrenic mood swings, transforming me into a positivity guru on Monday and by Wednesday she’s replaced by Oscar winning drama queen! None of this is me, none of this is normal, but I ask you, in a global pandemic what is?

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An expat love letter

Lately I feel that I have hit a little slump. Even with my blog posts, there seems to be way more negativity or little grumps about desert life. Now, don’t get me wrong there are totally days where we all feel like screaming, but I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the negativity, irritation and frustration. This is the danger zone. In my opinion, this is where you can so easily start spiraling into the depths of expat blues, which isn’t just some smart social media slogan, but something that definitely exists. All that change in one’s life in one single moment, loneliness or just feeling like a fish out of water can impact you so deeply. 

Scream if you want to go faster!

Since we last “met” dear readers, my week has been a busy one. As I flit like a social butterfly, from one occasion to the next, there have been moments where I have not stopped, contrasted by quiet moments of reflection. As I pondered about what this weeks post should be about, I realised that the last seven days, have really been a mixed bag. Forget the seven deadly sins, I am talking about the seven desert moods that I have journeyed through, in just one week! No one tells you that this expat lark will bring you a plethora of feelings in such an intense way, one minute you’re up, the next you’re down. In the words of Ronan Keating,  (expat) Life is a roller coaster. 

Planning permission

I have a confession to make…. Hi my name is Jersey Girl and I am a planner! Yep there it is, I’ve said it. I am the one you find, addictively buying everything pretty in Paperchase, just so I can document every inch of my life. I have spreadsheeted Christmas! I have also been known to have a rather lovely pink Filofax, back in the day, that came everywhere and was my only comfort sitting alone in a coffee shop pondering the week ahead. So I may have moved on from my little pink book, but last week as I spent the morning colour coding my calendar on my iPhone (I know don’t judge me!) I realised that there is still a planner lurking deep down inside me. The issue now is that my expat existence doesn’t allow my wonderful gift to flourish. Now whilst I am sure that Hubby is relieved by this prospect, it had me thinking…do I still really need it?

To plan or not to plan;that is the question

A lesson learnt

I sit here battling with my desert wi-fi speed, which today seems to be the pace of a camel, and it dawned on me that exactly 6 years ago we made the decision to leave Jersey and head out on our expat adventures. Now Hubby was a seasoned nomad and the fact I got him to stay in Jersey for as long as he had, was a miracle, but as we sat in Pizza Hut (I know glam date nights we had in those days!) we decided a move was something we needed. So that October night, I knew my life was about to change and with all the nerves and anxiety my inner island girl had, I was also excited to step into the unknown. And there you have it, in that one singular moment over a pepperoni classic we’ve never looked back. So as I reminisce, I realise that actually the last 6 years have been a lot of fun, but I’ve learnt a hell of a lot about this expat lark and it will shape me for years to come.