As we come to the end of the year, that one question looms
and is asked from person to person……”Are you staying or going?” Then you get the packet from the school
asking if you are going to re-register to save your child a spot or check the
box that says you are leaving. For
some this is an easy question, for others it is not. For some there is an answer, for others there is not. For some, the decision came easy and
for others it was a struggle; with much discussion, pros and cons, laughter and
tears. These decisions
include conversations about friends, the school, traveling and jobs.
Only in an expat community will you
have the opportunity to mix and meld with people from all walks of life, income
and nationality. At ASP alone,
there are over 57 countries represented.
Friendships in the expat community are formed out of necessity because
of being in a completely new situation and environment. These friendships are sometimes deeper
than those you have had for years.
Because everyone there (or most) have left their home country which can
mean leaving homes, towns, friends and jobs you have known for years. For me, that meant friends we had known
for 16 years, a job of 16 years and a house my kids had known their whole life.
Another reason for quickly forming
friendships is you need to list someone as emergency contacts for field trips,
school functions. You will
rely on them to help you settle in, show you how things work in your new
country and introduce you to other friends. Being an expat forces you to come out of the box you built
for yourself and rely on new
people that you may have known now for just a few weeks. You will examine the criteria you
have developed to choose friends, and all of this is done in a fast-track
fashion. You must quickly figure
out if these people are going to be included in your circle of friends and even
consider them family. I personally
have friends from Norway, Netherlands, Canada, Portugal, Spain, India, Italy
and Brazil. I have friends
who are professional soccer players that play with David Beckham, that are
major players in the movie business, even executives who work for the happiest
place on earth. But, to the rest
of us in the expat community, they are just parents of our kids friends, people
we hang out and have a glass of wine or beer with.
For those leaving, know that you
will be missed, that the friendships made here will forever be etched on our
hearts. The Holiday Boutique,
International Day, Living Skills Classes, Jazzercise, and Orientation days we
have shared and worked together.
The wine clubs, dinners shared, Gala’s, Tours, walks in the park and
birthday parties. These are all
things we will never forget because you were a part of them with us.
For those staying, realize that new
folks will be coming in and they will need your love and friendship. They will be scared, anxious and in
need of your help. They will be
unfamiliar with local foods, driving, ingredients and getting around. Also know that your kids will continue
to get an education from The Greatest School around with the greatest leader
(Mark Ulfers), administration and teachers. I also know this is a great community of people who will
continue to push the new building project forward and I personally look forward
to what the campus looks like in the not so near future.
So, I reflect on my time here. We have had good times, experiences and
great travel. I will miss my
outdoor market on Sunday and the best butcher around (Pascal), my Boulangerie ladies, the people at my favorite
italian joint (Il Boccoccio), our favorite wine bar/restaurant O’Chateau and
Charbon Rouge. I will miss the
metro system, the easiest way to get around. I will miss being able to go on a high speed train at 352mph
and being in London in 2 ½ hours, or in the french alps to ski in 3 ½ hours, or
anywhere you can want a train to take you. I will miss the rich history here, the chateau’s, the
cooking classes, the museums, and food.
I reflect on everywhere we have been and the things we have seen;
London, Stuttgart, Munich, Austria, Berchtesgaden, Neuschwanstein, Gunzburg,
Barcelona, Mardrid, Dubai, Belgium, Pompeii, Corsica, Parma, Toledo,
Segovia, Fountainbleu, Pierrefonds, Bayeux, Caen, Normandy, El Escorial,
Chantilly, Malta, Rome, Pisa, Florance, Le Spezia, Villefranche, Monaco, Asnières-sur-Oise, Civitavecchia,
Tours, Camembert, Mont Saint Michel, Tours, Amsterdam, Mulhouse, Chamonix Mont
Blanc, Switzerland, Turkey, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Mykonos and Malta. I will always remember how lucky we are and that God put us
here for a reason.
I wanted to let those of you know who made
my/our life fun and memorable during our time here. I will probably forget to mention someone here, but
here it goes. Thank you to: Erin,
Steve, Jone, Sean, Randy, Eric, Damon, Ed, Janice, Tracy, Kristin, David, Peter
Paul, Daniel, Cassidy, Cohen, Michele, Lori, Susan, Amy, Radhika, Andrea, Kristi,
Krista, Jeremy, Tracy, Irma, Joanna, Carole, Mark Ulfers, Aaron Hubbard,
Margaret Coleman, Kathy Miner, Han, Catharine McLaury, Paul Albright, Ms.
Forbes, Mr. McGregor, Ms. Lynch, Brenda, Kim, Laura and most of all Mr. Chris
Chater.
Michele & Damon, thanks for all the good
times and being our friends, we will never forget your love and generosity and
the support you gave us and being there when we needed it. Ed, thanks for all the support and
advice on my business and for hanging with me. Eric, thanks for being my “twin.” I always wondered what that would be like. Thanks for all the “lunches” and for
being my go to guy. When I eat
Chinese food, I will think of you.
Daniel & Cassidy, thanks for being a fresh breath of air here and keep
moving forward with God’s plan, you will do amazing things here. We are so blessed to have had what
little time we had with you, in spite of your incorrect college loyalties. Ms. Lynch, thanks for giving Katherine
the ability to prove herself as a leader and that hard work does pay off. Mr. Chater, thanks for giving my son an
amazing confidence when he is on stage.
Thanks for encouraging him and letting him know he is a valuable kid
(which you do for ALL the kids).
But we watched Jackson grow under your guidance and we thank you for
that.
I
reflect on the good times going out with friends to restaurants, outings, home
dinners, game playing, and laughing with some really great people. We remember all those who have come to
visit us and share in our “new world.”
I will never forget my time here and hope one day to return to an
overseas life. I hope that my time
here was inspiring to others and that I changed a few opinions and stereotypes
about the life I live.
