My career has historically been one of incredible good fortune, but ironically the biggest blessings have always presented themselves via obscure moments that could be easily mistaken for misfortune. It really pays to be objective when life throws you a basket of lemons. Eventually, the real texture of a gift like that becomes clear. And this, I can only really view as being nothing short of that: a true gift.
The beauty of this particular adventure is more and more intriguing now that the actual event has finally arrived. Living in the US, most of us take for granted the level of effort required to live in a foreign country. I mean, after all, we are all so blessed as American citizens that few of us realize what is involved when moving your family and household around the world.
Well, I know now what kind of preparation and planning that entails, not just for me, but for my potential employer and clients. That has been a surprising nuance, the genuine welcoming and mutual excitement that has come about while we each prepare for the event. Because let me tell you what, without that, the months waiting for contracts to pan out, arrangements to be made and sheer coordination of everyone involved would be simply overwhelming. But as with anything truly important and worthwhile, it still happens step by step. No other way is possible.
And of course it can only happen if you have the love and support of family and friends. And that, my partner and I have had in abundance. Both of our families have embraced the substantial change with nothing but positive encouragement and enthusiasm, which has touched us both deeply. How could we not do it?
We are both super excited to finally be here in the city we will inhabit and get intimately familiar with over the next couple of years. Wellington is the capitol of New Zealand and we were awestruck by its beauty today as we arrived after a significant overnight journey which started two weeks ago.
Exhausted by the culmination of months of planning this overseas journey, we could finally allow ourselves to sink into the experience. And while planning a modest vacation en route to Wellington wasn't exactly a part of our original agenda, the timing worked out to be extremely good and wonderfully appropriate. And quite advantageous.
Did you know that Tahiti, French Polynesia is exactly halfway to New Zealand?? I learned this by looking at a world map online and trying to make flight arrangements that ensured the most direct route to our new home away from home. Oddly, when trying to book the most cost effective and efficient route complete with refueling stops, you end up with layovers in Tahiti or Honolulu. Hmmm..... knowing this, I decided that the best way to get around the world with a minimum amount of jet lag was to break the trip up intentionally. I mean if you are stopping anyway, why not do it intentionally and stay for a bit to break up the monotony of a very long time spent in an airplane? The move was exhaustive, but that done and adieauxs bid, we decided that chilling on the beach had been well earned.
As I began to plot our date of arrival, I realized that splitting up each leg of the trip overseas might actually have some added benefits such as an opportunity to slowly adjust to the time zone changes, as well as vacation in a spot where neither of us had ever been. Turns out that the best part ended up being a cheaper way to fly the most direct route.
