To the Other Side

I'm not sure if I can accurately describe the title of the Blog, but I can try to give some context to the creation. Since we first decided to try to make this move I've been recalling my previous international moving and living experience. It was brief and I was much more naive. However, I also don't have a lot of the e-mails from that time. I can only now, exactly 10 years later, recall some of the major emotions and moments. I've lost all the nuance. I had a few other moments of recollection and I also have been told by many friends and colleagues: You should write about this experience so you can reflect upon it later. I'm terrible about keeping a journal and I decided this is probably a better way to write mass e-mails.

In addition, I attended a conference workshop in which the presenters discussed the U-curve or W-curve. The emotional ups and downs the expat, or study abroad student, or other long-term traveler is told they will experience. The presenters were de-bunking the theory. One of their points was that the studies have mostly been based on people's recollection of their emotional well-being. A sort of, well I felt pretty good, and then I felt kind of bad and sad and now I'm feeling better than ever! But, blogging, like journal writing, can record some (almost) honest emotional reactions in the moment.

For example, right now I'm a little freaked out about my passport.

Also, I wanted to write about this because I'm moving closer to 'home'. I feel like I'm moving farther away, because I'll be on the other side of the border, but I'm actually moving into the same time zone as my parents (and most of my family). What a strange feeling!

Right now, the other side is Guadalajara, but I'm also hoping that at some point the other side becomes the US.