After a couple of years of nomadic living, we find ourselves seeking more than just touring. Each stop is becoming longer so we can settle in while exploring a new place or reacquaint ourselves with one of our favorite cities. Creating something that resembles a daily routine is becoming more of a priority.
Mike:
I’m enjoying how our time in each place is evolving. Basic things like gathering ingredients for tonight’s meal or going to a movie become integral to normalizing our nomadic expat life. As wonderful as it is trying out new restaurants, it’s not a sustainable lifestyle — and our budget agrees.
Eileen:
I agree. Also, once you visit a city as a tourist, it’s fun to return and approach it from another perspective. It’s been interesting revisiting the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. When we came here six years ago with two of our daughters, we came here as tourists. Somewhat disappointed tourists, I might add. There simply weren’t a lot of your typical tourist spots to see.
Mike:
When we returned, it was just the two of us, and it became a totally different experience. We started to examine this progressive South American city in terms of whether we can imagine this as our “new home” and the questions were totally different.
Eileen:
I know what you mean. They are framed by things like: How easy is it to get around? What are our weekly grocery expenses? Is anyone going to talk to us if they’re not looking to capture our tourist dollars?
Mike:
It seems like any place we go to, it’s important to establish some kind of routine. It not only helps to organize our days, but gives us a sense of purpose for being here. It also gives us a glimpse into what our lives would look like if we were in a place on a more permanent basis.
Eileen:
My day is typically framed by teaching English classes to my Japanese students on Skype. If the timezone is right, I can start and end my day with classes, as long as the Internet speed is fast enough, of course. I also try to get out each day and do some exploring of any area I had not previously visited. And I know it seems a little silly, but buying that daily scheduler, with a magnetic back that goes on the refrigerator wherever we are, helps me feel more organized.
Mike:
In addition to my teaching online, I find staying in touch with friends and family is taking on higher priority by setting aside time each day for it.
Whether it’s through Facebook, emails, or a phone call using Facebook Messenger, Apple FaceTime, or WhatsApp, it’s nice to feel connected. With all the autumn family birthdays, we’ve had a lot of reasons to call lately.
Eileen:
Right, but I think it’s always a balancing act. For me, it’s just as important to cultivate our life here as it is to keep up with things back in the U.S. Even though it’s a challenge doing the translation from Spanish to English, I find it helpful to buy the local newspaper to keep up with local politics and culture.
Mike:
It’s also a good idea to try to connect with the local expat community. They provide a great source of information on a city that may not be available in guidebooks. And if you decide to settle there, you already have a few relationships to cultivate further.
Share with us how you structure your day when living in a faraway place.
by: Mike & Eileen Brill-Wagner
