Expat Life: Deep Connections, Tough Goodbyes, Authentic Self

That shared context creates an unusual That shared context creates an unusual amount of real conversation. amount of real conversation. amount of real conversation. And trust me, it makes it really, really And trust me, it makes it really, really And trust me, it makes it really, really hard to go back. I could not imagine it, hard to go back. I could not imagine it, hard to go back. I could not imagine it, right? right? right? What about the things I miss? Sure, of What about the things I miss? Sure, of What about the things I miss? Sure, of course I miss things. I miss people, I course I miss things. I miss people, I course I miss things. I miss people, I miss friends, I miss family. You know, I miss friends, I miss family. You know, I miss friends, I miss family. You know, I miss my old cat, I miss the part of the miss my old cat, I miss the part of the miss my old cat, I miss the part of the city I lived in. The time zone gap is city I lived in. The time zone gap is city I lived in. The time zone gap is real, the distance is real, but you work real, the distance is real, but you work real, the distance is real, but you work around it. You video call, you visit around it. You video call, you visit around it. You video call, you visit when you can. But the distance is not when you can. But the distance is not when you can. But the distance is not zero and I'm not going to tell you it zero and I'm not going to tell you it zero and I'm not going to tell you it is. I've flown my parents over here, is. I've flown my parents over here, is. I've flown my parents over here, right? But this is an honest accounting right? But this is an honest accounting right? But this is an honest accounting of me, right? The version of me who of me, right? The version of me who of me, right? The version of me who stayed in Toronto after college, stayed in Toronto after college, stayed in Toronto after college, grinding through winters and traffic and grinding through winters and traffic and grinding through winters and traffic and a life organized around financial a life organized around financial a life organized around financial obligation, obligation, obligation, does not exist and never will. I would does not exist and never will. I would does not exist and never will. I would have been tired, I would have been have been tired, I would have been have been tired, I would have been stressed out, and honestly, I just stressed out, and honestly, I just stressed out, and honestly, I just wouldn't have been present. The version wouldn't have been present. The version wouldn't have been present. The version of me who lives in Vietnam is genuinely of me who lives in Vietnam is genuinely of me who lives in Vietnam is genuinely more available to people I care about. more available to people I care about. more available to people I care about. The conversations are better cuz I'm not The conversations are better cuz I'm not The conversations are better cuz I'm not exhausted, so I'm not fake. The visits, exhausted, so I'm not fake. The visits, exhausted, so I'm not fake. The visits, when they happen back home, are great, when they happen back home, are great, when they happen back home, are great, but I'm not counting down the days. I'm but I'm not counting down the days. I'm but I'm not counting down the days. I'm not pretending