LIVING ABROAD
Like Driftwood, Sometimes It is Good to Find a New Home on Distant Shores
Life lessons we can all learn from living overseas
I often felt like driftwood as a child. My family moved every three years to a new city or country. And like sun-bleached and sodden tranches of wood, we were pushed and prodded along by the current until we landed on distant shores.
My father’s work took us to every corner of the globe. I was never sure where we were going next, but I knew it was just a matter of time before we would be swept along towards our next destination.
Gradually, I became accustomed to these shifts. I started to crave them. Like wood smoothed and polished by salt and sun, these shifts shaped and defined me. And they gave me three life skills that have proven invaluable.
Settling overseas isn’t the only way to build these skills. But I’ve found it helps. So, for those of you looking at those distant shores with trepidation and fear, know that living and venturing abroad is worth the plunge. Because the more you drift and the further you let the tides take you, the more ingrained these skills will become.
