This morning when I was having my coffee, I was reminiscing about the first time I left home.
After being married for 10 years in Thailand, my husband wanted us to go back to the US so our son could get a US education and I could become a US citizen.
Thinking back to the run up to that move, there was a lot going on.
Visiting with family and friends, exciting and scared that you may not see them for a long time, if ever.
Getting to the airport and then onto the aircraft, you realize it is real and you are leaving.
I had never been to the US, so I didn’t have a clue what to expect.
I was very apprehensive about leaving Thailand for the unknown and I was scared as well.
We landed in LA, California and after being held up in Immigration for hours, we missed our connecting flight to Arizona.
We ended up renting this giant size Ford Expedition. It was around midnight when we pulled out of LA International Airport.
We were all very hungry and the only thing that was open was Taco Bell.
Since my son and I had never had Mexican food, my husband ordered some of everything with the hopes there was something there we could eat.
We drove through LA at night and all the way to Arizona.
I marveled at all the things I could see that were my first experiences in the US.
I realized when we finally got home and I could see where we were going to live, that things were going to be ok.
The next couple of days were strange, waking up in the US to a whole different world of things to see and do and missing my family.
For anyone moving overseas and getting on the aircraft knowing you may or may not ever be coming back is extremely scary.
I am sure it is the same with people that move to Thailand for the first time.
There is a lot of uneasiness not knowing 100% what to expect.
There are all kinds of emotions wondering if you will ever see your family and friends, or whether you said your goodbyes knowing it would be the last time.
If you are moving to Thailand for the first time, the best thing you can do is plan, plan and then plan some more.
Even with all the planning, things can and will go wrong. You just have to deal with them.
With social media, Zoom, Skype, you will be able to see and stay in touch with family and friends. That will help getting over being homesick!
While leaving home and moving to Thailand is a big endeavor, it may just be the start of the best life you could possibly have.