What’s Your Story?

How’s everyone holding up during these crazy times? I honestly think that my emotionally crazy expat journey prepared me for the isolation and awkwardness. So, I suppose, a silver-lining in an otherwise chaotic start in a new country. Have you mastered anything yet? Baking? Puzzles? Solo chess? Oh, I started an events planning business on January 1st LOL Honestly that’s all I can do at the moment. LOL.

This month my blog turned ONE. I think a year of me talking about my emotionally challenging expat journey is plenty (I’ll probably talk about it more though, to be honest). I have always intended this to be a place where we share our stories in order to break down barriers. If you haven’t already, read https://truth-be-told.blog/2019/05/03/but-why/ to understand more about what I wanted to accomplish here. Since creating the blog, people have shared with me their struggles with things like trying to conceive, job losses, relationship challenges, all sorts of “personal” issues. Issues that are personal to us but actually many others have probably gone through too. But we don’t talk about it. It’s too painful, or embarrassing, or mistakenly we feel like we’re the only ones. Leading us to continue the cycle of feeling isolated, alone, fearful, quiet. I remember going through a pregnancy before any of my friends, and family that couldn’t really remember as it was so long ago for them, and so relying on “The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy” to get me through. I just wanted to know the REAL stuff about pregnancy and that was the closest thing I could get to finding it. So that’s what I became to other expectant mothers, honest about my experience (but actually scaring the bejesus out of them I think). Or someone once telling me that I wasn’t resilient but, after telling my story to people who had once been where I was, realizing that I am VERY FUCKING resilient. But I would have carried on believing what that person had said, because I had nothing to compare it to. Research I had done on becoming an expat was all practical information. Nothing to be found on the emotional strain you will most certainly experience.

“You first have to believe that your story has value and we all don’t believe that. Most of us don’t.”

Michelle Obama

So this next year of the blog I want to share YOUR stories. OUR stories. I am already collaborating with some pretty amazing people to bring you theirs. I would love to collaborate with more people. If you think you would like to share please reach out. If you are anything like me you won’t put your hand up. I definitely wouldn’t have. But I promise you, someone needs to hear your story. Even if you are just sort of kind of thinking about it, email me. blog.truthbetold@gmail.com. Let’s talk.

I have enjoyed sharing with you all this past year and I want to keep the conversations going. Now more than ever a sense of community is needed.