Why do you hate when people say they’re jealous you live in a foreign country?

Because living in a foreign country is not the fantasy they make it up to be. Because I don’t know the language and can’t make pleasant chit-chat with the cash register. Because I have to google translate food at the grocery store to ensure I buy the right thing. Because my husband is home less. Because we live 30 mins from the main base despite living in base housing. Because my son only gets to know his grandparents over FaceTime, and yes I know that’s a gift of technology if I have to live overseas and previous generations didn’t have the luxury of facetime, but it’s still hard. Because I have to check the world clock before I call or text friends and family. I have to do major calculations when scheduling yoga classes for communities in the states to account for aggressive time zone differences. Because I quite literally live in tomorrow from everyone that I care deeply about. Because its thought to be such a neat experience but it’s not a vacation. Because I’m trying to live life in a foreign country, not just visiting for a long vacation traveling and sightseeing. Because I solo parent more than I have my husband home to share the duties of parenting and household life. Because we didn’t want to come here in the first place so we can’t soften the blow with a “well we did ask to come to Japan” statement. Because the locals give you dirty looks if you wear leggings out as pants. Because the locals make it known that you are not welcome here. 

This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "A Question".