A Little Story About How We Moved

 

This is Tangiers, which we visited briefly during our Spring Break trip to Spain in April. 

It's a very photogenic place. I'd love to go back. But that's not likely to happen anytime soon, as we aren't living in Europe anymore.

 

Early this year, Husband decided he could no longer agree with and support various initiatives and behaviors of the administration in his school and in the (enormous) System as a whole.

Rather than burying his head in the sand and hating his job for years (which, believe me, some people do--because this overseas teaching gig is an awfully good one), he chose to resign.

 

Some people thought he was crazy. Many other applauded his having the guts to unlock the golden handcuffs.

 

Thus began our search for a way and a place to return to some semblance of reality as U.S. citizens, not semi-expats.

Please understand that we lived overseas for twelve years and enjoyed most of that time immensely. But with one child in college in the States and the other nearing high school graduation, we realized that it could be good for us to go ahead and try to find a place to settle down in the U.S. The toxic atmosphere in the school just made the decision a lot easier and even more timely.

We began doing research online--lots of it. We knew we wanted to return to somewhere in the South; that was our starting point. We also knew we wanted to start a small business, built around some of our wonderful European flea market finds.

To make a long story a little shorter, we found fantastic renters for our German house (we'll go back to check on it yearly until we decide to sell), and we found Greenville, South Carolina. It's a very cool place these days, and there's tons of natural beauty right here and nearby. We moved in June and opened our little retail shop in August. Husband is also working in real estate.

Actually, though, we got used to small-town life in Germany, so we chose a small town on the edge of Greenville--a very cute place with a name that suits us and our story: Travelers Rest.

I hope you'll join us in our latest adventure by checking out our new blog and social media pages. Of course, if you're in the area, please visit our shop! And thank you for reading Fairytale Hausfrau!

Homebody

cozy global comforts

vintage and new

5B S. Main St.

Travelers Rest, SC

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Dealing with Transition in Your Life?

My expat friend Ariana has had a hefty share of disappointments and setbacks in her adult life. She and her husband dared to try a different way of life for their family of three--a new job and a move from Portland, Oregon, to Germany--only to lose that job (and new lifestyle) in a matter of months. They spent time back in the States, sleeping on people's floors and couches and drawing unemployment, before finding a new job and making another big move, this time to England. The family settled into life there nicely, while also dealing with some unexpected disappointments--and even now, there is the potential for another move.

I'm so glad Ariana decided to write a book of encouragement and ideas for those of us going through our own times of transition. Pruned: Blossoming Through Life's Difficult Seasons is about what Ariana and her family have experienced and what they have learned. It's about how they have managed to turn feelings of fear and uncertainty into an outlook of adventure and a sense of hope and positivity. One of my favorite quotations comes from the book's Introduction:

"I hope to encourage others to embrace an 'abundance mentality,' to see possibility in the midst of loss, and to live more intentionally as a result...When we are forced to stop living on autopilot, we get to make real decisions, give up things we have outgrown, and introduce positive new elements into our lives."

This book is a quick and easy read, but it packs a real punch. In ten chapters, Ariana outlines the different issues we deal with during different times and then gives the reader ways to frame these issues in positive ways. Topics include Finding Perspective, Facing Fears, Transforming Worry, and Avoiding Common Thought Traps. Each brief chapter contains a number of thoughts broken down in an easily-readable way and ends with a list of Questions for Reflection.

I like that Ariana reminds us that there is enough good in the world for all of us--we needn't feel bad when things are going well for us, and we shouldn't always expect that things will go poorly or stay bad in our lives during the more trying times. I also like that she makes concrete, workable suggestions, and her tone is soothing and comforting but also somehow invigorating enough to inspire change.

My family has gone through some rather uncomfortable changes, especially during the first couple of years after we moved from Japan to Germany. Ariana helped me realize that it was okay for us to feel what we felt, though perhaps we could have dealt with our emotions and the reality of our circumstances in some more productive ways.

This ebook is a meaningful resource for anyone dealing with transition, whether large or small. I recommend it without reservation, regardless of your religious and/or philosophical beliefs. I believe you'll turn to it repeatedly for reassurance and motivation as you navigate life's changes.
You can buy Pruned here. And if you haven't read my guest post for Ariana on And Here We Are, I hope you will!

A Springtime Miscellany

Enjoying great coffee, olive oils, and vinegars in our little downtown. Watching both kids play soccer in a European tournament (Daughter in the familiar posture of giving a teammate a pre-match hug). Day-tripping to Düsseldorf (Japantown!), Köln, and Nancy, mother-in-law in tow. Frolicking in the back yard with friends, on a rare (this year) sunny day. Having drinks outside a small castle nearby. Attending Daughter's Baccalaureate Ceremony last week. Hugging, laughing, and crying at graduation on Saturday. It's been a full, eventful Spring. We're heading to the States next week, for a full two months this year. I wish you a most happy summer, and I'll try not to be a stranger until we return!