If our last time through this was any indication, "Going Expat" turns your life into a movie. It is one of the great reasons to do something like this: who doesn't want to turn their lives into a movie for awhile? There is something about living in a different place makes you slightly more romantic, dangerous and wiley than you typically would think about yourself while heating up lunch leftovers in the office kitchen.
One of by-products of leaping into an adventure like this is that the general perceived gravity of your life experience suddenly explodes. Common occurrences like jet planes streaking overhead become movie-moments: a plane represents a key component to this impending life change. If you are me, this requires staring squinty eyed at it, with the sun slanting across your face, as you contemplate the precipice you are about to drive over. If done from the middle of a Safeway parking lot while holding a bag of groceries, all the better. The gravity of the moment will be deeply apparent to all in close proximity to you, the Real Change guy and others carrying bags of chicken breasts and toilet paper, and all will likely look up as well to be swept away with the moment.
So I've been spending lots of time getting weepy about my neighborhood "it's...SO...BEAUTIFUL!" and everyday things that I know I will miss, such as peanut butter and Macrina blueberry scones. This is what some movie roles demand: sacrifice and hardship.
But, being a movie star, I get this. I'm fine this giving some things up.
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