Mommy On Foreign Shores…

You just settled into marriage and motherhood hits you with a little human dependent and clinging to you from feed to comfort. In the middle of all this you are suddenly told to move houses not just home but home base too.

Set up in a new country thanks to hubby’s new job cross country transfer.

You know no one, you might be proficient in English but knowing English is not necessarily the only qualification that prepares you for this complex change of physiological and psychological conditions.

You tend to get lost coming to terms with the culture, traditions, set of social obligations, etc.  It’s a completely foreign set up; their customs, child upbringing norms, their do’s and don’ts. I for one have experienced it first-hand having shifted from India to Dubai

So some handy tips and tales would make a great guide

Check on people and groups who might belong to your own country in building or neighborhood. Join the whatsapp and Facebook groups and sub groups. A lot of the times these groups help you get answers to many questions like where you get particular food or clothing or stationary items or reviews on places and eateries to visit.

Make friends with people with kids and your neighbors, invite them over for tea.  Have lunches, birthday party of kids, etc. It helps open up more communication channels to more social circles and you meet more people which in turn might get you more play dates and social gathering invites and keeps ones social diary busy on weekday evenings and on weekends.

Making friends with your hubby’s colleagues wives is very essential. It helps not only your hubby de-stress but you too. So organizing office parties is easier as you share each other’s like dislikes and visit each other’s homes. Also your work family becomes an extended go to guide for any emergency or anything that requires group outings, hospital visits, barbeque parties, etc. Also helps in getting schools shortlisted, which pediatrics to take kids to, etc sorted and many other things too.

Reconnecting with any college or school mates settled there helps to feel closer home and get to know things about the new place.

Rekindling relations like if you have any kind of family like distant cousins, uncles and aunts. Make time to connect, meet and greet it helps to keep part of the family customs and traditions alive away from home.

Keep yourself updated about the rules and regulations of the country from the various online government sites, Newspapers, etc.

Look out for nearest play areas, play grounds, parks, beaches and supermarkets and Dollar shops. Look out for offers and events on your community festivals in Facebook pages and whatsapp groups and in and around your area.

Last but not the least always meet and invite new colleagues, friends of friends and visit whenever invited it helps to drive away the loneliness you might feel as you are a complete stranger. It increases your interaction with people other than family or blood relatives and gives you some great friendships for life that help you survive and make a home away from home.

So if you are a mommy who is foreign bound all the best for your future.