Moving to another country was filled with many emotions, but for me excitement and anxiety were at the top of the list.  It was a slow build of excitement/anxiety in my belly as I moved toward the big day. Why do you suppose we experience anxiety when we are voluntarily moving?  Is it fear of the unknown or just excitement mixed with fear of change? For me I believe it was a bit of all that mixed with a sense of responsibility for our son and the huge change we were including him in.  It reminds me of the feeling I get as I stand in line for a roller coaster I’ve never been on before and as I inch toward the front of the line, the fluttering in my belly grows until I have to consciously quiet the internal voice that tells me to get out of line!  Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I voluntarily scaring myself when I don’t have to? Are expats a glutton for these feelings, are we adrenalin junkies? I suppose so but when I think of the alternative, I stay in that line that is scaring me and I keep inching forward.  Exploring and experiencing new countries, cultures and traditions has brought so much value to my life and the way I understand myself and others. So isn’t life about scaring ourselves just a bit? Perhaps, and I wouldn’t change it for the world!