Final Thoughts

Kositsky Family 2010

Our first post was on May 20, 2010. Exactly 32 months and 55 posts later we are calling it quits with this, our final entry. Life in the USA is back to "normal" and our adventures in Nicaragua, Peru and re-adjusting to the United States are over.

Emma and Hannah 
For our first post, we made a video of Emma and Hannah talking about the pending move to Nicaragua. We also took a video of them a month before moving to Peru in 2011. It seemed appropriate to make a final video about their expat experience. I suppose we were hoping for something profound and meaningful but instead we got something charming and funny (in just one take).

Emma and Hannah 2012
Emma and Hannah 2011
Emma and Hannah 2010

Aileen
We're all getting settled back in, and the novelty of life here is starting to wear off.  I'm no longer astounded by bus stops that not only have nice little benches, but alternating digital advertisements, a sign that tells you exactly in how many minutes your bus will be arriving, and a button to push to hear the arrival time, in case you can't see. (I'm no longer astounded, but those bus stops still make me think of our crazy bus trip about a year ago, that was supposed to be 15 hours long and ended up being 29!). And I no longer leave the grocery store with a single piece of fruit, because of the sticker shock. Getting back into the "groove" of everyday life here in the United States has definitely made me appreciate our adventure of the last two years even more. Looking back on all the amazing experiences we shared as a family and all the wonderful people and places we got to know make me want to encourage all of you who've said to us, "wow, I've always wanted to do that!"  Go for it!  What's stopping you???

In terms of lessons learned, I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but looking back, I really love the experiences that accentuate how we're all pretty much the same. Whether it's school in San Francisco, CA, or in Arequipa, Peru, the reaction to the question, "Who wants to be room parent this year?" is the same: averted eyes, squirming, and silence in which to hear a pin drop. And whether we live in a shack with a dirt floor in Nicaragua, or a 3 bedroom house in San Francisco, we all think at times, "It sure would be great if we had more space." And of course, every parent we met in every village, town, and city only wanted the best for their children. I guess that above all else, I hope that Emma and Hannah have learned this lesson in a meaningful way, and that it will influence their understanding of themselves as global citizens.

Jeff
Experiencing life overseas was a blessing beyond measure but perhaps not in the way one might expect. Buckaroo Banzai, one of my favorite movie characters, liked to say, "no matter where you go, there you are." I think that describes perfectly the expat experience. Moving overseas does not change who you are, broaden your mind, fix your weaknesses, make you skinnier, clear up your skin, or solve your problems. In fact, if you really throw yourself into the experience, living overseas tends to exacerbate whatever challenges you have in life while testing your strength and resolve. Fortunately, we came out the other end a bit stronger and a bit wiser, but essentially the same people we were before leaving the USA a few years ago. If there was any transformation that occurred, it was with our family as a whole rather than as four individuals. A friend who came to visit us in Nicaragua observed that we had become something more than a family and he declared us a tribe. We experienced some amazing things during the past two years and it was a joy watching Emma and Hannah become bilingual while moving from place to place with such grace and ease. However, for me, the best part of our adventure was having a special experience as a family. The kids still fight, the adults still bicker, and life is hardly perfect in the Kositsky household. However, having a few years without all of the commitments, complications and stresses of everyday life strengthened our family bonds and appreciation for everything and everyone we have in our lives.

*  *  *

In May 2010 we wrote....."the purpose of our trip was to help our daughters learn Spanish, to experience another culture together, and to have more family time in a relaxed environment. We would also like to make some sort of contribution to the communities we live in." And while it took a year longer than expected, we achieved all of these goals and came home feeling both fulfilled and relieved.  Relieved to be back among family and friends and thrilled to be living in Northern California which despite its faults (literally and figuratively) is a wonderful place to be.

Thank you so much for reading our blog. We started this project to keep a diary of our travels and share some experiences with a few family members and friends. We were very surprised and gratified at the number of people who told us they read our posts regularly. We hope to have a blog-worthy family adventure again someday but for now we are signing off the blogosphere.

With Love and Friendship,

Aileen, Emma, Hannah and Jeff

Kositsky Family 2012