Life In and Out of the U.S.

Read on

April 15, 2010

This year we’ll be spending a lot of time in the U.S. — about 5 months total. This is the most time that I’ve spent in my home country since 2006 when I was back in Florida for 8 or 9 months to finish my degree. Yay for spending ridiculous amounts of money on a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management! Both have proved to be SO useful in starting this photography business. Ha.

Anyway. Since then, the longest I’ve been in the U.S. at once has never amounted to much more than one month at a time. Even this year, our time is still divided up — a month in May to photograph what is sure to be an amazing wedding in NYC. Then we’ll be back from the end of July-mid October, in part to escape the horrendous, depressing winter months here. But mostly to shoot more weddings, including the winner of the free wedding photography contest, in NYC! I’m really pumped for all our U.S. weddings because A. I don’t know many of our clients well and I’d like to. And B. U.S. weddings are a whole different ballgame than Chilean weddings.

But what I’ve really been wondering about is whether or not spending so much time in the U.S. will make me want to move back? Or will it make me even happier to be living in Chile? The differences between the countries are endless. But you get into a rhythm no matter where you are, that fits with the vibe of the place you’re in. I’ve finally gotten into a rhythm with Chile. And it only took me a little over 3 years.

Going back and forth between both countries has it’s benefits. We are able to spend time with both our families, we get to work in two different countries (actually three this year, we’re also shooting a wedding in Spain!) which means that I never feel bored or stagnant. However, I worry that being a couple months here, a couple months there means we won’t hit a rhythm in either country. It’s a little unsettling to feel like your home is always moving. I am hoping that having a place we can call our own here (yes, we finally have a way to buy our apartment, even though the banks hate us) will help me feel a little more stable.

I wonder about the reverse culture shock too. Will I be going back and forth from a state of reverse culture shock in one place to a state of reverse culture shock in another? And then again and again? Will I leave the U.S. only to come back Chile and wonder why there are no screens on the windows? Why there are couples dry humping in the park? Why running the simplest errand can take hours? And on and on and on, with all the things that used to shock me here. Will I leave Chile to go to the U.S. and be dumbfounded by early gringo lunches and dinners and small talk? While there’s certainly value in going out of your comfort zone, a thrill that most expats seek, I most certainly don’t want to feel out of my element all the time. I don’t like feeling discombobulated (which just happens to be my favorite word ever, by the way).

I think next year we’re may try and do a visa for Seba so that we can just stay six months in the U.S. and then come back for six months here. That’s also so that we can take Papi with us because I absolutely hate being without her. But if we get the visa, then what? How do we work that? Buy a car for the U.S. to use half the year? Rent our apartment here for half the year? I like the nomadic lifestyle, but I’d be lying if I said I weren’t a little nervous about trying to work out the logistics.

18 Comments
Subscribe to comment feed

Facebook comments:

2 Trackbacks

16 Comments

  1. The Milwaukee airport has a Recombobulation area. For real! http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29452504… I was through there last month and that sign cracked me up. You should fly through there!

    Comment by Jennette — April 16, 2010 @ 3:04 pm

    Reply

  2. Why are they couples dry humping in the park? haha! Only the park? Try the metro…the buses…bars… I definitely felt some reverse culture shock when I went back to the US in December. I remember my mom took me to the store to help me get some food and I was looking for the little man to weigh my apples. I started to panic because I was thinking “How can I leave if they don't weigh them and put that little sticker on? AHHH!” I got over it. I still don't know exactly where I fit in. I'm sort of equally culture-shocked at both now, but for different reasons.

    Comment by Sara — April 17, 2010 @ 1:48 am

    Reply

  3. My parents live mostly in Spain, but are still resident in the UK and spend quite a bit of time here. From their experience, I'd say the main issues are the practical ones – how to manage a house and bills when you're not there to oversee them, how to manage two cars, one in each country, how to arrange a social life in each place that is satisfying while not feeling like you're missing out all the time. Spain is…laid back, let's say…and so when issues occur (such as getting home to find the water's been cut off because the bank account number changed without anyone warning them, or the boiler's packed up, or the pool's sprung a leak) it's difficult to get someone to come out/sort the problem. I know it leaves them with a lot of frustration. They're thinking of moving to Florida for 6 months a year though (with 2 x 1 month in UK and 4 months a year in Spain) so it's can't be that bad.
    I can imagine you and Seba really making it work. And I think your business will really benefit from the US exposure.

    Comment by elizaclaire — April 17, 2010 @ 11:24 pm

    Reply

  4. What a thought-provoking post! Please be sure to do a post when you come up with the answers :) :)

    Comment by maeskizzle — April 18, 2010 @ 2:02 am

    Reply

  5. I think about this stuff too! I'd love to live in the US part time and in Australia part time but that's not really going to happen for a long time. It's just so hard to figure out.

    I'm going to be in the US when you're there! I am planning on being in New England for the first two weeks of August. :)

    Comment by Decoybetty — April 18, 2010 @ 2:34 am

    Reply

  6. Love the recombobulation idea. Awesome. And I don't think it is just because I was born in Milwaukee. How awesome that they had a sense of humor enought to put up that signage.

    Comment by Ritamae39 — April 19, 2010 @ 1:50 am

    Reply

  7. Come and see us!!! (as long as you can put up with Evan asking you to take his picture as he asked me daily while we were in Chile when you would be coming back and if you would please take his picture again)

    Comment by Aimee — April 19, 2010 @ 2:35 am

    Reply

  8. Wow, that's A LOT to think about!!! Honestly, I envy your lifestyle, because like you said you never feel stagnant. I HATE that feeling. I think you'll figure it out with time. To many what if's right now you know? See how you feel after spending so much time in the US? And you never know, what if you go to Spain and decide to never leave? Haha!!!

    Comment by GlobalButterfly — April 20, 2010 @ 12:47 am

    Reply

  9. I LOVE that. I have no reason to fly to Milwaukee. But now I want to.

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:34 am

    Reply

  10. True, I forgot to mention that couples dry hump EVERYWHERE.

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:35 am

    Reply

  11. Adding a third country to the mix? I feel a headache coming on just thinking about it. You're right about that it's hard to feel like you're not missing out on something, somewhere, if you're always in two places at once and in no place at twice.

    And I am hoping that business will grow from being in the U.S. more. I think it will and I'm looking forward to jumping in headfirst either way!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:36 am

    Reply

  12. Come up with the answers? No pressure there!!!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:36 am

    Reply

  13. Hey! If you end up swinging through NYC, we leave the city on August 2nd. Would love to meet you!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:37 am

    Reply

  14. Dude, I would take Evan's picture again in a heartbeat. I know you think I'm kidding, but I'm not — that kid is a J-Crew model in the making!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:38 am

    Reply

  15. And I envy your lifestyle because you have an established business in one place and a home base! There are goods and bads about both lifestyle, I think everyone just has to figure out what works best for themself!

    Comment by kylehepp — April 21, 2010 @ 7:38 am

    Reply

  16. I think that having consistent people in your life and consistent work can be more important than all the little details, over time….I've lived in four countries in the last year, but having my coworkers and friends in my life made my social life feel steady, and having one job means that I don't feel like I'm starting all over again every time I arrive somewhere.

    So with a great husband, a great job, and a great dog, I think you'll be just fine! :-)

    Comment by Meredith_H — April 21, 2010 @ 10:25 am

    Reply

Leave a Reply