Chīwit thī̀ dī.

Thailand will probably be our last hurrah when it comes to our living overseas. This land of a thousand smiles has always been on our 'where to next' radar and after having been here almost a year now, this land has not let us down as far as our pre-conceived expectations. Other than the fact that it's crazy hot here all the time, we have come across few countries in our globe trotting maze that are blessed with so much as is Thailand. But then, we may still be in what we call the 'honeymoon stage' of our stay here. In any case, no wonder the Kingdom of Thailand attracts more visitors than any other country in Southeast Asia. It's irresistible combination of breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring temples, renowned hospitality, alluring spirituality, interesting and sometimes robust cuisine all make living here the good life. And voilà, this is why I have chosen chīwit thī̀ dī as the new title for my resurrected blog.  Chīwit thī̀ dī means 'the good life' in Thai.  

Our first overseas experience dates back thirty years ago when Madeleine and I packed our bags for a three-year sojourn in the Black Forest of what was known then as West Germany. Three short years later, we returned to Canada 30lbs heavier (ample German beer and ein groβ schnitzel too many can do that), each of us inevitably bedizened with the wickedly uncomfortable lederhosen and, subsequent to the birth of our daughter while in Germany, totally transformed as two of the most obnoxiously proud parents of a brand spanking new baby girl. Thus began our careers as international teachers which led us across 7 different lands, not counting Canada. 

During the span of those 30 years, we have sometimes, no make that oftentimes, wondered if this mobile mode of living was worth the discomfort, loneliness, anger, and vulnerability of the culture shock that usually accompanies the nomadic lifestyle. Dumb question. Of course it was worth it! We consider ourselves very fortunate and privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead the life we’ve led as global nomads.

Today, at the threshold of our probable last year of living overseas, we are thankful to be reaping the numerous positive legacies of a global life.    We are grateful for what it has given our kids, their view of the world, their openness to diversity and support of new communities, their independence and their reliance on their natural instincts, their global values, and for the many friends that they’ve made out there, friendships that are still alive and well today due to social media. We are thankful for what it has done to our family unit; the insular and sheltered expatriate world has brought us closer as a family and today we treasure the times we meet as 4 adults, reminding ourselves of the exploits we experienced and survived during our years overseas (how can one forget that 4 day trek in northern Thailand, meandering on the Chao Phraya River on our self-made bamboo raft, deftly dodging the occasional water buffalo!?).

On the Great Wall of China - A family that jumps together, stays together.

As for Madeleine and I, well, as we plod along on this journey of life (as opposed to breezing along when we were younger), and as we still sometimes deal with the empty-nester syndrome and the occasional withdrawal pains from nurturing, (one would think that after 6 years sans enfants we'd get over it), we often reminisce, savour and relish every memorable moment of our times abroad, be it drinking tea with Princess Monera in her Riyadh royal palace, or that disheartening afternoon at the Children’s Rescue Centre in Conakry, cradling baby Raymond who had been abandoned the night before in a ditch on the outskirts of the city.  

Yes, it has indeed been a good life, it has been chīwit thī̀ dī!