The first year of expat life comes with some surprises. Here are a few of them.
Come Along!
credit: Ashworth Imagery
Welcome to our blog! We are a family trying out cross-cultural living in a place we knew nothing about before we moved there. “What could go wrong?” Lots, it turns out, but more importantly, “What could go right?” Come with us as we learn a lot about the people, cultures and places in Singapore, Southeast Asia, and anywhere else we land.
And, if you’re interested, read about us and how we got here below!
Our Story
Our story began in rural Arkansas where we met in school. After several years of being friends, we started dating our junior year. By graduation, we had decided to attend the same college and get married as soon as possible.
High school graduation 1993
Our plans included completing college, graduate school, and starting a family. We expected to live and work in Arkansas most of our lives but that is not what happened.
In 2002 we moved to Houston and welcomed our oldest son, Jonathan, into our family. Michael, our second son, joined us in 2005. Apart from one fantastic year in Nixa, MO from 2006-2007, we have lived in a suburb of sprawling Houston.
Our upbringing suggested we would live a rural, rooted lifestyle. Our love for adventure and missions has instead drawn us to travel around the world.
Learning about new cultures, seeing new landscapes, and loving people has changed us.
When an opportunity to relocate to Singapore opened before us, we decided it was time to learn more than we could through travel alone. We want our children to love people different from themselves and to experience God outside of the known and predictable lives we could have given them. So, in July 2018, we landed in Singapore to open a new chapter in our lives.
This blog offers a great way to stay connected to those we love back home and to connect with anyone else interested in our adventures. We are a messy family: complete with teenage angst, midlife struggles, and all that comes with both. Our niece, Ariana, joined our journey so we also enjoy the challenges and joys of blended family dynamics. Bringing all of us halfway around the world promises bumps and mishaps. Life here also offers boundless opportunities; we prefer to focus on those possibilities.
Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a great adventure or it is nothing.” I believe this to be true whether we labor in daily mundanities or great change. We want to glean all our time abroad has to offer. As you join us, I hope you find encouragement, tips for family life overseas, and a broader perspective. Do drop us a line when you can. We’d love to hear back from you.
First day in Singapore
**Unless otherwise credited, all photographs are taken by our family. Please do not copy or distribute them without permission.
