MEMOIRS: Living Abroad being an Expatriate

Being an expatriate who lives in the US was never in my desire but it was a life that we never knew what was happened in our future life especially if we talked about our soulmate.
Having many friends from abroad were always excited. Many new things I could learn from them, but having a serious relationship with someone from different country was more excited and the most challenging.

After many things to do to apply the fiance visa, from many immunitations that took around one year, medical check up and interview, I was sure my fiancee was the one person who would be my husband soon.

I felt my tears when the airplane took off from Juanda Airport, Surabaya. At that time I realized that I would be so far away from my family and my best friends. But I had one giant faith, that HE would never leave me alone. If He gave him to me to be my future husband, then I would never has a doubt at all to give my whole life in His hands to live and share my life with my soulmate.

When the first time I stepped my feet on USA earth, I knew there were many challenges I would face. I had been ready since I started knowing that my fiance (my husband) told me that he had sent all the fiance visa application to INS in USA and had been approved and they sent them to USA Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The first impression I had at my arrival was the rule how to get on the line when I had to report at the non US citizen arrival centre and met an INS officer to give a thick-large envelope of my private informations from USA Embassy in Jakarta to INS Officer. I felt really nervous but everything was just fine.

The second impression was the weather. Although at that time was in August (summer) but it was still chilly for me when the evening came.

On the 3rd month of my arrival, exactly on October 5th, 2002 we had simple wedding ceremony at our apartement and just some close friends and members of family attended. There were no family and friends from my site. I wish someday if God permits I will have a special traditional wedding ceremony in Indonesia. The special thing from our wedding was most of the food for our wedding celebration was the food that I cooked myself. Everybody loved them. Batik was our theme for our wedding dresses although I had prepared a special modern-traditional wedding gown for myself that I brought from Indonesia. Sonny Raji was a famous designer who designed my wedding gown. It was so beautiful. One day I'm sure I'll wear it in our second vote in front of the the Priest as God's representative on the earth.

Enjoying in playing on the snow was my 3rd impression. What is other impressions things? Many. From the kind of food they eat, the way how they pay the bills, the body posture they have are much bigger, taller and fatter than mine. That is why most of Americans think I am still a tenager. I think because of how much younger I look, slim and small body I have.

Being an Expatriate for more than 6 years in USA till right now, I still learn many new things. Life is learning for me, so I will never stop to learn many things in the new earth I live. I enjoy every different stuff I face, like and dislike. My life is so colorful, that is why there are many different and opposite things I always face and experience in my new life. Language is my priority. It took around two years for me to adjust in speaking English everyday and every word came in my brain to come out automatically as the words/sentences from my mouth. That wasn't easy but I wasn't shy to practice English in speaking. Although many mistakes I made, I was never shy to try to speak rightly. Vocabularies is very important to improve my English in conversation everyday.

Beside language, weather, food, culture, etc are different, I also had desire that one day I could have a chance to work. I was so impressed how not difficult and complicated in looking for a new job as long as we had good record and really wanted to work well. It is different with my country as the 3rd country. Because of so many people live there, the chance to get a job becomes very competitive. Finally in August 2006 I got my first job in USA, as a WALMART Associate. In the new working environment at WALMART I learn many new things from kind of company I work, departement I work, and their management. I really enjoy and like working there even I don't feel that I work at another country. Most people who work there are so friendly and it makes me more comfortable. They respect the diversity and work fairly.

One thing that I'm still difficult to find here is good and close friends. I see most Americans are not sociable like most Indonesians. But thank to God, I have good neighbourhood, some good friends at work and nice church community beside nice family from my husband's site.

Writing and blogging are two activities that help me to meet other Indonesian although just in cyber world. This is better than nothing. After I get involved as Managing Editor inwww.kabarindonesia.com I feel closer with my country although it is thousands miles away. The cyber world can make it happens. And now writing is a part of my world. Helium is a good choice for me to practice my writing in English. My dream to publish my books have just happened. Couple days ago I had launched my first Christian Children E-ook titled 'What Prayers does Mommy Teach Me?'. I was so very excited. A special blog at www.abbottsbooks.blogspot.com I made it to promote my published books. Now I am still busy to prepare a new project for www.kabarindonesia.com and my next books that I'm writing now. I believe with hard work and discipline, I will be a very good author that can publish many good books. Everybody can make it happens in USA as long as they really want to work hard to reach it.

Being an Expatriate in a super power country can be a great challenging in my whole life. Am I happy? Yes, because I am with my lovely family. Am I Sad? Yes, because I am in the thousands miles away from my family and my best friends. Do I enjoy my life? Yes, everything I do, I always enjoy it. Life is to be enjoyed, bad or good, sad or happy, like or dislike. I want my life is beautiful wherever I live especially with my lovely family.(*)

Published at Helium, November 12, 2008