What next?

It’s funny how things come full circle.  In the last few weeks, two emails about university graduations have landed in my inbox. One was reminding me that I graduated 25 years ago and the other informed me that I had completed my B.Sc. in Psychology.

I started the psychology degree in Norway. I had been working as a freelance consultant for organisations that I loved but the commute from Stavanger to Belfast is not exactly an easy one and I was beginning to feel less relevant and more remote from my clients’ needs. I realised that I could (within reason, the law of the land and my own moral compass) do whatever I wanted to do. I also realised that I was maybe a little bit bored when there wasn’t a lot of work to be done.

Going back to school was the perfect thing for me in so many ways. It gave my new life, away from a busy office, some structure and purpose. It challenged me and pushed me to try new things in the way former colleagues and clients had in the past. It connected my professional experience and skills to issues that were personal passions.

It also gave me a sort of emotional crutch as I adjusted to life as an expat and later, to a move to a new country. It gave me a purpose.

And now it’s done.

This is not to say that it’s been the only thing that has given my expat life purpose and direction – far from it – but it was a big part of my life over the last six years.

And so the inevitable question – what next?

Part of the answer is to go back to what I have always loved – the best part of my career, the  best part of these last few years of academia – writing. And initially, that’s going to mean writing about our crazy expat life on this blog.

As for the rest, well, I’ll let you know when I figure that out.