Those of us who live overseas often think about our families in our homelands. You know, "wishing they weren't quite so far away", etc. We call, we write, we e-mail, we chat over the Internet...by the way, does anyone send telegrams anymore? And, we anxiously await our goodie packages, counting the days, the weeks, and unfortunately in some cases, the months until they arrive, hoping that they'll make it through all the countries between Home country and Present country without too much manhandling. And, I might add, hoping that all the things so lovingly packed by our friends and family get to the intended recipient instead of being -ahem! - shared on the way! However, sometimes we have to think about how our loved ones feel about our being "quite so far away".
How DO your people feel about your living abroad? Have you asked them recently? Of course, I'm not saying that you're asking for their permission. I'm just saying, ask them. Let them have a chance to express their fears and their hopes in your being abroad. Sure, it's hard to leave family and friends behind, get used to a different culture, foods, language, people, etc. But, it's just as hard (and maybe harder) to be left behind. Our people at home know what home is like; they may not know what our new home is like. And, if they've never been to our new home, all they can do is imagine what it must be like. For instance, to an expatriate, especially in the Third World, an electric showerhead doesn't sound like a big deal. But, to a First Worlder.... electricity plus water equals electrocution!
Now, just imagine how our people must feel when they hear on the nightly news that, for instance, "there's been an earthquake in (let's say) Nicaragua". On the other hand, you live in Bluefields, on the eastern coast, and the epicenter of the quake was near Jinotepe, on the western coast. You didn't even feel it, and you heard about it on the news just like everyone else who didn't experience it. But, what's running through our people's minds? "Nicaragua? Why, that's where Jack is! On the coast? Jack's on the coast! Why doesn't he call to let us know that he's alright?" Etc, etc, etc. Some of them might take the trouble to get out a map to see that 'Jack's alright', but some might not. So, what can we do?
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