The Big S. What Stopped and What Started in The Lives of Our XpatGirls

Once you begin a new life, you always try out new things and let go of the some of the old ones. So let’s see how did our girls do.

What Stopped?

1. 40% stopped worrying. What does that tell us? That when you are completely helpless sometimes and you have no control – like when living for the first time in a new country – can actually help you relax.
2. 16% gave up bad habits like: smoking, watching too much TV, eating without logic
3. 16% stopped doing some funny or small daily activities, without necessarily of a big importance, but which were done with a high frequency. Hey, it’s all those little things that matter, like: roller skating or taking a walk. A quite significant percentage of girls gave up wearing high heels.. Is the fashion industry at risk??
4. 12% don’t build up mental barriers or don’t believe in cliches anymore. When you become an expat, you have to start re-thinking everything about the world.. and yourself.
5. 8% gave up driving. How funny is that? When you start your life in a new place, it’s difficult to own or find your way around in a car. Public transportation or simply walking it’s definitely more reliable.
6. 8% actually deeply experience a loss. Either from stopping doing something that they really love, like yoga, or missing friends and family. Unfortunately, an undisputed part of the expat life.

What Started?

We have a very even score; seem like a lot has happened new in the life of an expat. And why not start with a very basic need? After all, we are all humans.

1. 22% started going out more and trying out more food and drinks. Can you blame them; who wouldn’t eat pineapple all day long?
2. 22% have a new daily behavior. Either if it’s walking in the morning, biking to work or exercising every day, it is definitely something that was not present before.
3. 22% developed a new skill. Whether is a new language, acting, skiing or taking picture, for sure the personality is richer now.
4. 22% declare their horizons expanded. They acknowledge a broader influence on their life or a radical change. These are women that generally lived longer in a place. They say they enjoy living life to the full now, started reinventing themselves and doing things they did not think were capable before, like talking to new people every day.
5. 11% have a new funny habit. Can go from checking the weather daily and all about rain probabilities to bowing all the time. Hilarious!