Lessons Learned - 2 Years in Lux

We hit the 2 year mark on June 22! Can I just say??? It feels like I've been here 10 years!

Here are a few thoughts on this anniversary:

1. There's a reason a lot of expats stay two years. The first year is the excitement of a new place and the endless paperwork and footwork required to get settled. The second year is feeling less foreign and more comfortable. At the end of that, you still want to stay but it's time to go, and you leave with a happy memory of a time you wish lasted a bit longer. But cross over into the third year and .... wah wahhhhh ... it starts to feel like real life. And I feel like real life should feel completely familiar but it still doesn't cuz language(s) barrier and it's just not home. Alas. We are staying another year and that still feels right for us. But just remember next time: most people get out of here before it starts to feel too real.

2. You fill the space you're given. We moved from a 1400 square foot town home in Seattle to this 900 square foot apartment in Lux. Other things that shrunk: the size of our washer and dryer, the size of our kitchen sink, the size of our dishwasher, the size of our bathrooms, the size of our kitchen pantry (to nil), the size of one bathroom sink to a small shoebox, the fridge and freezer to camper-size. Things that expanded: our parking space (we have a luxurious two spots for one car, and were able to give one away to a friend - all still better than our cramped garage in Seattle), our storage space (yes, in French it's referred to as a "cave," and it holds everything we own out of sight instead of crammed in our teeny garage and the spare bedroom). I guess that's it. A small space keeps me de-cluttering and throwing things out constantly.  A small space is quick to clean. A small fridge means leftovers get the boot early on. I've surprised myself at this two year mark by not hating all the tiny-sized things in my life anymore. We can live like this! We have plenty of space.

3. The never-ending traveling lifestyle cannot last. Not for me anyway. After each (amazing, glorious, awe-inspiring trip) we've taken, I've been so grateful for my own apartment, my own bed, my own shower, my own stuff. I absolutely live for adventure and discovering new things. But I also realized I live for familiarity and routine just as much. Maybe more. I guess we all go through phases, right? At this two-year mark, I'm grateful for staying home more often than running off to the next new destination.

4. Kids do not learn languages "just suh fast." This will go down in history as a top pet peeve statement along with "kids grow up just suh fast!" No, they don't. And, no, they don't. Let the record show: It took a four-year-old Noah eight very tough, very sad months to learn Luxembourgish. And he was in an immersion environment. For Sienna, starting at age six, learning Luxembourgish and German, and as of a couple months ago French, she is still struggling two years later. If you want your kids to learn a language "just suh fast," I'd recommend starting them at age zero and reinforcing it everyday for their entire life. That's how long it takes to learn a language. Take it from the Luxembourgers. It's all they work on in their schools. For years. And years. And years. And years.

5. Oops - there is still one size-related complaint. Why are Europeans still living on double beds? I guess less of a lesson learned and more of a: Do I need to drag you people to a Discount Mattress Store? It's not rocket science. The mattresses here (that I've slept on at way too many Airbnbs) are horrible. The double bed needs to go the way of the dino.

6. Living life at a slower pace is so gratifying. My kids are in school all day. I live next to a beautiful forest. I can walk to three grocery stores. My kids come home for lunch everyday on a bus. My husband and kids get loads of work and school holidays. I don't feel a lot of pressure to have my kids in all the activities. Everything's closed on Sunday and national holidays. Everyday life just feels full of TIME. I have time to go to classes, go for a jog, walk to the grocery store, walk a few blocks to the bus stop, make dinner, and take solid vacations or stay-cations with my family. It's pretty freaking amazing.

7.  Ironing isn't so bad. Most Europeans don't have clothes dryers. Therefore, they are more used to hanging clothes out to dry and then ironing them. Luckily, we do have a dryer. But I've grown up recently. I want to dress better and look more put together as an adult human. So, I picked up ironing here. I never ironed before. But now I kind of like it. I turn on a podcast and it feels quite therapeutic to remove wrinkles for 20-30 minutes. Who knew?

8. I kind of a leeeeetle bit understand what it feels like to be an immigrant. Refer back to lesson #1, where I state that expats have all the fun .... for two years. But immigrants, moving to Lux for a better life, stay long-term. And that's a whole different apple to peel. People from all over the world live in Lux. Some are like me, temporary. Others come here to stay. While I get to have fun and explore, they have to face the reality that they must learn a new language (or two) and get a job in that new language. I feel like an immigrant mom, hiding behind my kids in a scenerio where they'd understand the language but not me. "Hey, Noah. What'd they say?" "Sienna, can you read this menu?" I'm her. I'm the mom who hides at home and doesn't want to face the real world out there. If I stayed here forever, would I always be that cowardly mom? Maybe. I can see how it would be easy to do.

9. I have a love/hate relationship with French. And maybe all languages. I hope not. But this is the first time I've reeeeaaallly tried to learn a language, so I don't know. But each day I have to go to French class (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), I don't want to go. The whole drive and walk I don't want to go, I don't want to go, I don't want to go, I don't want to go. Then I get there and I think, It's okay, I'm doing okay, I can do this, this isn't so bad, it's kinda fun, I should really do this more often. Then I leave the class and walk back to my car and drive home and think, French is the most important thing in the world, I need to become fluent, I will try and try and practice and try to become fluent for the rest of my days. And then I go home and my life is in English and I never think about it again until I feel stupid at the store or I go back to French class. It's a roller coaster. I think I'd like Italian better.

10. I miss fast food. Is this a profound lesson? It certainly is! Look. Europe. We get that you want to keep things old school. But some of us have kids. And when we're in a rush and when we're traveling, we'd love to stop in for a quick bite. We'd love to grab something on the go. Slowing down and eating and enjoying food has its place. It's important. But we could stand to add some variety apart from McDonald's. Right?!