Paris oh Paris…how I miss you! France and Italy…it was a fun ride! But now its back to reality.
Back at work with a happy, happy, joy, joy face? Tick.
Back in the swing with buddy catch ups? Tick.
Back in the know with Brisbane’s latest? Tick.
Back in my home? Pending tenant exit
Back in the groove? No
Instead I have a desperate need to make everything different. To start anew. New routines, new home, new lifestyle, new work environment – my team mates anticipated the latter and set up a fresh new desk space. I love them for it. Yes, a fresh start, a whole new beginning. Apparently this restlessness has a name – ‘reverse expat syndrome’.
Nothing like a good ‘syndrome’, but what to do? Suggestions from buddies include:
• Refurb existing home
• Volunteer for enthusing work projects
• Choose new exercise routines
• Use different commute options
• Schedule theatre, art exhibit, concert gigs
• Learn a language
• Reclaim the kitchen
• Nurture the body’s wellbeing
• Plan the next journey
• Join a writers group
• Finish the book
• Meditate
Given my blog is, in my own words ‘a little scrapbook of life enhancements for me and you’ and, considering the suggestions provided thus far fit nicely within its topics – Earn, Inspire, Nest, Explore, Taste, Confess, seems a fitting place to share this new journey. So there you go! Welcome to the next exciting chapter of IndulgeDivulge.
Help me build my list and let me help you build yours via the blog. All suggestions welcome.
Meanwhile look out for a fab list of travel hints, compiled as a result of lessons learnt from a few too many ‘epic fails’.
penny Howard
November 25, 2013 at 8:56 am (11 years ago)Poor Jane – three months off the leash for a workaholic is difficult to ‘come down’ from – and I have been in exactly your position – fortunately I was given a huge new project to work on so little time to grieve for Florence but I still found myself renting my apartment within six months of leaving – I still needed to get my “fix” of Florence.
All your colleagues ideas are helpful but I also needed to set up a calender date to get back to my beloved city and another friend from Australia, who has the same problem after her sabbatical in Florence, now organises a return trip – with her father – every year and stays in my apartment – we both find that having a definite date to come back takes away the worst of the nostalgia and turns it into a holiday to look forward to!
I mention Ann’s solution too as like you she has to cross from the antipodes – I deeply realise that it is a whole lot easier to do a 2 hour flight from London to Florence than a 24 hour journey from Melbourne to Paris!
Learning French , nouvelle cuisine and studying French history might be useful activities in preparation for the next trip – however (relatively) short it might be!
Best suggestion I can make and I hope it helps you combat your syndrome!
With love and understanding Penny
Penny Howard
November 25, 2013 at 10:26 am (11 years ago)Hi Jane – I wrote an incredibly long response to this on my Blackberry but it seems to have got lost in the ether somewhere- maybe I replied to you direct?
Anyway I can obviously relate to how you are feeling and your company are so right to give you different things to do..as you know I still haven’t recovered from the impact my sabbatical had on me so I cant offer an easy solution but one thing that my friend Ann – whom I met on her three month sabbatical studying Italian and also from Australia – has done is
To set up an expectation – and a date – and buy tickets well in advance – so she can get back to Florence the following year. This takes away some of the nostalgia and gives her something to look forward to. I appreciate it is much easier for me being only a two hours hop away but I am also happier when I have the next ticket booked – a syndrome isn’t that easy to escape from!
For the immediate future – I was very lucky that I came back from Florence to an enormous project so I had little time to feel homesick (home being where the heart is) so I would try and find something meaty to keep you busy until your next trip!
Best of luck and I really do understand how you are feeling – and leaving work aside, whilst away from routine you have probably found a part of yourself you had been burying whilst busy and found that you actually ” like ” that part of you ..if so… don’t let it go again .. it might come in useful later!
with love Penny
Jane
November 29, 2013 at 9:06 pm (11 years ago)Hi there Penny, just found your wonderful and ever so comforting messages sitting in the spam box. Thank you soooo much for the heads up and reassurance. Can’t tell you how much it cheered me up to know you too and others have experienced the same. I am going to take your advice and book my next trip. This one will be to Phuket or Greece. My Mum is getting frail and so it will be shorter duration but still gets me away. Wanderlust! Expensive but oh so worth it. Yes I did find myself in so many ways and I think this will make for great reading on blog and in book too
Indulge Divulge
November 26, 2013 at 11:28 pm (11 years ago)Thanks guys for liking this post! All ideas, recommendations, nagging welcome! X