N wrote this review of our nomadic lives in the last few years in response to a question in an application for an international management program. I think I summarizes in a very concrete and direct manner our strategy towards change, so here it is:
"Including our native country, Magu and I have lived in three different countries and four different cities in the past five years. We moved from South America to the Southwest of the United States, then to the Northeast of the United States, and finally to London UK. Each move brought along multiple challenges, ranging from language to cultural differences to extreme weather. Each of the relocations naturally generated some anxiety; however, the enjoyment of meeting new people, places, and customs always superseded the initial uneasiness. The approach we have applied to cope with these changes is rather simple, and it is based on the acknowledgement that people and places are different, not only from one country to another, but from one street block to another. We have learned that planning and preparation are keys to a smooth transition, and we have learned that it is critical to keep an open mind and to be ready to see things through the eyes of others. It is very important not to dwell on how things were in X or Y place, but to focus on what the current place has to offer. There is an old saying I learned many years ago 'If it starts raining lemons, just learn to make lemonade', this phrase summarizes our strategy towards change"
