It has now been two months since we left the desert and all that life there encompassed. The last year or so proved to be the most challenging of times because living outside of the bubble, that most expats survive in to convince themselves that being there is worthwhile, causes your eyes to open and never be shut again.
While we may have read stories in the papers or heard them from third, fourth or more sources, we tend to never believe that bad things – life changing things – can happen to you. The truth is that as long as you stay within the confines of the bubble, these bad things never happen.
Now, there is a lot of personal responsibility that must be taken before this story begins.
On my end, I lived and worked where my salary was never going to be higher as all of my living expenses were basically covered. A more responsible adult would have been more frugal and financially responsible to put money away for those rainy days that inevitably come or the challenging periods that could happen in life.
I did not.
I traveled. I fully enjoyed life and absolutely lived beyond my means despite the extravagance of my income. I admit it. However, I do not regret it. Sure, it would be nice to own a piece of property that would have been an investment. Or, it might be more comforting to my parents and those who are fiscally-minded if I had a sweet cushion to fall back on should something happen to me.
Still, that is not how I have ever thought about money or life. I cannot take it with me. If I get terminally ill, I will not fight it for when the time comes then so be it.
That’s not to say that I do not appreciate the wisdom behind having ‘rainy day’ money. Our recent experience has hit that home for me – it only took about 20 years, but hey….it’s never too late, right?!
So, back to the fact that I take full responsibility for not having the financial freedom one would expect of me after eight years of bubble living.
For my husband’s side, he has to take his own responsibility for his part.
When we met, I also knew that money was going to be a concern for us as neither of us had a proven track record of being overly mindful about it. Still, love is truly blind and when you decide you want to spend the rest of your life with someone nothing else really seems so important.
Still…when your partner is in a business that is commission-based and living in a country where debts and laws are made and enforced on the whim of the person whom you encounter, there is a constant risk being taken. Sometimes you are lucky to escape and others times….
Well, this is where the story continues next time….
~T π
