Eighteen and a half months. That’s how long we have been in Riga. We have just passed the midway point of our OUTCAN posting. I can hardly believe it. I feel like I have been here forever, while also feeling like we just got here. The fact that we go home “soon” is already making me sad.
The posting has not been without its challenges. As I write this, my landlord is here with two contractors, or “Masters” as they are known locally, fixing some plumbing and electrical issues in our flat. We’re using Google translate and Siri to help us communicate in a mix of English, Latvian, and Russian. Plumbing is confusing enough in English, right? It’s times like this that I feel the most lost. I am reliant entirely on people who I cannot effectively communicate with, and it’s easy to feel like I have no control over my surroundings.
And still, people are the same everywhere. They are doing all they can to make this easy for me. (When we arrived, my landlord did not know what Google translate was, now she’s a pro!) I live in a beautiful apartment at the top of an Art Nouveau building in Riga, with a view over the city centre and old town, and a private terrace. It’s an old building and it comes with its challenges, but it is also so beautiful! It simply cannot be compared to my condo in Ottawa, which until now I considered perfectly nice. I am forever spoiled.
Tonight, I am off to a potluck dinner with about 20 other Canadians in the CAF community. Before I go, I need to finalize plans for upcoming trips to Spain and Portugal, and make plans for my sister’s visit later this spring. Life is good. The opportunities presented just by living here are once in a lifetime. When I start to feel overwhelmed by how complicated it suddenly seems to get a leaky toilet fixed, I always remind myself of this. I am seeing new countries, learning new languages, and making so many new friends!
Those of you who arrived this past summer are hopefully now starting to feel settled – or nearly there. But if you are not, don’t worry too much about it. Everyone’s process is a little different. Whether you came with kids or pets, or all by yourself, we all have so much to figure out when we arrive in Europe. It is not easy, but your MFS team, and your extended Canadian community is here to help. Reach out – we want to help you thrive !