In this episode, Paraguay expat Paulina shares her experiences and differences of living in Spain as an immigrant and Paraguay is an expat; the importance of paying attention to informal and formal cultural norms; and how her skillsets to support NGOs and Local Nonprofits abroad.
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In this episode, Paraguay expat Paulina shares her experiences and differences of living in Spain as an immigrant and Paraguay is an expat; the importance of paying attention to informal and formal cultural norms; and how her skillsets to support NGOs and Local Nonprofits abroad.
FULTON
$10 off your next purchase - Use code POD10
https://www.walkfulton.com
[00:03:07] Nyra: Hi, Paulina. Thank you for being on the show. I am so excited to talk with you because you are right currently right now in Paraguay, right?
[00:03:15] Paulina: Correct.
[00:03:16] Nyra: Because I've never been to, but it's one of those countries is so mysterious. Like I'm sure you're going to let us know a little bit about Paraguay shortly, but first let us know who you are, where you're from and. How did you become an ex-pat?
[00:03:33] Paulina: All right. Well I am I was born in Spain, but my, my parents actually were ex-pats from Chile. They went to, to Spain to so my father could get his PhD there. And then we ended up moving here to the United States very briefly when I was a little girl. And then it was just for, it was intended for a year. And then we moved back. We moved back to Spain and then when I was 11, my dad just got a [00:04:00] job offer here in the in the United States. And that's how we ended up moving to the United States. So I have begun my life as an immigrant, everywhere that I, that I go. And I have continued to embrace that immigrant life everywhere that I am.
[00:04:15] So awesome. So then in the, well, I was living in while I was still living in the states, I would move, I often visited Spain, went to Chile, quite a bit to visit my family there. And then I went. to. And then my husband had an opportunity to come here to Paraguay. We had always wanted to give my daughter an international experience through my, through my job through capacity building and policy experts, as well as my work at rider university, I have done a lot of travel throughout Europe and then also Australia, which was very beautiful and fun.
[00:04:51]And but we wanted her to have much more of an international experience and we have the opportunity to come and live here and in Paraguay through, my husband's job because I have my own business. At that point I was as the bus, I was able to make the determination that yes, indeed we can relocate for a little while to a Paraguay. And so here we are. And that's how I ended up becoming a lifetime immigrant slash expat, everywhere that I go.
[00:05:23] Nyra: I really want to rewind back because you target something that I haven't even talked about on this show, which is immigration, you know, being an immigrant and under, you know, understanding the two between being an immigrant and being an expatriate. Do you think there's a difference?
[00:05:39]Paulina: Yes and no. So there are some, some, some parallels that I would say. So as, as an immigrant, when you are an immigrant, you permanently move away from, from a, from a country. So I have permanently moved away from Spain. But as an ex-pat of the United States, I still have my affiliation [00:06:00] to the United States. I still feel centrally connected to the United States. I do intend to , go back and forth with the United States. I don't necessarily intend to have that relationship with, with Spain as the, as the immigrant. Or, or Chile, because I, I also I also have a connection there also, but I do visit, I am visiting, but I do still consider myself, you know, or, or resident of the United States.
[00:06:26] Nyra: So what I hear is some of the parallels in residency building home, yeah. At you know, in a particular location, you know and starting, and even starting a new, like the whole process. Like when you're immigrating to another place, you're, you're starting a new you're building community, you're meeting people. Right. What do you think is a distinct difference? Because I think there is a distinct difference between the immigrant versus the ex-pat. And I, and, and correct me if I'm wrong. I think it's somewhere has something to do with visa naturally, you know, citizenship, right?
[00:07:03] Paulina: Yeah. So for me, the there's definitely a very, very big difference. So when you're an immigrant, at least in my immigrant experience in. Although I was born in Spain my family was an immigrant and family in Spain. And in the in the United States, you know, all of us were immigrants. I definitely feel that there's a significant difference in the process. So , they are. Certain challenges that you do face as an immigrant in terms of acceptance, a prejudice that people have against you that you have to live permanently with when you are an immigrant. When you are an ex-pat, you were more, at least my experience has been more transitory. So some of the, some of the oppressive or unfair experiences that you, that you go through as an immigrant you don't necessarily go through as an ex-pat because people are excited that you're excited about [00:08:00] being in their country.
[00:08:00] They know you're not going to be there forever. But they, and people are really excited to show you about their country and why their country is is a great place. They don't necessarily see it as a permit. They see you more as a person who can contribute and add to their, to their country. In the United States. It wasn't. If that wasn't as a, Spanish person from Latin American descent. I definitely encountered a lot of different biases and prejudices that that. I don't encounter as people see me as an American coming to, to other other countries. And so, so many of the, but there are other similarities that do exist.
[00:08:43] You still have to familiarize yourself with the, with the process, how different the formal and informal rules that exist in different in societies. I definitely here in Paraguay had to tell, you know, in particularly in countries where there has been oppression in the past or dictatorships formal and informal ways of communicating begin, do develop, and you have to just learn those formal and informal rules in order to be, to have successful social interactions with people. So you don't offend people and you have to know how, and you just have to familiarize yourself with how people Get along with one another and communicate. And also just in the United States, it isn't as much, I have a variation, but for Spanish speakers, like in the United States, there's just, they are, depending on who you're interacting with, there are different nuances with how people use certain terminology in Spanish.
[00:09:37] And in Latin America, the you, you have to also adjust to their local way of of communicating or their dialects. But th the main language is the same. It's like traveling from, you know, it's like traveling from New Jersey to Kentucky, it's still the same language, but there are times when you're going to have adjustments so that people can feel, look and feel [00:10:00] connected to where you to what you have to say. I definitely have, I also lived in New Orleans for a little while. And so during that time, I definitely had to, that really felt like going to another country. And so, so it was just it, but you just have to make sure adjustments to understand what the local culture expects of you and how to interact in a way that's respectful and kind, but the formal process of becoming an, of, of just becoming a resident or living in the country temporarily for a period of time is definitely very different than going into a new country and becoming a permanent fixture or part or member of that community by formally, right? I mean, a citizen going through the processes and going and, you know, experiencing.
[00:10:48] Nyra: Accessing the same. Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Gotcha. Okay. Yeah, no, I was just saying even, maybe even an access, because you know, when you're an ex-pat, there's certain things that were accessible to ex-pats versus natives, right? Correct. Citizens of that country. And sometimes some of it is the same, you know, or, you know, there is a temporary offering when you're a citizen of a country, you have different laws that govern the citizen of the country from times, you know? So it just depends. But your, the way you describe the processes are very much in line of what I've spoken to because I've worked with. You know, people who immigrated. My father immigrated here. So, you know, and I never even asked him about the process, you know, but I'm sure it was far different than what it is right now, but not to get too much into the immigration debate that is Paraguay. The only country you've. You've lived at as an ex-pat or has there been,
[00:11:47] Paulina: it is it's the only country I've lived as an ex-pat. I mean, I've lived in Spain you know, throughout different periods of time, but I don't know if I would consider that as much of a ex-pat experience [00:12:00] asone is going to the motherland.
[00:12:04] Nyra: Right. I think. You were there? It probably felt more like home, like you're at home.
[00:12:12] Paulina: Yeah. It's it reminds me of a very traditional version of what, of some of my early childhood very, there are a lot of formal and informal rules and it's fact it's funny because my husband who was very, he was third generation New Jersey. He like, he has been able to navigate certain things. Specifically, because I know some of these informal rules and expectations. So for example, here, they had, you know, he got some, an invitation to go to the first communions of some of the students that he was teaching. And he was like, oh, it's not that big of a deal.
[00:12:48] I was like, yeah, you are wrong. This is a big troop. And you wear a suit and tie and it's going to be really pressed. And he was like, oh, let's just see. It's just a, it's just a first communion. And I was like, you're wrong? This is might as well be like a wedding. And lo and behold, some of his other American coworkers didn't were not aware of this and they weren't more casual. I mean, yeah. There's margin of error that that the, Paraguayans or other people who know that you're not from there are going to give you because they know you don't know the the customs. But certainly, he came off very well for being formally dressed and for being, you know, so formal But he but there are a lot of rules, like informal rules.
[00:13:29] I've told that I've talked to him from what my parents taught to me and they have served him well in getting along with individuals and getting along with a lot of the people here. But there are some for me, I have noticed that there are a lot of differences. It's still a lot of acclimation that I've had to do here in Paraguay. There's a lot of similarities with things I'm very familiar with, but I still have had to acclimate with, to the, to the culture here because they also have the, [00:14:00] the I'm very unfamiliar in with the Guarani culture and the traditions that they have. And so so because of Guarani as well as Spanish or both formal languages that are adopted here.
[00:14:14] So it's a bilingual country. I not only do I understand no Guarani, but it's it's, it is a very different culture altogether. But it's so that, that element has also incorporated it has added a certain element of discovery for me, of what, how, what is the best way to communicate and interact with people? If I can point out for just one second immigrant experience is also is very different depending on what your particular background is. So my immigrant experience was definitely to the United States was definitely very different than me than maybe some of the people that you see crossing the border.
[00:14:53] My father ended up coming because he has a PhD in chemistry. So he was hired by a company because of his specific skillset. So we came with a job. My parents spoke English when we came to the United States, other immigrants don't have necessarily that. Those skillsets or that access to resources. And it shuts them out from from being able to incorporate themselves in a little bit easier or fashion for myself. It was not as difficult to integrate myself into some of the mainstream component of American society because my parents really came with a certain advantage, but those elements also made it easier for me to adapt.
[00:15:39] Into different cultures and different environments, because I know, again, as I mentioned before, to look for the formal and informal rules that exist in different dynamics, in different societies, in different cultures and different groups. And that's been helpful, not just in the United States, but in other countries. And when we've traveled, it's also helped me to quickly pick up [00:16:00] language, the local language, and to be able to communicate with people. So I was just throw that in there. Sorry.
[00:16:06] Nyra: I really would like for you to even talk a little bit further about the informal, the things you learn because of this existence you had grown up. And how can you, I want like a specific big of something specific to have, have what specific thing that you actually have grown from? Like, you know what I'm saying? What now? Personal How has, how has it developed you personally? That's that's the question, right?
[00:16:30] Paulina: Yeah. So I would say that I think it's really, I think it's something that struck me even when I first came to the United States as a little girl, I think when I was a little girl, You know, Spaniards are very direct people. They're very, very culturally they're very direct. Like if, like, if you have a skin problem, they're like your face, it's unfortunate. You gotta do. So they are very direct. And whereas in the United States, like I still remember we came to the JFK airport and in the JFK airport and said welcome to the United States. But when I saw the people who work at the airport, I was like, they are clearly not welcoming. They are not welcoming me at the airport. And so some of the, the formal and informal things that I learned in the United States is that people in the United States are more they're not as direct as you think they are, as they think they are about situations.
[00:17:27] So there's a lot more sanitizing to very serious situations. So for example, in Spain, when I was in school and not doing my work, the teachers would be, would say to my parents, Well, Lina is being lazy and she's going to get a bad grade if she doesn't get her act together. Here in the United States, instead, my parents would hear she's not fulfilling her potential and she has to and you know, we're here to work with her but they didn't really fully, it was much more of a sanitized conversation and you find [00:18:00] that a lot of things are very, there's a movement to sanitize or to de-stigmatize the staying of real difficult situations in the United States and other countries.
[00:18:12]Like here in Paraguaya, there's the formal way of communicating in which, you know, people will express certain things that certain things but it's actually, it feels like a very old fashioned version of how of Spanish culture. So the there's a formal expectation that you are going to be very polite. And that you are going to be. So for example, like with my daughter at first at first I sent, I went, she went on a couple of play dates and, you know, the, the moms would say, oh, you know, the daughter had, our daughter wants her to stay longer. We, you know, she can stay as long as she wants, you know, they're having fun.
[00:18:50] And I was like, okay, that's fine. I mean, if that's what they want to do, that's fine with me. With time I realized that that was code for, come and get your child. I know I'm supposed to say this because that's the polite thing to do, but come and get your child.
[00:19:04] Nyra: So passive aggressive
[00:19:10] Paulina: or like but with time I just learned that, you know, it's very which we were old fashioned in a sense. And like, it used to be like, it just felt, it feels it's just the different, it's just different that you just, you have to learn the formal and informal rule rules like here in Paraguayan you have to be more subtle, more diplomatic. You definitely have to be much more polite and be conscientious of your manners in a way that you don't have to be necessarily the United States. In Spain, it's a little bit less formal, but in Chile, it's very formal. So you have to be much more formal. There's much more of a sense of protocol and you just adjust to those to those expectations so that you're not offending people again, chili or here.
[00:19:55] Like I know that my table manners are definitely as well as my daughters are really going to [00:20:00] make a difference on whether or not, you know, my daughter has play dates if she doesn't have good manners at the table or isn't polite. She's not going to have play dates with the people. In the United States, you know, people don't really care about that as much, you know, you, you know, people might eat with their mouth open and everyone's, everyone's like, no one has no, one's going to say anything. But here people are, they won't say anything they're here. In Spain, they would, they'd be like, what are you doing? But here they won't say anything, but you wont be invited to play date again because they don't want your child, their child to get bad habits from yours.
[00:20:36] Nyra: When I went to China, there was a lot of unsaid. You know, what was customary to do and, and what was appropriate and not appropriate, you know? And I found where I, I feel like there is never an explanation, but I have to think about, well, do we explain when people come to America, do we talk about, you know, the unsaid and said, rules of engagement, you know What are your thoughts about the rules of engagement? Like how can that be better? Like, you know what I'm saying?
[00:21:12]Paulina: I mean, I think I'll be honest, I think of the United States, but I don't think it's specific to the United States. I think there is, are a lot of people who aren't, who live in the United States that aren't formally even aware of these formal informal rules. They haven't really observed them. And the people who don't, who are unaware, Oftentimes get left out of opportunities because of these formal and informal rules that can only be communicated through your family relationships, through your connections and in Latin America, I would say that it's, it's a very similar process.
[00:21:48] Like my parents are very Chilean and my parents are very formal people, so they are, they are so they from my early childhood, I've had, I almost [00:22:00] had the dual identity of the formal, polite, Latin American that I would actually know that you have to shift into a different way of communicating, even sitting, how you eat all of those things in Latin America or with people from Latin America. Even things like I know that Jay, my husband in the United States can go to school without having his shirt ironed. And no one's going to bat an eye. No, one's going to think anything. Here it's a scandal and in many places in Latin America, they're like, oh, You okay. Something happened? What, what occurred that you were showing up to work like this, but those are things that just happen.
[00:22:39] I don't think people most, whether it's in the United States or in Latin America or in other places that you go to really are that conscious on a day to day basis of what the formal and informal rules are because Honestly, because they're there acculturated into it and it's taught to them since early childhood. And so it's, they are taught to navigate those formal and informal rules. In the only way and so I think for natives, it's more challenging for them to communicate those actual formal and informal rules, unless. You start interacting with some of the people here that some of the people who are immigrants in, in in those countries.
[00:23:25] So many of, some of the people who haven't explained some of the informal rules here to me have been official immigrants that have who have been able to identify those formal and informal rules for me, but for you as a person, if you go to another country, I mean, you definitely need to be mindful of just pay attention to what, how the natives are eating, how they communicate with one another, how, you know, what are, what you visualize as polite in interactions and pay [00:24:00] attention to, you know, what people say people don't say, what are other people allowing? What are other people not allowing? And with time you end up figuring it, figuring it out, we're stumbling your way through sheer errors to be able to find out what is what is applicable and what is not.
[00:25:27] Nyra: In Paraguay, you said you have moved there because you wanted, your daughter to have more of an international experience. So this was a very conscientious move as a family to move someplace as she can have just kind of international exposure through school through because the schooling system must be different. You know, tell me, tell me why Paraguay, even though I know there was opportunity for you and your husband but what does Paraguay offer your child? What do you see is where do you [00:26:00] see the fruits of your labor? Well, I mean, not actually, I shouldn't say labor know just fruits of your decision-making.
[00:26:11] Paulina: Well, I would say that with my daughter with well, first she's an American in an American school, so is isn't that different in that sense? So but what I would say, I mean, her international experience to a certain extent has been significantly forwarded by Significantly forwarded by the fact that COVID and a pandemic have occurred at the same time. So the kind of travel and exposure that we've wanted her to have has been severely curtailed. But nonetheless, she the school that she's been in that she's in, she's been able to make great friendships incredibly with a lot of Brazilian students, even though we're in Paraguay and And I I've also incredibly in Paraguay. I've met a lot of Brazilians and become friends with a lot of Brazilians, and I've realized I love Brazil. We've been to Brazil several times and we love it there. We love Brazilian people, too. The Paraguayan people are great too, by the way. So the one thing that I think the school again with her, she has an American and American school that she That she goes to, but honestly this is going to be kind of sad.
[00:27:25]But that's one thing that I really has been very refreshing is that she hasn't had to go through the school shooting mat, like the active shooter the active shooter drills. And they used to freak her out a little bit when she was in the American schools and here, they, they don't, they, they don't do them because they don't happen. And it's very refreshing. And even when you go into. Even when you go to school, they use regular knives and forks, but I mean, really sharp knives, really sharp, like, you know, real [00:28:00] utensils and in the United States, that would be a reason for expulsion right there. Like there's, that would not be happening its plastic Or Brass And it's like, right.
[00:28:17] Nyra: And, and I would even extend that to say, even on flights, even on flights, they wouldn't have to go to the premium airlines to get like an actual knife and fork and spoon.
[00:28:30] Paulina: Yeah. So, I mean, those are those elements of kind of going back. I mean, it used to be like that when I was little, I'm going to make an assumption that perhaps when you were little, those, you know, you didn't have to worry about school shootings. You didn't have to worry about, you could eat with a regular knife and fork at school. And there was no, there was not, it was a non-issue. So it's in a sense, it's been very nice seeing her be able to go back to not having to have that kind of concern that she used to. She actually, she would get very freaked out by when she was very little.
[00:29:08] As she got older, she was immune. She became immune to the experience, but that's been very refreshing. And also, I would say that it's been very nice seeing her have some friendships with some of the people from Paraguay, because Paraguayans are very pleasant and very delightful people to interact with. Honestly, it's just a delight being with the Paraguayan community. You know, there's certain things in the United States that I do miss, like some of the after-school activities and some of the you know, the, some of the summer programs at that, she, she loved a great deal, but here, one of the things that it's just pretty standard for kids to for a lot of the kids to, know multiple languages for them to all be learning multiple languages.
[00:29:55]She was in school, she was studying she, she has a [00:30:00] Spanish as a second language, so she so she, yeah, Spanish as a second language, she had Mandarin until recently they with, with COVID they just, it was just too much to be able to have that, but she was, she had Mandarin, she studied Mandarin on a regular basis. She's learning to everyone learns to play the, they have to pick an instrument. So she's learning, she's learning how to play the trumpet. When she was younger, she played the Mila [not clear] . But now she's doing the trumpet and she has; she it's just exposed. There's more exposure and that's incorporated into the daily structure of their schooling.
[00:30:37]to things that would be special ad-on’s in the United States. And then she also is getting to see that there are it's the norm, is that the kids here speak multiple languages. So the school kids in her school, speak Portuguese, they speak some of them speak Korean, some of them all of them obviously speak English. All of them have to study corny [not clear] . And all of them are getting, they get just exposure and they all show also gets exposure to a lot of the other schools in Latin America. And she just it's. And as a result, she's been interacting with kids from all over the world from England, from Columbia, from all sorts of places and from Ecuador. And it's been for her, it's been a very positive experience to be exposed to a lot of cultured individuals who are really looking to it. They're more childlike and they're and also, they're more interested. Like they value it's commended. You, you know, you're not classified as a nerd, as you would be in the United States.
[00:31:52]It's valued that you do well and people are more outraged. Like if you don't do well in school, people are like, what’s going on, what's happening. And [00:32:00] so, I mean, getting good grades and doing well in school is prioritize much more than at least I saw in the United States when she was still in an American school. Part of it, I will say may have been attributable to the fact that the kids were just too young. Now they're more, she's in seventh grade now going into eighth grade. So now kids are actually starting to care more about their academics. So it may also be a phenomenon that's occurring simultaneously as she is getting older and may have happened in the United States. I don't know, but I have noticed that the people here care more about doing well in school then that maybe in the U S at least when she was smaller,
[00:32:40] Nyra: let's get into how it's changed you. Like now I always ask this question. In a very, you know ask this question and I'm always amazed by some of the answers I received. So I, the question I asked is how have you used your passport for change?
[00:32:58] Paulina: So hold on, I'm going to plug in my computer because I didn't realize it was unplugged. I'd hate to get disconnected in my in our conversation, although I think I'll have enough time. Cause I'm at 28%. I thought I had it plugged in, but I didn't. So how has it so a couple of things. So I've had the opportunity here to do some trainings on the nonprofit field and to communicate with the local nonprofit sector to discuss what to outline for them, some of the research and the findings that I've had in my, in my work about the nonprofit field, about some of the challenges that nonprofits face.
[00:33:38] As well as the as well as what are some of the best practices. And then also just information that isn't really, that I've ended up finding through my research that isn't really readily available elsewhere. And for some of our organizations, they've adopted that into some of their practices. They've changed how they've actually carried out some of their strategic planning [00:34:00] processes. And that's really been the way that I've been you know, interacting here locally, COVID it to a certain extent impeded some of the work that I wanted to carry out. I'm sorry. My daughter keeps calling and All right. I'm sending her a message that I'm in a meeting. So she so to a certain extent, it has inhibited some of the interactions that I wanted that I wanted to have with individuals in here in Latin America, sharing some of the findings and some of my work, but it's also given me the opportunity
[00:34:39] to it's also given me the opportunity to really focus on doing additional research, additional best practices. And I've also been able to translate a lot of the research that I've done, the tools that I've developed, and I've been able to utilize them and share them with people here at the local level. So in that sense, I have, you know, try to advance some of the lessons that I've learned here locally. And I'm hoping to be able to expand that out further into other places in Latin America. And there seems to be a lot of receptive years to the things that I have to say or at least that I have to offer. And I'd like to be able to continue to, to expand that.
[00:35:21] Nyra: Is there a difference between NGOs. And just nonprofit.
[00:35:26] Paulina: Well, I think it depends you know, the, the, the terminology is really it's very subjective to a certain extent because you will find that there are different definitions that people apply for those, for those different, for those institutions. So, and sometimes those, depending on who you are, those definitions are used synonymously. But NGOs tend to be larger scale organizations that that receive either a government, some type of government funding or funding from international institutions to carry out their work and [00:36:00] nonprofits tend to get sometimes from government, but sometimes from foundations. Or private donors. So the Latin America, you find that nonprofits don't receive as much government funding as they do in the United States and Europe. You'll find more organized nonprofits that receive government funding to carry out their work and are not necessarily as And are much more integrated into the formal government systems than maybe in the United States or in Latin America.
[00:36:33] But I think there are different, they are differences in different styles to managing non-profits depending on where you are in the world, but there are certain consistencies about what needs to happen in order for organizations to be successful. And as I shared with you before the ethos principles of ethics, transparency, organizational infrastructure, harmony, and sustainability, all are essential components to ensuring that organizations are successful. Sustainable and are able to operationalize their values. And that doesn't matter if it's, you know, if they're in Europe, the United States or in America,
[00:37:20] Nyra: if you can think of one myth to debunk for people who have families. And you know, they're thinking about, or maybe one spouse is thinking about moving abroad, like, you know, what is a myth that you think you can do bunk for them to get them over the hump. Of really looking at expatriation as a real option for you.
[00:37:42] Paulina: I think the one hump that for some people who is the one obstacle that they So I'm going to play some, some parameters on this also as I go with, as I extended my example, but I think one of the biggest obstacles that people have is the, that [00:38:00] they're going to lose their, their ability to earn money in the United States and that they're going to lose their connections. So in my case, that has not been the case because I've been able to quickly pivot. To just pivot my business to be an online business. And so for many individuals, particularly now in an era of zoom of zoom and more we're digitally, digitally, or technology-based interactions.
[00:38:32] You can continue to carry out your work, but you just have to hopefully ideally be able to find an employer who is willing to make that accommodation for you to shift your workload to online. And I think it's easier now to make that case than it was pre COVID because many places have had to shift their work to online. And many places are now considering not going back to in-person interactions. And I think if you have the ability to do so. It's definitely worth your time and you will be able. You know, particularly here in Paragon, the cost of living is very reasonable. And the cost of living is relatively inexpensive in many places of the world.
[00:39:20] And so you actually end up saving more than you would have in the United States. And you end up saving more particularly because the cost of the health is is of accessing healthcare as much cheaper, cheaper Because you're you often I found that my healthcare act like my providers are, are some of the best health care providers I've ever, ever interacted with here in Latin America, because they don't have to worry about some of the restrictions than health insurance companies. Place on you, right. They just, you know, I go in and they're like, oh, what do you, you know, like you describe what's going on. They do a full checkup just to [00:40:00] make sure nothing else is going on. And then you end up, and also you the other biggest myth is that it's going to be something that is that.
[00:40:10] Destabilizes or is very difficult for your child and it can be for, for some kids, but most international schools, most places, if you place your child in an international school, all children will be experienced, but a lot of the children, not all because there's natives who are in those schools, but a lot. Of children will be experiencing the same things. They will find a sense of community based on their experience that on that shared experience of being, and living in getting to know another country and as a whole, you, your family and everyone will come out better having a better perspective on the world and also.
[00:40:53]There are people who oftentimes don't see the value of living internationally. And when you live internationally, I mean, you're just exposed to, we've been exposed to so much beautiful artwork, so much beautiful nature here. So many wonderful experiences. The cuisine has been very delicious here. And you also, oh, and also you end up finding, you know, some people don't know how they'll be able to interact with people internationally, but when you come in as an ex-pat, people and you come in, obviously with the right attitude that you were there to take in the culture. People are very accommodating and really want you to know how great their country is and will really make it really sort of roll out the red carpet.
[00:41:44] To make sure that you have a great experience and a great memory of who they are. And for us, at least our experience has been very positive and powerful, and people have been delightful. People have been very welcoming and for us, [00:42:00] I'm very happy that we've had this experience and that my daughter will not be afraid in a global world to be, if she needs to make a shift somewhere else, she can see that it's something that can be achieved easily. And, you know, if you understand the systems, make the effort to incorporate yourself into the local communities and you are flexible enough to just try to learn new languages and new customs that you can have a very wonderful experience while still maintaining the connectivity to your To, to the United States.