A beautiful island view in Dili, East Timor.
In a few weeks we will be saying goodbye to our life in Dili. Though I have moved many times in my life – across states, oceans, and time zones – the experience is always bittersweet for me. I feel happy, sad, and a little nervous all at the same time.
We originally thought we would stay in Timor-Leste for 2-3 years, but when a great job opportunity for my husband opened up a year early, we decided to go for it.
Admittedly, when I first found out about a possible move my immediate reaction was PANIC. The change felt too soon, too big, too different. Usually, when it’s time to leave a place I feel ready to go. But this time I had mixed emotions.
Slowly, as the idea sank in I began to come to terms with it. I didn’t think I could cope with a quick move, but when I thought about the possibility of leaving in December (four months away at the time), I found that I could breathe again. As the opportunity unfolded, the possibility began to take root.
When we returned to Dili after spending the summer in the US, I had a hard time re-adjusting. Until then, I had usually managed to brush off the little annoyances by reminding myself of the good things about living here: the simpler life, supportive community, stunning scenery.
Yet with the glimmer of change on the horizon, things began to look a little different. The potholes were bigger, the driving seemed worse, the internet was slower than ever, and the daily power cuts were taking a toll on my positive outlook. Acknowledging the things I would miss – and the things I wouldn’t – proved to be a useful way of preparing myself to leave.
We weren’t sure how the kids would take the news of our impending move, but the impact of our big announcement appeared to be no different from telling them that we’d be having chicken for dinner. “Okay!” they chorused enthusiastically.
To sweeten the deal, we told them that our new house will have a swimming pool. This was all they needed to know. My son immediately packed his carry-on bag (a month early), sacrificing nightly cuddles with his favorite toys to ensure that they wouldn’t be left behind.
Luckily, our kids are pretty adaptable (so far, anyway). We’ve been spending time each day talking about our new home, discussing our travel plans, looking at maps and photos, and getting excited about the fun opportunities in store for us. Many of their preschool friends are leaving Timor at the same time, which normalizes the experience for the kids, but does make it feel like a mass exodus of sorts. More than anything, I will miss the wonderful families we’ve met here – particularly the amazing mamas.
Shaula says she'll miss coffee on the beach!
Although I am excited about our next adventure, it is never easy to say goodbye to a place you might never visit again. Over the last (nearly) two years, Dili has been the perfect first “family post” for us, and it will always be the tropical setting for our kids’ first memories.
We have all grown enormously during our time here and it has been an amazing gift to watch our sweet toddlers blossom into confident kids – starting school, making friends, trying new things, and exploring the world around them. For all of this – and for everything we have seen, learned and experienced in beautiful Timor-Leste – we are grateful.
And so, it’s time to make the giant leap once again, as we move from a tiny half-island of 1 million people to a city of 10 million and a country of 17,000 islands.
Goodbye Dili. Thank you for everything.
Hello Jakarta! We’ll be there soon.
As a mother, have you found it difficult to leave something behind, whether it be a place or a window of time?
This is an original post to World Moms Blog by Shaula Bellour in East Timor. Shaula can also be found on her blog, Notes From a Small World.
Photo credit to Shaula Bellour.
Shaula, following you and your twins on your East Timor 1/2 island adventure, has been such a treat! I’m looking forward to reading about what Jakarta will bring for you and your family.
And I’m so loving that another piece of the World Moms Blog family will meet offline — I hear you have plans to meet Maureen of Tatterscoops in Indonesia! So exciting!!!
Jen 🙂
Good luck with your move, Shaula! I worked in Jakarta a week out of a month for a while at my last job and it’s an exciting city!
Dili is beautiful! Wishing you a smooth transition to Jakarta and yes, let’s meet up for coffee soon 😀
Best of luck with the move, Shaula.
It’s adorable that your son decided to pack up his carry on already. Here’s hoping you all have a smooth transition into the next step in your life’s journey!
It’s so awesome that you and Tatter Scoops are going to meet for coffee, wish it could be a coffee on the beach but I guess, with 17,000 islands, the potential of having coffee on the beach is pretty great.
I’ll miss learning more about Timor and you experiences there but look forward to what life in the Big City will be like for your small fry. Save travels and Happy Holidays!
I’m so excited for you. Moving is both scary and exciting. I like moves. I like changing places. I can’t wait when my family is on the move again. Good luck to you!
As a child my family moved a fair amount for dad’s work, but only within Australia – I loved it. New scenery, new friends, new experiences.
I think children are so much more adaptable to change than adults, whereever mum and dad are for them is home.
Good luck with your move (I’m just a little bit envious)
All the best to you and your lovely family during this time of transition, Shaula! I love you reading your posts. You optimisim and grounded outlook seem to allow you to make the most of each family home. Can’t wait to learn about Jakarta through you!
As for transitions, I don’t have anything to compare with your moves, but we did move our family last year a bit further out of the burbs and into the country. It has been a great fit, but we have had to make many changes with how we do things. I guess that is the case for all transitions, large and small.
Happy new year!
We’ve moved four times in the last five years, though each has only been a small move – within Alberta for the first moves and then from Alberta to BC for the last move. We’ll be here for a couple more years (my husband and I are both in school, halfway through four-year degrees) and it’s nice to know that we’re settled. At the same time, we know that this is only a stopping place and we talk occasionally about where we’ll move to next… where we want to be after this… It’s not an easy question to answer. There have been good things and bad things about each place we’ve lived. We love the weather here, the city, the community, but we don’t like the fact that we’re 14 hours away from our parents/siblings back in Alberta. Good luck with your move!
Your post re-reminds me that kids are resilient and that with a little help they can adapt (more easily, sometimes than their parents)! We’ve only been in Abu Dhabi for four months and I’m amazed at the relative ease with which my kids have settled into their new lives. Funny–just as we were getting ready to leave NYC, my husband and I were both increasing aggravated with that city–too loud, too expensive, too dirty. Although we both consider ourselves New Yorkers, we were sort of helping ourselves out the door, I think, by focusing on the negatives of the “old place” in order to welcome the new place. Good luck! Can’t wait to hear about Jakarta adventures.
Thank you for all of the great comments and moving tales! As I look around at my currently unpacked house, it’s all a bit daunting. But a week from now we’ll be spending our first day in our new city and this week’s stress will all be behind us. Very exciting! Thanks so much for the good wishes.