My roommate and I had the opportunity to attend a transitions workshop on Saturday. Since we just made a huge transition by moving across the world we thought it would be a good idea. It turned out to be a great idea. So many questions were answered, even questions I didn't even know I had.
One thing I learned about was why I am always so exhausted. Moving to another country and learning how to live life all over again is exhausting. Just doing the basics of going to the store to get groceries is an all day feat. Usually I spend an hour or two at the store and then I am done for the day because I am just so tired. Well I got an answer to why... So when you do things that are habit the front part of your brain turns off and relies on the back part where all your habits are stored. Well here I have had to learn (and still learning) new habits, this is causing my brain to use the front part which in turn make me more exhausted because I am working a different part of my brain. But once these new things become habits they move to the back part of the brain and it won't be so exhausting :).
There are many things that are affected when you transition (not just moving, but getting married, dating, stages of life, etc). There are three different stages of a transition. There is the exodus stage (ending, letting go). The exodus stage is where you let go of the familiar and acknowledge that something is end and something new is beginning. The second stage is the desert, the neutral zone (this can sound bad but it isn't the great part is you're not alone). This can be the longest stage, during this stage things don't feel normal, feels like you are roaming and nothing is really progressing. I feel like I am in the desert stage because all my habits are disrupted and I have to think more and develop a new routine and way of living. The old is gone, but the new hasn't become fulling integrated or operational yet. The third stage is the promise land (does this remind you of the Israelites after leaving Egypt). In the promise land you are a changed person, there is a new "normal". I can't wait to see what it is like to enter the promise land of living here looks like.
It was just really great to hear about transitions and the different emotions one might experience during each stage. I can definitely identify with a couple of them. It's nice to know that it is normal and that I'm not over emotional. Also I have noticed that there are things that I loved to do in the States and I don't want to do them here. It is just part of the transition.
Here are the emotions roller coaster or curve during transitions (it reminds me of the culture shock roller coaster)