Expat resolutions

2009 has FLOWN by for me. With 2010 mere hours away, I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking of a few last-minute resolutions. The truth is, I’m not a big resolution-maker, at least not in the traditional sense. I don’t go in for diet and exercise promises that get broken before Valentine’s Day, but December 31 is as good a day as any to think of some goals I’d like to accomplish in the medium-term future.

In that spirit of goals and improvements rather than regimes and punishments, I’ve come up with a few expat resolutions for 2010.

Travel more. We’ve been working on this one already, between our trip to Uruguay and reservations for our upcoming honeymoon. Travel in South America isn’t particularly cheap – there’s no Southwest or JetBlue – nor is it always feasible. It’s a big continent, and treks further afield require precious vacation days. But since I don’t plan to live in Chile forever, I want to really take advantage of the destinations that are easier to reach from Santiago than from San Francisco. Easter Island is definitely on my list, as is a safari – it may seem random, but Johannesburg is closer to Chile than to the west coast of the US.

Keep learning. In the US, there are plenty of things that I just accept because I’m used to them. I don’t know the historical background for most holidays – they just are. In Chile, however, I investigate the things I don’t understand, and there are plenty. While it’s nice to feel comfortable in my adopted home, I hope I don’t let comfort turn into complacency when it comes to exploring this culture.

Stay in touch with people at home. Between e-mail and Skype, gChat and calling cards, there is no excuse for how long I’ll let pass without talking to some of my best friends. It’s one of those things that’s just easy to let slide when life gets busy for both me and them. But the fact is that I think I should make more of an effort. I’m the one who moved to the end of the world, so I should take responsability for making sure to check in more often. I really want to make 2010 the year that I call just to say hi without scheduling a Skype date – at 2 cents a minute, I can afford to call someone’s cell phone and get the machine sometimes.

Do you have any resolutions, expat or otherwise, to add to this list? And to everyone, happy 2010!

Emily Williams is a US gringa living in Santiago, Chile. She writes about expat life at AffordableCallingCards.net and on her personal blog, Don’t Call Me Gringa, and loves hearing from readers.

Tags: expat life, resolutions