How the Wandering Began

Last week, I received a comment from 3 Bay B Chicks asking, “How did this all start?” Since I’m assuming she understands the creation of the universe and how to make babies, I figured that she was curious about how Hubby and I got started on this life of Wandering. The story of how Hubby and I became Hubby and I is a tale for another day, so in the meantime I’ll tell the story of the how’s and why’s behind our nomadic existence.

Even before Hubby and I started “dating,” I knew he was interested in the developing world. The third foreign country he ever stuck a pin in (after Canada and Mexico) was Vietnam where he spent several weeks on a business trip. His Master’s thesis included research on the economic reform process in a few African countries, and the honeymoon he planned for us was in Thailand.

I obviously entered into this marriage with a vague idea that we would travel to far-flung places in our free time. I also understood that his work would take him all over Africa, Asia, and South America. In 2002, we left Washington, DC so that Hubby could start down the road of finally fulfilling a dream he always had: earning a PhD.

Hubby’s studies and research took him back to South America and steered him towards a career that would finally bring to fruition all his plans for the future. (Can I be more vague?) With his specialties, combined with his sincere interest in the developing world, it was only a matter of time before we finally packed up to leave the comforts of the Real World.

Our first choice was between Inverness, Scotland and New Delhi, India. I realize that Scotland isn’t actually a developing nation but the work they wanted him to do would still have dealt with that realm. We debated for ages over the pros and cons of each location before finally settling on India.

For me, India was a no brainier: my Irish grandmother married my Indian grandfather and lived in Wales; my Welsh-born mother married my Irish father and lived in Canada. It only seemed right that this Canuck and her Yankee husband should complete the circle and head back to India.

Shortly after arriving in Delhi, I decided to start this blog to tell people at home about what I was doing and what life in India was like. Back then I was lucky if I had three hits a day – my mother, and me checking twice to see if I had any hits. Despite the lack of a following, I realized that I loved blogging and loved writing about our weird adventures in this new expat life.

Sadly, India wasn’t the dream job Hubby had been hoping for. A year after unpacking, settling down, and making incredibly wonderful friends, we packed up our things and headed to Nairobi, Kenya where Hubby would work for the Organization. We spent two amazing years in Kenya before packing our things once again – this time for Cairo, Egypt, and a job with the Institution.

Between the years in the Real World and the countries we’ve called home, Hubby and I have always made each other a priority. Luckily, two of our greatest loves (outside of each other, of course) have always been food and travel. We have always tried to combine these loves, which meant as many fantastic trips as our credit cards would allow.

We Wander the World together because seeing it any other way would be dull and lonely. Who knows when Hubby’s employment whims will take us to a new destination, or when my need to see more of the world will find us in an airplane heading off to goodness knows where. But rest assured no matter what we do, or where we do it, I will always share those stories with you.