Live An Adventure Podcast

ROOTS by Genise Ford No one ever tells you one of the biggest challenges of being an expat is managing the expectations of friends and family back home. Returning to visit means navigating stressful demands on your time that only those who live abroad can truly understand. You find yourself counting days and weighing your time trying to ensure you’re being “fair,” all while managing the costs of travel, being away from your daily routines, and packing for a family trip lasting over a month. Phrases like “we have a life too” come from friends and family not willing to travel miles to your thousands, they can’t see the irony in the statement. The guilt trips can be relentless, with comments like, “Being my maid of honor didn’t mean anything to you,” or “We see where we are on your priority list” failing to acknowledge that the effort and expense of traveling are mutual. Yet, how many times have they come to see you across the pond? Friends argue about why you haven’t visited them when yo...

Roots and Wings In June of 2004, after going to college in Arkansas for 4 years and teaching in Honduras, Costa Rica and the Carolinas for 7 years, I decided to take a sabbatical in Guatemala. I wanted to get back to my roots. I spent most of that year in Antigua Guatemala and Lake Atitlan. Two of the most beautiful places I know. I was home. My family. My food. My people. My land. I felt "Chapin" again. Chapin is the nickname given to Guatemalans.  As the end of my sabbatical got closer I began thinking of looking for a job. The thought of returning to the US came to my mind, but Mario Benedetti came to my mind. He is a poet and novelist from Uruguay. He said once: The South also exists...! That thought made me to seriously consider going to South America instead of North America. After a few days looking at the pros and cons I decided to go South. I found a job online. I contacted the school in Cochabamba, Bolivia and after a few emails and a phone interview they...