In life, we face many different kinds of changes. Some changes are difficult, while others challenge you in a way you can look back on and appreciate. Growing up, I moved quite often from country to country and got to experience different cultures. When I was younger, I felt forced to adapt to the culture of each country. On top of that, moving often meant I had to worry about how long I could stay friends with someone before I moved again, which was difficult to process as a child. But I know from my experience that it doesn’t have to be a temporary thing. A few of my closest friends are from my elementary and middle school.
In each changing phase, there will always be stability in one way or another. As you get to know what those are, it’s easier to adapt. When I was 12, it was the first time that I lived with my family. As supportive as they were trying to be, I was used to figuring things out on my own. The transition was rough at the beginning, but I found things in common between this new place and the previous country that I lived in. I held onto my relationships with my relatives and friends that I grew up with while developing new relationships with my family. Over time, I found stability in having a community and accepting that my family means well when they are overinvolved in my life.
As I am growing older, I often look back on how life would have turned out if I had only lived in the US with my family for my whole life. I doubt that I would have embraced change in the same way as I do now. I like having multiple places to call home. As I embark on my journey in college, away from my family, I have developed a sense of stability. In short, new beginnings are new for a reason, and they will find their way to being more stable and familiar.