The expat lifestyle is often sought after by non-expats and revered by many expats themselves. This experience has opened my eyes to the pros and cons of an expat life. There are many pros, such as the opportunity to see unique parts of the world, chance to make friends from all different cultures, and the financial compensation of working outside your home country. Of course with any situation, the pros do not exist without cons. The less glamorous aspects of living and working outside your home country-you are NOT inside the country where you have roots, can be difficult to maintain relationships with friends and family back home, often long-work hours, everything is foreign, and not in one place for more than a few years.
Given all of the above, there are many things that I have done here that I would never do at home, such as high tea or a evening garden party. Last Friday, I went for high tea at the Ritz Carlton. The menu was an expansive choice of teas from across the globe.
The tea came with little finger sandwich's, scones, and tiny desserts. Combine the food and tea with light soft music and you have a wonderful atmosphere to waste a Friday afternoon.
Last night, I was invited to an evening garden party at a VP's villa. There were red lights highlighting the treas, black cocktail tables, and a serving staff offering you wine or juice (its a Middle East thing-they drink TONS of juice). The food was catered by the W Hotel. It was nice to see everyone out of their nomex (fire-retardant) jumpsuits that are required at the work site. As a I was told by one of the other guests, this is a normal occurrence in an expat lifestyle.
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