Silent Sunday

The Gallery: Picture Postcard

This week on the Gallery over at Sticky Fingers is Picture Postcard.

I am quite lucky in that I love in (what I think) is a beautiful area, full of beautiful beaches, rolling countryside with flowing rivers, orange groves and 'sheep' :-)

This is one of my favourites, to me it gives a feeling of freedom, relaxation and warmth.

Come and see some others on The Gallery

Oh my dear blog, how I have been neglecting you!

Dear, sweet blog,

Me:  Im sorry I have been neglecting you, but I have been far too busy doing other things.

Blog: So what have you been doing?

Me: Well let me see, I have been looking / worrying after hubbie after nasty fall, doing some work for TTT, some of it, highly unsuccessful, teaching english and generally dealing with life, that is not so inspiring

Blog: But please dont neglect me, anymore, I get so lonely

Me: I know, my dear blog, I promise to do more with you very soon.  I have not forgotten you.

Silent Sunday

Where can an expat call 'Home'

Lately I have been reading a lot of posts about expats and what they consider home.  In these difficult times which we are living, there is big migration.  Some people going back to their home country while others are leaving in search of 'shelter' from this economic storm.

Once a person decides to expatriate their home, I think there will always be some 'missing' for home, but over the years that gets less and eventually disappears as your new expat country becomes home.  But many of us expats are also guilty of making the comparisons for many years after we leave between our home and our new country, often over criticising or praising, giving us a incorrect view, based on our emotions.

But once you leave your home country, can you ever 'really' return?  A home country for many provides the idea of a haven, a familiar place, after all that is what a home is.  A place that is familiar and comforting.  But what happens once you mix cultures and become accustomed to a new way of life, not necessarily better ( nowhere is perfect) but different.  Does this change your perspective of home?  I think it has to, but to everyone in a different way.  And this to me is largely affected by your experience in your new country.  It also depends on your reasons for leaving your home country as well, if those reasons are major, you view of your home country must change as you start a new life in your new adopted 'home'.  It also depends on how long the person has been away from their 'home' country, the longer you are away, of course the more changes that will have happened.

I read a post about a woman who after ten years and the breakdown of her relationship decided to go home and was basically disappointed and disillusioned by what her 'home' had become.  But after a decade away surely you cannot expect to go back to the 'same' place, of course things will have changed, but more importantly you will have changed.  And we can all be guilty of putting on rose tinted glasses, especially when things around us have turned 'grey'.  But if you are in that situation, especially after a long length of time, you cannot expect to go back and things be as you left them and you have to be tolerant of that.  And also if you have come from a 'grey' place, you have high expectations of the new place, whether it is your home or not and that can lead you to disappointment.  Often we can return home to feel like an outsider as well, with no longer a place to call 'home'.

Nowhere is perfect in this world, everywhere has their pros and cons and we make our choices and decisions based on that.

Silent Sunday

Lost in the dark...

This year is almost a third through and so far has not been a good year, in fact one of my worst.  I am having a very difficult time and nothing seems to go in our favour or as we expect, leaving me struggling.

This week is Depression Awareness Week, and although I have never been diagnosed with depression, I know it is something I have been affected with.  Depression is a crippling illness which can lead to death (through suicide).  Unfortunately for too long it is something that people have been ashamed to admit, dont recognise or just overlook as 'normal' blues.  Many people expect that they should be able to cope with everything all the time, and to be depressed is a sign of weakness, but it is not.  It is an illness like any other that needs treatment.

Of course, everyone gets down sometimes, especially when life is challenging but depression is something much worse that lasts longer, probably gradually getting worse.  Sometimes, it can come in bouts, which can last for weeks, months or years.

Common signs of depression are:

Feelings of despair and failure
Tearfulness
Lack of appetite and weight less
Trouble sleeping and tiredness
Concentration problems
Irritability
Nausea and other physical problems

If you think you or someone you know is suffering with depression, you must get help.  There is no shame in asking for help.  Everyone needs help from time to time.

A good source of help and information is Black Dog Tribe, a new resource started by Ruby Wax to provide support and information.  They have a good facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BlackDogTribe.

Silent sunday

Spring time in the Algarve

One thing that I love and that really interests me here in the Algarve where I live are the plants and flowers.  Still after several years of living here, I am amazed by the beauty of the surroundings.  Every day I drive past palm trees, orange groves, fig, carob and olive trees to name a few.  things that growing up would be things in movies, books and seen on our yearly family foreign holidays.  I never imagined it would be part of my daily life, but I never tire of seeing them.

This time of year brings the wild flowers, fields full of red, yellow, blue and pinks.  Everywhere I look I see colour, so beautiful.  They grow everywhere and anywhere.

Unfortunately the photos are not great and do not show the true depths of colour, but I hope you still enjoy.