Published: 2022-05-28
When you move from one place to another, there is change. Whether it is a big change or a small change, there always is a change. There will be some who did not think it was a good idea and others who loved it. Some may look forward to the move and some may have liked the past better. We have moved from Shanghai to Malaysia, Malaysia to Singapore and now to Thailand.
When we moved from Shanghai to Malaysia, I was genuinely quite surprised as we had been in Shanghai for 12 years and I did not really want to leave initially. However, there were also many pros of moving to Malaysia and in the end it was for the better. I found the house in Malaysia quite nice, and we could frequently visit my grandpa and grandma as they were only a short drive away as compared to when we lived in Shanghai.
When we moved from Malaysia to Singapore, I was unsure whether I would be able to cope with the transition between being in an International school, not going to school for a year and joining a local school in Singapore. But, I was glad that I managed and the move wasn't bad at all, besides the packing and unpacking of course. Each move was quite exciting in general and here is what my parents thought about the moves.
Dad said, "From the perspective of many of our friends, the move from Singapore to Thailand seemed very abrupt and shocking. For our family, it was not. When we moved from Shanghai to Malaysia and then to Singapore, "relocation" was always a topic of discussion during our conversations. We were regularly reviewing the "happiness" level of every family member when we moved to a new location. Singapore was not ideal for quite a few of us, hence, any opportunity to relocate elsewhere was considered. When the opportunity to relocate to Thailand was on the table, we took the decision together as a family. Overall, everyone is now happier but it is and never can be perfect. You gain some, you lose some. The most important point is it can and will be great if you want it to be."
Mom said, "The Pros of moving from Shanghai to Malaysia included a better food source (good value and quality meat and a large variety of seafood), being closer to my mom, better air quality, and me being more familiar with the area. When we were in Malaysia, the kids didn't attend school for about a year due to the pandemic. That brought us closer together as we spent more time and did things together, from buying groceries to going to the bookstore to having a belly dance teacher and having a piano teacher at home. It made me smile from within when I could watch and witness their progress in those areas. They independently attended online zoom classes with an English teacher and an online study academy. That required the development of self discipline. Together we got the house into a functional condition as soon as we received the stuff from Shanghai. There were more flexibility to engage in outdoor activities like cycling within the compound, badminton and others. They were really enjoyable. Moving from Singapore to Thailand meant new adventures (Thai culture, food, language, schools, meeting new and old friends) and opportunities to explore the neighbouring islands. Our dog, Bay, has more freedom due to a bigger space in our rented villa. The children have more privacy in their individual rooms and they have more opportunities to get to know more multi-national people from whom they can learn from one another and enjoy a wide variety of natural food sources. Living in Koh Samui brings back old memories of when I was living a simple life as a child. Staying close to nature brings back good memories and it replenishes our souls."
Nash shared that relocating to Malaysia allowed him to live in a bigger house, be nearer to grandparents and enjoy nicer food. However, it was not very exciting for him as not attending school was very boring. All in all, moving brings both excitement and disappointment for everyone.
There will always be someone who will not agree with every decision but doing what is best for everyone in the long run is more important.