Relocation is...

a few thoughts...

 Finding myself again. Discovering things I didn’t know about myself. Understanding things that happened in the past and realizing how they shaped who I am today.

 Supporting everyone, being there for them, and wiping away tears with water in the shower—because that way, you can always blame the soap that got in your eyes…

 Going back to that five-year-old girl with braids in kindergarten, who just wants to fit in, play with her friends, but doesn’t really know how to behave or how to find her place in a new world.

 Eating different foods and not knowing whether to swallow or spit it out, hesitating between embracing new flavors or clinging to the comfort of what’s familiar.

 Living so far away and missing each other, living here and being there, missing the rhythm of shared moments—feeling like an outsider when everyone meets and you're behind the camera, capturing memories rather than creating them.

 Caring for everyone from afar and up close, endlessly. Learning to let go and trust, understanding that love transcends distance.

 Being accompanied by questions like, “When will you be back?” or “What do you do all day?” Creating your own rhythm, your own activity, tailored just for you, and learning to answer "I'm very busy" with grace and pride.

 Making new friends and learning to maintain connections with those far away, realizing that relationships are not bound by geography but by mutual effort and understanding.

 Hearing the children speak in another language, getting excited with each new sentence they manage to complete, yet sometimes feeling like an outsider in their world… and quietly celebrating every little milestone.

 Thinking about where I could be, or where I might have been, and reconnecting with the deeper question of “Why am I here?”—finding the meaning in every step, even when it feels uncertain.

 Learning to see new challenges as opportunities for growth, understanding that relocation isn't just a change of scenery but a transformation of who you are and who you can become.

 Realizing that home is not just a place; it’s the people you carry with you in your heart, wherever you go. It’s the quiet moments that make you feel rooted, even in unfamiliar soil.

Dr. Efrat Tzadik

Expert in immigration, integration, and identity

Certified coach, Trauma, CBT