A special visitor

I spent three years at home after finishing uni and venturing around Thailand for a month. It was just me and my mum, which was strange in itself, as I genuinely felt like an only child, but I eventually got used to my sister still being at uni. Eating dinner, watching crappy TV on a Sunday and doing the gardening together are the small things that I miss about not living in the same country as my mum. Ok actually, let me be honest, Mum would do the gardening all day, whilst I did the odd hour here and there between sunbathing and making halloumi salads for lunch.

My mum was the first person I called when I found out I would be moving abroad and although it was important for me to take the one-way flight to Germany alone, the hardest part of the entire process was not having her there with me. I could definitely feel my mum’s absence when picking out new furniture, choosing colour schemes and attempting to construct my new Ikea buys. I got used to it with time, but I still have the odd moment where I just wish my mum was here.

So once I had finally settled and was ready to have visitors, my mum was on her way to Frankfurt, and you can just imagine the excitement! After living abroad for over a year, I was pretty much saying:

“Welcome to my new world, this is what I really get up to now.”

I showed her my work place, local parks and the main shopping streets. I took her to my favourite restaurants, a festival on the river Main and Frankfurt’s botanical gardens (a must for Mum visits by the way). We even managed to do some furniture shopping, which was so much easier with her flair for interior design.

Talking of which, although we had done numerous FaceTime tours of my flat, my mum was still beyond relieved to see that I’m not living in a dump and that my housemates aren’t weirdos. I will assume this is a ‘mum worry’ because let’s face it, I would never live in a dump!

It was great to show my mum my new home and I am beyond grateful to be somewhere where family can easily visit, although I am aware that it’s not the same for everyone. If you’re moving abroad and are worried about being far away from your family, then I won’t lie and tell you that it’s not a big deal or that it doesn’t get hard. But with time you get used to your new lifestyle and begin to adjust. So make the most of the internet and cherish the times that you do get to spend together. Your family will only ever be a FaceTime or a WhatsApp call or away!

Thanks for coming Mum!
Love Lissy
xxx