A'BROAD EXPERIENCES celebrates MOTHERHOOD around the world!

In the month of May, Australia, Japan, Mexico, the United States, and many other countries around the world celebrate motherhood via Mother’s Day…but what is MOTHERHOOD? 

Motherhood is perspective. Motherhood is patience. Motherhood is community. For this reason, motherhood can resemble living abroad. For this reason, you do not have to have a child, per se, to celebrate motherhood. 

Motherhood is perspective. So is living abroad. What may once have seemed so important, becomes trivial. The mundane is now welcomed. Daily cups of fragrant coffee filling your cup necessary in both instances.

Motherhood is patience. So is living abroad.  How do I get this infant to stop crying? Where can I buy deodorant?  Wait, how do I say deodorant…in xxx language…no, no not bathroom deodorant…like for my armpits (insert woman mimicking putting on deodorant here).  Both experiences - in different ways - will challenge your thinking, slowly and inevitably transforming our identity. Our initial reaction to resist change is quickly replaced with the required patience and practicality of survival.  Patience and practicality…. motherhood and living abroad.   

Motherhood is community. It is stories of support for struggling breastfeeding or non-breastfeeding mothers. It is the nod given to a mother at 7am, when their child has been crying at 2am…and 3am…and 4am. It is the silent smile of another ‘once also lost’ expatriate or person abroad helping you on a subway line that seemed so easy to figure out (initially). It is the offer to translate your request…and in the end, it might even be the offer to share their secret stash of deodorant, or Tim-Tams, or Twizzlers…

A’BROAD EXPERIENCES community—whether you have a child or not–HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to YOU, for the cause of celebration resides in what YOU have nurtured:  perspective, patience, and community.