Susana's story & Next adventures
My name is Susana, but friends and family call me Ssana, Su, or even Tuti. I was born in Barcelona, on the Mediterranean coast, in 1969. I studied, worked, and lived there until I got married in 1997, then my life changed. For about 25 years, I have lived abroad.
My husband, Toru, a Japanese citizen, was working in Barcelona when we met. We fell in love and got married. I knew that marrying him meant leaving my family, friends, and a job, but I couldn’t help it! He was and, still is, the love of my life.
Luckily, he works for a corporation with branches around the globe and offers us a great chance to move around.
Since 1997, we have moved from Barcelona to Tokyo, Brussels, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, back to Tokyo, Singapore, then Amsterdam again!.
We had two boys during those years, Shoh was born in Tokyo, and Daigo was born in Frankfurt.
By the time they were 16 and 13, Toru was sent to Sao Paolo and later on to Los Angeles. We decided I would stay put in Amsterdam until the boys would graduate from school. We were what is called a split ex-pat family, and it was challenging. But we made it!
The boys are now happy at university in the U.K., and I am ready to reunite with my husband, this time in Yokohama.
Having this sort of nomads’ life gave me an incredible opportunity to meet many people from around the world. I have loved and enjoyed it very much, but it cost me a professional career.
Instead, I dedicated my spare time to continue my education. Get the qualifications, not only in languages, like improving my English, continuing Japanese, and starting with French, but also getting an undergraduate degree in IT (now called computer science).
Although I did work for a short time (over one year) in Brussels and again in Amsterdam, I could not commit to a full-time job while taking care of my family at the same time. I set my priorities, and for me, my family came first.
But now, I can be productive and contribute to the community in some way.
Because of my life experience, I can help you! By sharing my tips and suggestions with you, you can start a new life living abroad with confidence and smoothly. I would love to encourage you to take this chance as a gift, a time when you can invest in your family and yourself.
Adjusting to a new life is a magnificent opportunity to learn new skills, broaden your knowledge, and steer your mindset. An occasion to visit fabulous places and enjoy the next adventure!
