For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Katrina! My husband, Chris and I, and our 3 daughters just relocated to Singapore from Japan. I am the owner and heart behind Lindale Studios-an art studio that holds hand painted backdrops, styling mats, and custom pieces.

But SINGAPORE…keep scrolling:)

Singapore is pretty amazing, and I see why people stay here for awhile. It’s SO SAFE, clean, and incredibly diverse with many cultures. The food options are endless, and the schools are some of the best in the world. But today, I want to be real with you and answer a question I’ve been asked many times…

It’s been three months since we landed in Singapore.If you had asked me fifteen years ago whether I pictured another move, let alone three international ones, I would have thought you were crazy. Chris and I bought our first house ten months after we got married and declared to ourselves that we would raise our kids there and never move. We were not going to be like our parents. (HAHA)

Both of us grew up as military kids, changing schools and saying goodbye more times than I can remember. Dealing with change and moving is second nature to us…but don’t get me wrong, it’s still somewhat exhausting.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked, whether I’m meeting someone new or sharing about life and business on social media is: “How are the kids doing?”

The honest answer

I won’t sugarcoat it. Moving has not been a dream come true for my girls every single day. There have been afternoons here and there when they’re reminded that they’re the “new kid,” when they miss where they were before because it was all so familiar, or when they miss a friend. Some of those friends have become family to us, and we miss our actual family back in the States too. They will also never grow up with the same group of friends from kindergarten through graduation, and sometimes when I actually sit and think about it, that makes me sad.

If I rated how they’re doing on a scale of one to ten, I’d say a six or seven. Ask them if they miss Japan, and they’d say, “Parts of it.” Ask if they like Singapore, and they’d say “Yes”, and much of that comes down to their new schools and our new church, the two places we hoped to find community.

It isn’t all easy. Their schools are bigger and more academically intense. That’s not a bad thing, just different. And everything is new at once: new people, new culture, new ways of saying hello. Even as adults, we find ourselves thinking, “Do we hug? Shake hands? Kiss on the cheek? Do neither?”  We all know how to introduce ourselves in the place we’re from. Singapore is also full of cultures beyond its own, so the girls are learning to read and understand everything around them.

What they’re gaining

However, there is so much good about raising kids overseas: the food, different cultures, different housing options and world history seen in real life.

But to be honest, sometimes I think the smaller things are even more meaningful.

• There getting used to a new idea of what a grocery store is, and realizing that the everyday things you enjoy and are used to ALL CHANGE.
• The milk you drink, the fruit that’s available, and even the ingredients for your favorite meal can be so expensive that you have to be open to creating a new favorite.
• Sometimes the houses are big and you get a great-sized room, and sometimes the homes are SUPER small and your new room feels a little cramped.
• The two older girls are already navigating public transit on their own as well.
• They had to learn new phone numbers with different digit amounts, new addresses, and new laws.

Here’s what I see in them (and it makes my heart full);

• They know how to be the new kid.
• They know how to introduce themselves, open up, and build community
• Be okay with being different.
• They can be real friends with someone whose background looks nothing like theirs.
• They watch Chris and me value community and build it wherever we go.
• They’re respectful of people who think differently.
• They ask us questions that stump us from time to time.

The travel is incredible, too. Seeing how people live all over the world has opened their eyes and I never want them to take the blessings of being American for granted. The things they understand and can talk about honestly amaze me. They have been to over 15 countries and have now lived in three countries outside the US. It’s not a bad childhood at all 🙂

And us?

For Chris and me, this is just another move, and honestly the easiest logistical one, so far. Public transit is amazing, and everyone speaks English. When we moved to Spain and Japan, the language barrier was real and Google Translate was open every second of the day. I did have a car in those two countries, which made some things easier, but other things were a lot harder…another conversation for another day.

In just three months:

• We found our church home
• We found a good location to live in
• We moved from short-term housing into our home (our stuff was delivered just a couple of weeks ago!)
• My business became official in Singapore, so I can legally work here
• The girls got into INCREDIBLE schools, have amazing teachers, and are settling in fairly well
• Chris is settling into his new job

I’m not going to pretend it’s been easy. We’re tired from adjusting to so much change, and we’re right on track with the personal timeline that seems to follow us every move. But Chris and I are a team, and we read each other well and can step in when the other is tired. Growing up moving around has served us well in knowing what our family needs.

Why we’re here

We weren’t forced into any of these moves. Through circumstances and what felt like God’s obvious open doors, we chose them, and we know we’re supposed to be here. God has answered so many specific prayers in these months, and it has been amazing to step out in faith and watch Him respond and bless our hard work.

So, to everyone who asks: Moving is hard. Change is hard. Raising kids abroad is hard and incredible all at the same time. But isn’t that life?

We’re tired, we’re blessed, and we hold onto that every single day. If you have any questions about raising kids abroad, let me know!

Want to know what I’m doing when I’m not in “Mom mode”,  follow me below on Instagram, or further browse my work and website on the link below!

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