Flying the nest... Literally!

How it feels to leave home & move to another country.

I was 26 when I received that life changing phone call. I had a comfortable lifestyle living at home with my parents. I had a great job. My own car. 2 or 3 holidays per year. Saturday afternoons watching the Bootle Bucks play football followed by Saturday nights out in Liverpool City Centre. That little box room in my mums was 'home.'

I was working as an Area Manager at the company I started at aged 20 as a Customer Service Representative when a Malta number called my mobile. Reluctantly, I answered (I usually screen calls from numbers I don't know). It was a guy calling about an International job opportunity with a company I had never heard of. 3 hours later, I was on a Webinar with the CEO. 10 days later, I was on a flight to their International Head Office in Malta to start their 3 week training programe. Quick turnaround, right?

So, how do you make a life changing decision in a day? Well, for me it was easy. I loved my life in Liverpool but I knew I was capable of so much more. I wanted to see the world. I also, technically had nothing to lose by trying. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. So I packed my suitcase and waved my family goodbye. Easy to do knowing you'll be back again in 3 weeks.

On the last week of my Malta course, I was told I had been successful and was being sent to one of the two Dubai offices. My flight to expat life was less than two weeks away. This hit me like a tonne of bricks. Thankfully, as upsetting as it was for them to see me go my family were beyond supportive and backed my decision.

So, on the 22nd of September 2017 I said my (emotional) goodbyes & jumped on my Emirates flight to start my new life.

Landing in Dubai, alone, having never even visited the city was daunting to say the least. It was a visionary. The bright lights. The skyscrapers. The 8 lane roads. Madness! Beautiful. I had only ever seen the Burj Khalifa on Instagram. I instantly fell in love.

However, my love was overshadowed by overwhelming homesickness and feeling totally lost. Had I made the right decision? I missed my family. I wasn't great at the job. I had made a quick decision on an apartment that I grew to hate. What would I do?

Well firstly, I moved apartment. Secondly, I changed my mindset and before I knew it was top of my team & hitting my KPIs. I left that company 3 years later as the Number 1 Business Development Manager IN THE WORLD. Not bad for somebody who originally doubted her abilities.

Fast forward 3 years, I am still here in Dubai. Working for an amazing company having recently decided to change industry. I have a lovely apartment with views of Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence. I have a solid group of friends who have become family & I don't see myself rushing home any time soon.

Of course I miss my family but I'm lucky to live in the era of Zoom, Facetime, Instagram, WhatsApp so I text my mum all day every day and get to see their faces as and when I want to! It might not be the same but it's good enough for now.

Thinking of making the move? Send me a message!

Jodi xo