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When Expatriate Couples Must Live Apart

So, it's like this: I flew back to Shanghai after the holidays. I was in Shanghai for two whole days when I was forced to return home to deal with an emergency situation with a family member. Life's realities require my presence and energies stateside, there's no way around it.

My husband will continue to work in Shanghai for he's very happy with his job, and quite frankly, more than ever we NEED his salary.

Technologies are such a blessing. My husband and I Skype, IM, and SMS to stay in touch. We also have shared common interests that keep us 'on the same page'.

Many expatriates get a 'rush' from the challenge of living through vastly divergent cultural experiences. The one constant in an expat's life is the un-constant and the sheer joy of conquering challenges, and it's these traits that may be our saving grace through this time in our lives. We'll get through this. We're not happy campers living apart, but it is what it is.