When I first joined IDEAS, I was unsure of what the next six years of my professional life would look like. I kept hearing the lie in my head that said people might think I was giving up on my professional development because I could not find a job in America. This lie came from the fear of the unknown about my ...

People often ask what foods I miss from my home country. There are some I miss, such as Colorado’s green chili. However, after living in three different countries, the food I miss most may not come from my home country. . . which leads me to cherry juice. 

While living and working overseas, it’s normal to wonder at times, “Is it worth it? Does what I’m doing matter?” Recently I have been assured that the answer is, "Yes!"

We had just prepared our letter to loved ones in America. Corona is spreading everywhere, I wrote, but we are on lockdown, and perhaps safer here than we would be in the States. We have money, food, and good relations with neighbors. We plan to stick it out here.

My family and I recently returned from a long trip: 47 days, 9 hotels/homes, 5 flights, 2 small children, and many unexpected changes of plans. We lived to tell the tale and be thankful for it! We’ve lived overseas for almost five years and are not strangers to travel, but we’ve realized the way we travel had to change once we became parents.

I've heard it many times. When people learn that I work overseas they say, "You're living my dream." That may be true. People dream of the adventure of travel and living in a new place. I get to live in Jordan, a fascinating place with a long history, friendly people, and delicious food. But I've learned that those who last the longest overseas have ...

Today it hit me, wells of emotions came rushing from nowhere and shook me from the inside out. My son is going away from his family core to begin his own life away from us, away from what we call home at this moment in time.

Although we’re already halfway through the month of January, you may still be thinking about your goals for 2020 and for this new decade. Hopefully, you’ve not already given up on your New Year’s resolutions! As you think about the changes you’d like to make, maybe you are focused on the usual: losing weight, getting more exercise, or spending less time on ...

When my wife and I moved to Asia with our two boys many years ago, we knew that the only communication we would have with our family would be through letters. There would be the occasional phone call, but phone calls were expensive and the sound quality was poor. Our parents would experience their grandchildren growing up only though photographs and ...

Spending Christmas far from home, away from friends and family can be hard. And it can feel a bit surreal celebrating Christmas in a country where it’s not an official holiday. Yet, this distance means that unexpected signs of Christmas turn into precious gifts. Some of my favorite Christmas memories come from living abroad.