to be a woman
to be a mother
to be a professional
to be educated and ambitious
to be in a relationship
to have children
to be an expatriate
to be who you are
where you are
you find yourself making choices
your life is a pile of puzzle pieces
you think and look and you shuffle the pieces
you try and go to work and it doesn‘t work
there is no work for you in this city
you have children
you have no childcare
you stay at home
you are miserable
you stay at home
you are happy
you go to work and it works
there is no work for your partner in this city
you are an expatriate
Junling, China
Chinese teacher and stay at home mum
Italian Partner
Mother to a 7 year old boy and a 5 year old girl
My life was completely different when I was in China. I worked as a Chinese teacher at a Military Academy. It was a very enjoyable life − I had only three mornings of teaching a week and the rest of the time I was free. I had dinners out, met up with friends and travelled. As an officer, I had many social privileges, too.
When I moved to Geneva, my life became absolutely quiet and lonely all of a sudden. Although I tried very hard to know and integrate into this new world, learning French while doing my PhD, participating in social activities in order to learn how this society works… but my mind was always lingering between East and West…until my children were born. Then I realized that my life was right here, I decided to build my own world and make myself happier.
I have changed. Since moving to Geneva, I’ve become family, not career oriented. My husband works a lot and if I did the same, we wouldn’t have any quality of life. Now, that the children are older, I am enjoying my free time – practicing the piano, learning French. I know that I am doing good for my family − my children are looked after, my husband has favorable conditions for his career and I am not wasting my time, either, I keep my options open in the future.