I Moved 5 Times for My Career but My Last Move Was for Love

As I was 35, I had moved from Istanbul to London, then Johannesburg, Beirut, Dublin and finally Berlin.

Each movement came with a brighter working titleHigher salary, increasing network of professional contacts and a flow of new experiences.

I had a Passport full of stamps And stories that made me interesting during dinners, and for a while, I found this fascinating lifestyle.

However, when I master the art of Navigate in unknown cities And cultures and a small conversation with foreigners, I lost other skills.

I lost my feeling of permanence

I no longer knew what a feeling in a place or how to feed lasting friendships looked like. My long -term health also suffered because I no longer planned routine controls.

With a Life built around my work And the constantly linked to work, I knew what airport cafes had a decent coffee, but I did not know the names of my neighbors.

After five relocations motivated by career advancement and financial security – each pushing my emotional and social needs Further on the list – I felt exhausted.

It was not only the requirements of work that have exhausted me, but also the emotional exhaustion of constantly starting again.

My last blow was for love, not ambition

I met the man who would later become my husband during this fifth Move to Berlin.

He too had spent his 20 years and in the early 1930s to pursue career stages in different cities, working in finance.

When we decided to get married, we also started talking about the kind of life we ​​wanted to build together.

One thing became clear immediately: we wanted to stop moving and finally taking root somewhere.

At this point, we both estimated that we had realized a lot in the business world and that we were ready for a more balanced lifestyle.

We wanted to buy furniture, cultivate plants and build routines.

However, there was a hiccup. We both moved to Berlin for our careers. As beautiful as Berlin be, it was not a long -term place for us.

We had to move again, this time to build the life we ​​wanted with each other

My husband is Italian and I am Turkish. We have chosen to move to Rome together so that we can build a life that honored the best parts from where we come: a lot of good weather, fresh products easily available and a strong feeling of community and family.

Rome, with its long lunches, would not have been the obvious choice for me many years ago, when I was moving for career growth and financial stability.

However, it was the obvious choice for me when I made the decision to move out of love. Logistics and bureaucracy were always a headache, but it was the simplest decision I have ever made.

My husband supported me through the transition with his current Italian while we sail on police stations and town hall for visas and registrations.

We have lived in Rome for a year now and love it

I did not completely depreciate my career, but I started to treat it as an aspect of my life, not the whole.

Instead of the animated rooms of large technological companies, I now work at a distance from my home as an independent consultant, which allows me more time for my relationships, my hobbies and my interests.

We moved to Rome a year ago, and we slowly build the routines that we aspire in search of our favorite restaurant for Friday meetings, to make weekly visits to the local farmers market to cook Minestrone or to obtain an annual subscription at the gymnasium.

Will I move again? I learned never to say never.

However, I can say with confidence that I no longer feel the need to move or continue the next exciting city for a prestigious job.

I started thinking about my life like a garden. He needs light, yes, but also consistency, care and good container. For me, this container was love.