The Trade Off Of Moving Abroad

I never thought I would end up living in the jungle of Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia. But that's where I chose, with my wife, in a small farm and homestead we built ourselves, on a few different pieces of land, surrounded by nature and wildlife. We have electricity through solar power, mobile internet, and running water, also through the use of solar power. We grow our own food, collect rainwater, and use solar panels for some basic needs. We live a simple, minimalist, and sustainable lifestyle that is far from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

However, this lifestyle came with a price. I didn't expect to pay the price with the lifestyle I chose, when I decided to move abroad with my wife. Even though I don't regret my choice, I still feel a little hurt sometimes because the price of losing some of my friends hurts inside. My wife feels the same, but we both understand it is a choice that, when weighing the options and consequences of our actions, we truly know we made the right decision.

You see, when I first told my friends that I was moving to Cambodia, they were supportive and curious. They asked me why I wanted to go there, what I was going to do there, how long I was going to stay there. They seemed genuinely interested and happy for me. They said they would keep in touch and visit me someday.

But as time went by, things changed. The communication became less frequent and more superficial. The conversations became shorter and more awkward. The visits never happened. The interest faded. The support dwindled.

I realized that some of my friends were not really friends at all. They were just acquaintances who only cared about me when I was useful or convenient for them. When I was living in the same city as them, working in the same field as them, sharing the same hobbies as them, then I was a "good man". When I moved away and changed my lifestyle, they lost their connection with me. They didn't understand why I chose to live this way. They didn't respect my decision. They didn't value me as a person.

It hurt me to realize this. It wounded me to lose some of the people who I thought were close to me. It damaged me to feel lonely and isolated sometimes. But it also taught me a valuable lesson. It taught me who my real friends are. My friends are those who stayed in touch with me, no matter how far or different I was from them. The ones who listened to me, supported me, and encouraged me, those are my friends. The ones who respected me, understood me, and valued me, those are my friends. The ones who loved me for who I am, not for what I do or have, I can respect and know their heart is like-minded and true.

My wife is one of those real friends. She is my best friend, my partner, my soulmate. She is the one who shared my dream of moving towards living a simpler life. She is the one who helped me build our home in the jungle. She is the one who makes me happy every day.

We have also made some new friends here in Cambodia. Our friends include the locals who welcomed us into their community and taught us their culture and language. Other friends include some expats who share our passion for travel and adventure. And, finally, our friends include some volunteers who work with us on various projects to help the environment and the people. These are the real friends in our lives now. We are proud of that.

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Original story (created by me) published on Medium.com. Any changes and/or updates that have been added on Vocal.media are for content consumption purposes.

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