Follow your heart

On my last day in the office before I left Sydney, a good friend and colleague said to me,
"Sometimes you just have to follow your heart."

And that really is why I'm here. While others might move overseas to seek adventure and new experiences and challenge themselves, I will admit I was perfectly happy with my life in Sydney just the way it was. So when my boyfriend of 3 years was given the opportunity to move to Kuala Lumpur and set up a new office for his company, I definitely had mixed feelings. On the one hand I wanted to be supportive of something he's wanted to do for a long time; on the other hand...I didn't want to leave home! I didn't want to quit my job! And what would KL do to our relationship?

While KL plans had been on the table for quite some time, things were only finalised at the very last minute giving The Boy literally about a week to sort out his life in Sydney and move. He left in such a whirl that in between cleaning the apartment to put on the rental market and sorting out his travel insurance, there was barely time to be sad about our impending separation. I moved back in with my parents and younger siblings while I planned my own departure, thankful that email, Skype and Viber make long-distance romance slightly easier to maintain.

4 months and one brief visit to KL later, it was me checking in the world's biggest suitcase at Sydney International Airport and hugging my dad goodbye. And here I am. No friends, no car, no office - I'm starting from scratch with The Boy the only familiar thing left from my old life.  

To be honest, until The Boy's job opportunity came up, KL wasn't even really on my radar as a travel destination. The only memory I had of the place was of a late-night stop over at KL airport way back in 1998 en route to London. And it wasn't a particular good memory either - I had managed to lose my camera and was desperately trying to ask airport staff for help finding it. I never did get it back and spent the next 3 weeks in Europe buying a disposable camera in every city.

This time around I'm hoping for better memories. I've followed my heart to KL and I know this will be the biggest test of our love but also the greatest opportunity. We could have stayed in Sydney and stuck to our comfortable routine, knowing exactly what each day, week and month would bring. 

But instead we're here, out of our comfort zones and for the first time really having to depend on the other person to get through. I miss my family and friends in Sydney and KL is full of frustrations, but I know there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now.