For Houston native Adalia Aborisade, moving abroad and being able to immerse herself in another culture was always the goal. Even as early as high school.
Then she met the man that she thought she would spend the rest of her life with, and the two married when she was 19. However, after 20 years of being unhappy and suffering from emotional abuse, she found the power to leave and ultimately get a divorce.
“After way too many years where I was not being treated as I should have been, I got divorced,” Adalia told Travel Noire. “Being free to finally pursue the things that I’d always wanted, I knew I’d move abroad eventually.”
Within a year of her divorce being finalized she made the decision to move abroad. It was just her, her then 15-year old daughter, and her mini schnauzer.
“I decided to move abroad, sooner rather than later for the simple reason that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. I’d just spent half of my life deferring my happiness for the sake of someone else and was miserable. If I didn’t at least try to make the move abroad, I knew I’d regret it for the rest of my life – however long or short that might be.”
The easiest way for her to find employment was through her career as a teacher. She went to a job fair in Houston that was focused on schools in Latin America. The very first booth that she stopped by offered her a job in Honduras, so she took it. Living in a Spanish speaking country was always on her list, so it made sense.
She and her daughter really enjoyed their time in Honduras. Within the year, her daughter made the decision to move back and complete high school in Texas. Soon after, due to budgeting issues, Adalia was back on the hunt for a new job.
“I decided to take at least a year off as I’d been working continuously since I was 15 years old,” Adalia said. “So, I spent an adult gap year living in Mexico City and traveling around the world. When I decided to re-enter the workforce, I did so by accepting a position at a school in Kuwait City.”
Her time in Kuwait was very short lived, mostly due to some illegal practices by the school. So, it was on the hunt once again. Luckily, within five days of leaving her school in Kuwait, she was offered a position in China.
She had tried very hard to avoid going to China, but she knew that it was he universe telling her that’s where she was supposed to be.
“I had no interest in living there. However, the universe must have felt that I needed to be in China because other than the location, I couldn’t find real fault with the offer. I ended up extending my contract an additional year. “
Adalia is confident that moving abroad has helped her to find herself again and to grow as a woman. While the constant stares day in China can be exhausting, she does plan to remain abroad. She has her eyes set on an African country next, if the cards play out right.
As for her advice to anyone else thinking about making the move abroad, here’s what she wanted you to know:
“If it is something you want to do, do it, but be smart about it. Do your planning, start by figuring out which visa you can qualify for. You’ve got to be prepared for the unexpected, and always have a backup plan.”
To catch more of Adalia’s adventures, you can find her on her blog: www.pickygirltravelstheworld.com. You can also find her on IG: @pickygirltravels or Facebook: Picky Girl Travels The World.
Related: Traveler Story: ‘We Decided To Get Married In South Korea’
