What is change? For someone who has always stayed in the same place, moving to another town, province or country is probably something scary. Some people will never even think about it, simply because they are happy with their “normal life”. Not that it’s a bad thing, but everyone has their own path. For me however, always doing the same activities, in the same places, with the same people over and over again seems monotonous. Every move my family and I have made has been to a different city or province. I was born in Ottawa and since then we've moved to Montreal, to Gatineau, to Quebec City and then to Charlottetown. That’s now three provinces and we are about to make yet another move, but this time to another country, as we are about to move to Naples, Italy, for three years. Everyone has their reasons to stay where they are, or to change places. For our family our reasons are always very special.

First of all, the main reason we have moved so often is because my father is in the military. He is serving our country, and our family is supporting him in that role. But not every military person has to move to new postings. My dad has often been offered different and exciting postings for career advancement. Of course he wants to do what is best for his family and he never takes these kinds of decisions lightly. My parents talk to my sister and I before they make those big decisions. Also, most of our moves have been amazing opportunities for all members of the family. But our next move will be very different, as it will be to another country. When my parents first talked about this wonderful opportunity in February, we were amazed by the chance to live in Europe. Plus, when your father gets a transfer to a NATO base, it’s an opportunity that can benefit the entire family. Although moving to Italy will definitely be challenging,we see this as an amazingly positive opportunity. But of course, this kind of life isn't for everyone. It is only for the adventurous and strong-willed.

Secondly, as you can imagine, moving to another country has many effects or outcomes on a family, some good and some bad. The constant adaptation can be hard, and challenging. Also, when you have to leave a place you don't just leave the city, you often leave friends behind. You must keep the good memories, the photos you’ve taken and do your best to stay connected with the friends you’ve met along the way. Of course you are not as close to them anymore, but at least you can stay in contact with them through social media. I keep track of my extended family that way as well. I can talk to my grandfather though facetime and hear his laugh when I tell him a funny thing that happened to me during my day. Every week I can talk to my friends even though they live far away. Just because I move doesn’t mean that I’ll stop talking to them, even when I will move to another country. Although it would be great to see my friends and family more often, I have adapted to this way of life. And, I can tell you that when I do see them, I really make the best of the time we have together!

Moving to a different place or a different country can be a wonderful adventure. Imagine, I’ll also get,to learn the different cultures in Europe and their history. I will learn a new language, meet new people, visit some new countries and live something completely unique, along with my sister and my parents by my side.

To conclude, everyone lives their lives differently. We all have our own path and will have to deal with the ‘cause and effect’ or impacts that the decisions or choices we make have on our lives. So, if you have a once in a lifetime opportunity take it, don’t hesitate to jump head first into a new adventure. We must live our lives the way we want. I feel so lucky to live the adventurous kind of life I have with my parents and my sister.They are important to me as they have supported me through everything in my life. Moving to another country will not always be easy. But we are ready for that big adventure, together we will succeed. We are ready for that big jump, we are ready for that completely awesome move!