Experiences like these are to help us learn who we are deep down inside. If we never test our boundaries, then we don’t know what we are capable of doing. To reach our deaths safely without a scar, to maybe live a few extra years, is not worth skidding into our graves screaming, ‘Wow that was frickin’ cool!’ -Eva Hamori
Welcome to My Expat Life – That’s Hamori! a family blog created to document our move from Canada to France and then to Hungary, and back again to the very beginning to Nanaimo BC Canada; a full circle adventure of an entire decade. Journaling on the blog became a place for me to collect information that we gathered along the way, which helped me process the stress while changing our life entirely while on the pursuit of happiness. I wanted a place to share these experiences. Over the years it has grown and grown…
I am a wife, and a mother first. Over the years I have accumulated many skills in business management, the creation of business, running rentals, teaching and of course writing. I am originally from Surrey B.C. Canada, but lived a good chunk in Duncan on the Island and also South Surrey near White Rock when our children were small. The kids were 5 & 7 when we left on our gap year which turned into a decade. We made the full circle back home when our son started university at VIU (Vancouver Island University). My husband, my partner in adventure, is originally from Hungary and moved to Canada in 1988. I met him a year later in high school and we became fast friends. He is far more practical than myself, feet placed firmly on the ground. He is my rock. Our adventure started out of love for my husband. I had no idea it would effect me to profoundly.
Have you ever dreamed about living in Europe?
Have you ever wondered how people do it?
Those wishing to make changes in their lives and to actively go after their dreams may find some inspiration in our blog. As wanderlusts like ourselves, those visiting Europe may read about places we have visited during our travels and find the information useful.
Our story in short form, is that we checked out of the rat race in North America, left behind the 9-5:00 in search of a life that we could get truly excited about; one that includes lots of time with the kids and showing them the world through travel, food and adventures. We have learned languages, created businesses and met many interesting characters along the way. For me personally, the journey went as deep as miles long.
To navigate through our website headers,
Our Journey: Is the chronological account of our journey through journal entries. We talk about how we sold everything in Vancouver, packed up the kids and moved to Europe. We wanted to buy a Bed and Breakfast in Southern France, and show the kids another kind of life; one based on time currency, learning new languages and living a balanced life! Follow along as our family adventure unfolds.
My Expat Life Series, FRANCE: Meeting fellow expats who find their best lives in the Languedoc (Occitania) inspired me to write a series. Creative, interesting and thought provoking, I hope you enjoy reading about the people who move to the region and what they do for a living, as much as I enjoyed writing about them. I hope they inspire you to live your best life too.
My Expat Life Series, HUNGARY: is my latest writing project. I am in search of fellow adventures like ourselves who have started a new life here in Hungary. I meet so many fascinating people and have one very interesting person from America to kick off this series! If anyone is interested in participating, please contact us at info@thatshamori.com
Food: Do you love food? Gluttony is my favourite sin! I find myself eating my way through Europe, and recreating the recipes and sharing them with you! Our Facebook branch off page called Travel, Eat, Repeat follows our culinary adventures! Our daughter Angelina has picked up the foodie name and loves to cook too!
Lists: Writing for years, it must be a natural process to make lists while accumulating so much information. Here they are in all their organized glory. For the listophile, listoholic and listomaniacs among us.
Inspiration: This is where I babble about my silly epiphanies, the problems I have worked through, my random thoughts and my aha moments. The journey brought up a lot of unresolved issues which I needed to work through. The act of writing eventually got me to a very good place; I found it very therapeutic.
subheader 40 Before 40: When the monumental 40th birthday approached, I decided to make a list of the forty things I wanted to do before my milestone occurred. It was fun, and I think I learned a lot in that year. Will there be a fifty before fifty? I did stat to write one, just seems like I did most things I desired already. Perhaps a destination blog? I still have time.
Under My Expat Lives are:
Hungary: Our lovely home in Budapest Hungary is the complete polar opposite to our rural life in Capestang France. Our apartment was in Elizabethtown in the dynamic 7th district in Pest which is teaming with life; operas, theatre, nightlife, shows, festivals, music, restaurants, history, monuments and it never ends. I share my other love, our other home; Magyarország.
Our home in Solymar is freshly built and another adventure in itself. We bought it half built for a song and renovated it. Close to work, nestled in the hillside, here we host Language students studying the English language through our unique immersion program; LivEnglish. I loved this home.
Vancouver: Here I share experiences and things I love about my home and native land, Canada. During visits home, I love to write about the differences about living in Vancouver and Capestang France or Budapest Hungary, how different the cultures are and what I miss the most.
France: New to France, here we shared our experiences with culture, language, food, business, local sites… For those of you who are thinking about travelling with children, we have a few tips. For those wishing to move to southern France, we have some advice. Pursue your happiness, reach for your dreams, and I promise life just keeps getting better.
subheader Capestang: Capestang is the little village nestled up to the Canal du Midi that we decided to call our home. Southern France is beautiful, with the sun shining 320+ days a year. We were located 2 hours from the Spanish border, 20 minutes from the beach and also close to Beziers, and Carcassonne airports. Other nearby cities include Montpellier and Toulouse. For us it was the perfect place to set up a new life, and work in the tourist industry.
