Written by Jaime L. Roya

I have experienced two key transitions in my life to date. The first being the decision to pursue an international career when I accepted my first position in Doha, Qatar. That decision was a catalyst of change and transformed me professionally, personally and most importantly spiritually.

As someone that has never lived outside of my home state Texas, this was a huge leap of faith. I did not have any expectations because I honestly did not know what I was signing up for other than something new and a road less traveled amongst my immediate family and close friends.

The transition to Qatar was quite easy, in retrospect, and in comparison to some of the horror stories I have heard from colleagues and friends I have met on this international journey. One aspect I appreciated most about life in Qatar is I worked alongside people that not only looked like me (race/ethnicity), but we also shared lived experiences. (Side bar: If you have ever heard the phrase “all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk” you may understand why I added the emphasis on lived experiences.)

Having a solid core group of girlfriends from various backgrounds and career sectors allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life balance which helped me to feel psychological safe. My mental health in Qatar was at peak performance. I did not allow “aloneness” to be mistaken for “loneliness” but instead strengthened my personal relationship with God through regular prayer and devotion.

When I chose to accept my placement in Qatar, my friends working in Egypt (a married couple I worked alongside in Houston, Texas that influenced my decision to move abroad) warned that the ease of that transition might prove to make moving most places in the world difficult. Those words rang true when I decided to pivot to South Korea. I was stripped of a comfortable expat lifestyle (think “soft-life”) and sisterhood. The former I can adjust accordingly but I realized sisterhood or even access to a community that looks like me is a non-negotiable. I spent the past year walking through life in South Korea blindly trusting my Korean-speaking coworkers to navigate daily nuances, tuning out my environment 90% with AirPods since I do not understand any of the conversations around me and not seeing a single person of color more than 1-2 times a month (that’s being generous).

Culture shock is an understatement. And yes, my mental health suffered. But GOD! I leaned into a newly created group of Black Counseling Professionals I met at a conference and made intentional efforts to stay in contact with my Qatar sisterhood circle and family in The States.

This year, I am focusing on finding joy and stepping out of my comfort zone to explore this place that God strategically placed me. While the road less traveled can bring it’s fair share of anxiety and challenges, what you gain for the experience is one of a kind and possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

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You connect with Jaime and follow her journey via the following platforms:

Instagram- @JaimeLRoya

LinkedIN- Jaime LaDawn Roya

Email: jaimelroya@gmail.com