Goal Coach Melissa McCloud just published a book called Life Abroad detailing beautiful experiences and challenges from living abroad with a young family.  She expected change and growth but she got more than she bargained for with terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka blocks from home, a Pandemic lockdown and enforced martial law for 3 months, where she couldn't leave her building - not even to get food!  Her goal was to have her children experience real life, face adversity, grow from living in a different culture.  She didn't want their frame of reference to only be privileged white kids living in an affluent neighborhood.  She taught them how to face adversity and overcome it. Cultural immersion training did not teach her how to deal with pandemic lockdown, martial law, and terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.  She did not know you should have 1 month's supply of food at all times and how living in a caste system would create more empathy and connection for humanity.  We are all the same as humans, this belief was reinforced throughout her entire expat experience.    Melissa has had a successful career working from home and juggling kids while finding time to work out, navigate parenting challenges during the pandemic, while learning to be adaptable!  Her career as a goal coach has aligned perfectly with her desire to be in service to other women looking to live their best lives.  She went through a year long program called Lightyear Leadership while being on lockdown during the pandemic in addition to other coaching certification programs.    Sri Lanka's education system is based on a British Curriculum and system.  Kindergarten is called year 1 and it's rigorous.  Coming from the U.S. with a more casual approach to school finding the right school for the kids was challenging.  Moving to London, at least she had more options in terms of educating her children.  London required more adaptability as she learned that she was making all kinds of faux pas culturally being naturally outgoing.  They are very private people and don't share their names, which she discovered only after introducing herself to neighbors who were somewhat taken aback by her open friendly manner and personality.  Luckily she is adaptable and has settled into the English way of life.   The one thing that has helped her cope with all the stress the past few years have created has been her commitment to fitness and creating space for herself.  She focused on getting 10,000 steps a day by walking around her complex in Sri Lanka.  She woke up to take the Lightyear Leadership classes at 3:30 a.m. finding precious "me" time before her kids woke up.  The classes were based in the U.S. while she was in Sri Lanka, so the time difference required quite a commitment on her part.    Since moving to London, Melissa published a book called "Life Abroad" to document all those memories for her children.  It's available on Amazon.  She also published "What the Tuk" after the Sri Lankan bombings to give back proceeds to the community.  You can learn more about Melissa on her website:  https://www.melissamccloud.co and join her on FB, Instagram Stories.

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