There are currently thousands of people relocating from the mainland to our beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Many of them have become Pravan members, and we have noticed how challenging the relocation process can be. Some people are doing better than others, so we decided to put together this blog in order to give some perspective for those going through this process.

Relocating can be one of the most exhilarating decisions you ever make. Few things are more mentally and physically challenging than packing your belongings and moving to a new place. You are leaving the comfort of the familiar to engage in a new environment with its own culture and history. As you prepared for all the tearful farewells, the thrill of this new adventure was always in the background. Even as you bid your old home goodbye, you felt the rush of possibility and new beginnings. However, once the initial excitement of living in a new city wears off, gnawing feelings of doubt, uncertainty, loneliness and all the stress that come with moving can start to creep in. You might get lost trying to find your way to the supermarket or you might have difficulties communicating with an important vendor. You might find yourself really missing your favorite coffee shop and long lunches with friends. You planned every aspect of your move, except for this. Let’s talk about what to expect once you start settling into your new life.

There are currently thousands of people relocating from the mainland to our beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Many of them have become Pravan members, and we have noticed how challenging the relocation process can be. Some people are doing better than others, so we decided to put together this blog in order to give some perspective for those going through this process.

Relocating can be one of the most exhilarating decisions you ever make. Few things are more mentally and physically challenging than packing your belongings and moving to a new place. You are leaving the comfort of the familiar to engage in a new environment with its own culture and history. As you prepared for all the tearful farewells, the thrill of this new adventure was always in the background. Even as you bid your old home goodbye, you felt the rush of possibility and new beginnings. However, once the initial excitement of living in a new city wears off, gnawing feelings of doubt, uncertainty, loneliness and all the stress that come with moving can start to creep in. You might get lost trying to find your way to the supermarket or you might have difficulties communicating with an important vendor. You might find yourself really missing your favorite coffee shop and long lunches with friends. You planned every aspect of your move, except for this. Let’s talk about what to expect once you start settling into your new life.

How are you feeling?
We recently closed the book on an incredibly challenging year, and many of us are still catching our breath. If the thought of scrolling through your feed and seeing one more piece of bad news is almost too overwhelming, you are not alone.

In the past year, the boundaries which separated the different areas of our lives blurred or seemed to disappear. We took on a variety of roles as some of us became teachers, made-to-order cooks, and household managers on top of our usual work and family responsibilities. We honed the art of multitasking. We bought masks, scoured medical blogs, and watched the news relentlessly. We took great measures to protect and nurture our physical health.

As weeks became months, many of us began to feel the emotional toll of a very atypical time that included the double punch of a global pandemic and a divisive election, both on the island and the United States. Almost out of necessity, many of our conversations moved from the merely superficial to a different level of openness as we acknowledged the cumulative psychological effect of what we have experienced. It has become clear that mental health has to a be a priority if we want to make it through to the next chapter of our story and thrive.