Coming Full Circle

30 October 2026

Take a few steps, do the scary thing, and then repeat. Noma Ndlovu As worried as I felt about moving to a new country, something about Switzerland feels like coming home. It could be living in some people call “the old world,” it could be living in the same place as my favorite person, or it could be returning to the country that kicked off my second career. Whatever it is, it feels like a full circle moment. Merriam Webster defines “full circle” as: “Through a serious of developments that lead back to the original source, position or situation or to a complete reversal of the original position.” In July of 2015, after my first year of law school, I spent a few weeks in Geneva, Switzerland. The trip, an opportunity to learn from experts at the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization, was my foray in the field of international trade policy, which is eventually how I met my husband. The ever-wise Noémie Gaines shared a reflection about that trip and what it taught her. In July 2025, I read Noémie’s reflection piece from my apartment in Switzerland. Ten years to the month, I’ve come full circle. Me in Montreux, Switzerland in 2015. Photo: Noma Ndlovu. I’ve had several full circle moments in the last year. I like to think that Universe hears my doubts and uses them to show me that I’m walking the right path. These moments are especially poignant when I’m down on myself about how little “progress” I’ve made in my life. I’ll give an another example. During my last week in D.C. I took my sister’s car to the shop. As I walked to the shop to pick up the car that afternoon, I couldn’t help realize that the street looked and felt familiar. As it turns out, the shop sat on the corner of the North Taylor Street. The same North Taylor Street I lived on my first six weeks in D.C. while crashing with a friend because I couldn’t afford to rent. In my last week in D.C. I found myself where it all started. A full circle moment. I share this not to bore you, or promote Merriam Webster (unless they’re looking for brand partnerships, if so I’m totally interested), but in hopes that you’ll be inspired to see the small moments, the building moments as exactly where you’re supposed to be. These days, social media shows us the finished products, and it seems everyone is lamenting being a “try-hard” or being seen as “cringe.” My move to Switzerland may look glamorous, but it's built from many small moments of trying and failing and many people cringing. As Noemie reminds us, sometimes the small, sacred, silent moments plant seeds. “The kind that would take a decade to bloom.” For me, as I sit here at what feels like the completion of one circle and the beginning of another, these moments, I know, will be the series of developments, and it’s up to me to decide how this next circle will close. By continuing to do the scary thing. Have you had these small moments come full circle? If so, share in the comments. I’d love to hear how a series of developments brought you full circle. Thanks for reading "Becoming An Immigrant, Again!" Originally published on Substack on Aug 04, 2025.