Life Swap

Vicky was a successful British magazine editor who had the privilege of attending glitzy events and rubbing shoulders with celebrities. Despite her successful career, healthy social life and a strong family network from her brother's family, she was miserable as a single woman. She constantly felt that she was an outcast and a failure for not having a husband and kids in a suburban home.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Amber had a successful husband, two beautiful kids, a designer wardrobe, an au pair and a beautiful mansion on the outskirt of Manhattan. Her days were spent organising a charity event and various organisation committees of the community. She played the role of a perfect Stepford wife. She had everything that Vicky desired. However, she was frustrated with constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses and with little time for herself and her family.

When Vicky decided to do a feature on a life swap with a 'desperate housewife', Amber was shortlisted to be the candidate with whom Vicky would swap with. Both girls travelled across the Atlantic to live the life of the other, including taking on the other person's job, friends and family for the next 4 weeks. After the novelty of the new life wore off, each of them started to feel exhausted leading the life of the other and they started to miss their life back home. Both Vicky and Amber also started to appreciate their own life and reflected on how they could better improve their life.

When they ended off the swap, Vicky realised that life would not become perfect simply with marriage and kids. Amber realised that although she felt tired taking care of her family, she would not again want to abandon them even for a second.

Such is life. Life Swap by Jane Green depicted the dilemma of two women with completely different lifestyles. We always envy another for the life she / he has. The single envys the married for their blissful life, complete with a caring husband and adorable children. The married envys the single for the freedom to go for shopping after work and the ability to sleep in on weekend mornings. None is a bed of roses. It is always a matter of priorities. No matter which side of the pasture you are on, the most important thing is to learn to appreciate what you have and make the most out of it.