Aisha Isabel Ashraf

Aisha Isabel Ashraf is a freelance writer and author of the popular blog EXPATLOG – a collection of irreverent observations from her experiences as a “cultural chameleon”. It’s where you’ll find her, strung out on caffeine, humorously dissecting the peculiarities of expat life for her own amusement and the benefit of future generations.”

She can be contacted via the usual avenues (e-mail, Twitter, Facebook) – just swing by the blog for directions.

Read Aisha’s other Expat Focus articles here.

Time For Snow Tires?

I must have been looking the other way because it’s suddenly winter and very cold. The manageable minus three degrees, crisp sunshine and bracing air that chased us into the supermarket at the weekend were gone when we came out

4 Mental Hacks For The Expat Existentialist

If you’ve ever asked, “What does it all mean?” or “Why are we here?” you’ve asked an existential question. If you’re reading this there’s also a good chance you’re an expat. Existentialist thought shies away from one-size-fits-all solutions and therein

Food For Thought

Food has a strange hold over us. All over the world, it’s a common bond, but our relationship with food is complex and subjective; it’s so much more than just fuel for our bodies. It’s used to express control, comfort,

Mental Illness And Expat Life

Catastrophe-in-waiting or self-development opportunity? Hi everyone! Since I’ve been away summer has smiled on Ontario and Toronto’s already had its first heat alert; the beaches are open and the festival season is about to kick off. While I apologise for

The Born-Again Expat

I’ve often said becoming an expat is the closest you can get to experiencing life from the uncluttered perspective of a baby – if, and it’s a BIG “if”, you can detach yourself from preconceptions and the urge to make

Canada Celebrates… February!

Where “chilled” is more than just a temperature – it’s a state of mind…Here in Canada, “the powers that be” recognize the restorative properties of a celebration and have worked hard to ensure they occur regularly throughout the year. Often

Expat Life Is Like January

If I distill my expat existence down to its most basic components, it’s a lot like January. Yep, you heard me right – expat life is like one long January. I’m not talking about weather, some people’s January’s are filled

Another Canadian Christmas

Another mark on the door-frame of expat growth Expats are a tough bunch to please – trapped as they are between worlds. Here I am in Canada, so a white Christmas is practically a given, but for me, a Canadian

How To Prepare For A Hurricane

Living in the UK doesn’t necessitate much emergency planning. Usually, the only thing to prepare for is a disappointing summer. If snow’s forecast panic buying might leave supermarkets devoid of bread, milk and lager – but British weather is generally