Micky Nijboer strides through the Saddle Club with contagious enthusiasm. ‘Let me show you around this little piece of paradise.’ The 9-hectare oasis lies in the pounding heart of Lagos – one of the world’s most densely crowded megacities. Outside the perimeter wall, car horns, street hawkers and truck motors screech and roar. But tranquillity … Read more
As we drive down the winding mountain road, I see the national military police up ahead, signaling us to stop. David hits the brakes of the ancient BMW 320. The sudden jolt sets off a round of clucking from the chickens in the backseat. The bamboo stalks roped to the car’s roof slide forward but … Read more
I’m basing this month’s Expat Focus blog on one of the search terms that someone used to find my blog – the Expat Partner’s Survival Guide. I love it when I’m allowed to see search terms (unfortunately it seems pretty random as to which you can and can’t see – Google and WordPress mostly want … Read more
The continuing adventures of June Finnigan, her Man, and Farty Barty the cat. Benvenuti to all my Loyal and New Followers February can be a strange month, don’t you think? As far as the Tuscans are concerned, it’s the second month of winter knowing that if we are going to get any severe weather, January … Read more
Like many expats, I do a fair bit of traveling but it has never occurred to me to try to look like a native at my destinations. Who am I kidding? With my lily-white skin and fair hair, I stick out like a sore thumb in some countries. I came across this article however, which … Read more
La Grippe is an unassuming village on the road to Nevers. It bears an unfortunate name, la grippe being the French word for influenza, flu or the Dreaded Lurgy. John and I have to drive through La Grippe on the way to Nevers, the capital of our département and the seat of petty bureaucracy at … Read more
My husband and I looked at one another and knew the move was official. We loaded our last set of containers into the moving truck and realized that our move to Portugal was fast approaching. We had our going away parties, donated unwanted furniture and said goodbye. Fortunately, my husband has family in Portugal so … Read more
My first column here on Expat Focus was titled “The Perils of the Native English Speaker in Germany.” In that article, I complained about being a native English speaker in Germany. Well, I am back here to say that now, over one year after writing that article, I am beginning to see that being a … Read more
One minute I was on a plane heading for Sevilla to try to learn Spanish, and the next I’m watching a stunning Spanish lady walking down the aisle towards me, yes me, to become my wife, wondering, how the hell did that happen? And to think, I wasn’t even intending on staying in Spain for … Read more
One weekend in early February, my wife asked me first thing on Saturday morning if I had filled up the car with gas, and then asked if I was up for a road trip. You bet I was, and before long we were heading off to… somewhere, but where was to be a surprise. We … Read more