When getting to know a new place, whether just visiting, or moving there for good, learning about the history and culture is always in the top three of the ‘must do’ list for me. If it’s a place steeped in centuries of history it’s always a treat to explore the ‘old town’ if there is … Read more
I’ve lived in the UK about 24 years and apart from the time I abandoned logic and decided to travel without my old passport that says ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ as well as my current one I’ve never really strongly considered getting a dual citizenship. (Have you ever been detained at Heathrow? It’s fun! No, … Read more
Like many Brits, a lot of my immediate family lived close by when I was growing up, and the ones who were spread out over the country, we saw perhaps once a year. Anyone who moved overseas kept in touch with sporadic letters and even more sporadic (and prohibitively expensive) phone calls. The family jungle … Read more
It’s that time of year again. The time when little girls go door-to-door selling the most delicious cookies in the world. And while I am sitting over here in Germany, all I can think about is how amazing a Samoa (or Caramel deLites as they were called when I was a Girl Scout) would taste … Read more
It began with a polite knock on the door. Joe answered it and found two smiling men in uniform waiting on the doorstep. “Good morning,” said the one with the clipboard, “we are sorry for disturbing you, we’ve come to check your gas fittings.” “Really? I don’t think we’ve ever had them checked before,” said … Read more
“You’re unpatriotic!” Two years ago, I arrived in Las Tablas, Panama, with statements like that ringing in my ears. Moving abroad was a rocky road, for us. Something I’d always wanted to do – live overseas – became an urgent necessity after the US financial meltdown in 2009. While we were planning our move, family … Read more
Nice is about 27 km (17 miles) from the “perfume capital of the world”, Grasse, with its large parfumeries, “Fragonard” and “Molinard,” as its major industries and tourist attractions. There are several additional options, though, as Nice has “Molinard,” Eze village has “Fragonard,” and Cagnes-sur-Mer has its “Atelier des Parfums,” all where you can do … Read more
The continuing adventures of June Finnigan, her Man, and Farty Barty the cat. As I write this column, the sun is pouring through the open studio window and there is nothing like it for being inspired to write. February was a month full of surprises and in particular the early blossoming of spring flowers and … Read more
I was not in the mood for more penguins. It was cold, windy and overcast, and I was fighting the early stages of a nasty head cold. We had been driving for hours from Cape Agulhas (the southern tip of Africa) with far too many stops along winding coastal roads, and all I wanted to … Read more
Expat Focus talks to June Finnigan about her first novel ‘My Father, The Assassin’ – the first of a trilogy. June writes her stories in a villa overlooking the Chianti hills in Tuscany, with Barty her grey tiger cat curled upon her lap or purring close by. June, please tell us a little about yourself. … Read more