As a Brit in the USA, married to an American, and having children all born and raised here, it’s important to me that they feel “half British” and understand where I came from. Fortunately, by dint of husband’s many air miles, we are able to visit England every summer for several weeks, if not months. … Read more
“Another day in paradise,” I thought as I climbed the staircase to our roof terrace. February is usually the coldest, wettest month of the year, but this February had been glorious. I set down the heavy laundry basket, heaped with wet bed linen. Perfect drying weather: very windy, but not a cloud in sight, and … Read more
Most people know that networking is critical to international career advancement and the international job search. However not everyone is familiar with networking strategies that can help them reach their expat career or job search goals as efficiently and effectively as possible. One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of effective networking is … Read more
Being an expat is the easy part, being good at it – not so ‘all in your stride’ straightforward. I’ve just arrived back in Hong Kong, bleary-eyed from an overnight flight with a two year old (say no more) and feeling a little bit, well, empty. It’s been six months since I was home, the … Read more
I spent my first three weeks in Las Tablas, Panama, homeless and alone. I had traveled to Las Tablas while my husband stayed back in FL. He was getting our house there ready to rent out while I was looking for a place for us to live in Panama. After arriving in town I checked … Read more
When you move to another country where English is not the first language or there are religious and cultural differences these may create barriers to full social integration. This does not apply to all expats, I hasten to add, however some people do struggle, and not always for want of trying. For example, a chance … Read more
Cayman’s earliest settlers would have come by boat – some time in the early 1600s – from Jamaica or Cuba. There is no evidence of any aboriginal inhabitants, so the first comers would have been European and African refugees from one sort of slavery or another. They were either adventurous or desperate, or both – … Read more
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 at school there will be a Spirit Day, for no reason I can fathom other … Read more
When researching places to settle upon retirement everyone has different requirements and preferences. There are those who have lived the expat life for a long time who can’t wait to go home and settle into a comfortable routine, surrounded by children and grandchildren. Others, such as my husband and me, continue to look for new … Read more
One of the things that I thought about a lot when we moved to New Zealand back in May 2010 was, “Will I stand out as an American?” The answer is yes, of course. My accent instantly makes me stand out as being from North America, though most people can’t tell for certain if I’m … Read more