As the hubs and I were planning our move abroad, all our goals concerned our immediate family (which includes me, the hubs, and our four legged baby, Tuaca). Saying our goodbyes to extended family as the big day approached, we scheduled family trips back home and vice versa. We are constantly in touch with our … Read more
Since retiring, one of the time-luxuries I now enjoy is indulging in my passion to grow my own fruit and vegetables. I’ll never be self-sufficient due to the limited space in my urban garden, but the rewards and sheer enjoyment of watching something grow then eating it far outweighs time and lack of return on … Read more
When you first learn you’re moving overseas, so many thoughts run through your mind. Where will we live? What are the weather and geography like? Will I need to learn a new language? How different will the culture be? Yet for the parents among us, schooling options for our children ranks right at the top … Read more
New middle-class expats in Cayman often arrive with stars in their eyes, expecting a perfect tropical paradise. The facilities are excellent, the wages are high (which means that savings are high by home standards), and the sun, sea and sand are indeed as per the brochures. The social life is whatever you want it to … Read more
It all began last month when I got up in the middle of the night and came to the kitchen for a glass of water. I switched on the light and, to my horror, saw black shapes scuttling into the shadows. Cockroaches! I ran back to the bedroom and woke Joe. “Joe! We’ve got cockroaches … Read more
As a long-term expat in the UK, I have learned that the mysteries of tea are much deeper than ‘how do you have yours’ and ‘what’s an Afternoon Tea and when is it supposed to happen.’ From my experience, I would say there are two types of tea ceremony in Britain, the Afternoon Tea and … Read more
I’ve always loved being a tourist in my own town. I’ll never tire of visiting Citadel Hill in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I grew up and spent the first 26 years of my life. It’s a step back in the past, where you can get lost amongst the ramparts of the old fort and walk … Read more
Like something out of Louis XIV’s French court in the 1600’s, where only persons of the highest rank could even sit on a stool in the king’s presence, Queen Elizabeth II recently updated the curtseying protocols for the Royal family. Officially called the “Order of Precedence of the Royal Family to be Observed at Court”, … Read more
Having 20 years experience in career, organizational and business development in 40+ countries, I can tell you that the world of work is going through some dramatic changes right now. Companies and organizations worldwide recognize they must expand outside their borders if they want to survive, but must do so with less resources. International assignments … Read more
Whenever people travel somewhere new, they talk of “the sights and sounds”, and out come the photos to give us an idea of what they’ve experienced. But without the auditory soundtrack the pictures are static and flat. We can’t feel the atmosphere.It takes sound to flesh out the visual experience and imbue it with life. … Read more