Columnists Archives - Page 81 of 86

France Powers into 2012

As well as being eternally associated with croissants, wine, frogs’ legs and berets, say “France” and a lot of people immediately think “nuclear energy”. And rightly so. France is the world’s largest net exporter of electricity, to the tune of

Missing the Movies?

Just because you move abroad doesn’t mean that everything in your life is suddenly 100% different. You will find yourself partaking in many of the same activities you did back home, like going to the movies. The hubs and I

Christmas Multi-Cultural Confusion

Expat Christmases are always culturally confused. This year will be our sixth Noël in France, and, as usual, for us it will be a mish-mash of English, Irish and French traditions. The English element comes from myself and husband Chris,

A Cautionary Tale

I have no idea whether a Sanky Panky is a breed found only in the Dominican Republic, or if they exist in other countries too. Here there are thousands. They are men who make a business out of relationships with

Experience German Christmas Markets Like a Local

Christmas Markets in Germany are a huge hit with tourists and locals alike, but the tourist and the local experience can be quite different. Tourists tend to flock to the larger, well known Christmas Markets while locals prefer the smaller

All I want for Christmas…

An expat coaching column at Expat Focus – what a great opportunity to talk about ways to create a fulfilling life and maximise your experience of living in another country. However, if your December is anything like mine, the big

Storm brewing in Singapore

Being British you’ll excuse me for talking about the weather, but I have good reason. For I have just discovered that the country I now call home is one of the lightning capitals of the world. Singapore experiences an average

What Does the Christmas Season Mean to You?

For me Christmas means many things; the birth of Christ and Christmas carols, quality time with family and friends, Christmassy food & decorations and of course snow on Christmas day. But as I pause to review preparations for this year’s

Lost in Translation!

I have a memory like a sieve and the patience of a gnat so my attempts to learn the Portuguese language, as you can imagine, are an uphill struggle to say the least. If I’m brutally honest with myself I’d

Holidays and House Guests

I was recently asked by a friend living in the UK: “Do expats still take holidays and if so where?” What a strange question and one I’d never considered! So what’s the deal with expats and holidays? Do you return