2018 was a brilliant year of books – and book clubs – for me. In my non-reading life, it’s been a year of highs and lows with another expat move from Germany to France. But my cunning plan worked! I set up the Expat Book Club because I wanted a book club that I could read […]
Expat Life
Christmas Guests?
What evokes Christmas for you? For me, it’s the smell of mince pies and tangerines and the twinkle of fairy lights. It’s the opening bars of ‘Fairytale of New York’ and the tears that come all too quickly whenever I hear children singing carols. It’s being at my parents’ house with all my family, which […]
Our Favourite Children’s Books – Book Recommendations from Expat Kids
Is there a greater gift than the gift of a book? I honestly don’t think there is. Books can transport us, they can offer comfort. They can teach us about the world and about ourselves. They can be an adventure, a refuge, and inspiration, a solace. And it’s a pure pleasure to give a child […]
Expat Author: Karien van Ditzhuijzen ‘A Yellow House’
Karien van Ditzhuijzen was one of the first members in our Expat Book Club, and I was so intrigued when she messaged me to let me know about the book she was writing. Well, that book has now been published and I am very happy to be able to share more about it, plus an […]
Living in France – Seven things I’ve learned in our first few weeks
We haven’t even been living in France for two months yet. It feels like longer. Not necessarily because the time has flown due to me having too much fun…but there’s time for that! So I thought I’d share my first impressions as a British expat living in France. I wonder how much these will change […]
Expat Author and Book Review: Jo Furniss, author of ‘The Trailing Spouse’
I am so happy to share this review and interview with Jo Furniss! Jo is a member of our Expat Book Club and author of the Amazon charts bestseller ‘All the Little Children’. Here she talks to us about her life as an expat and the inspiration behind her second novel, ‘The Trailing Spouse.’ But […]
The Truth About Moving: Expat Anxiety…Insomnia and Ikea
The last time I was new in a new country was three years ago. I wrote about it, after the first year, and described this initial couple of weeks as having been a honeymoon period. It almost feels like you are on holiday…until the reality sinks in that you aren’t going home. So I think […]
Moving on, leaving friends…Why I never can say Goodbye
In the past five years we have lived in three different countries, and we’re just about to move to our fourth. From our home country of England to Thailand and then Germany, the latest move will take us to France. I have learned a lot through all of these experiences…the biggest thing being how little […]
Books for the Beach and Beyond – Summer Reads 2018
Summer is here and with it hopefully some time to rest, recuperate and read. I am currently in the process of packing up and getting us ready to move country, and it’s the thought of our holiday by the beach that is keeping me going! Wherever you are heading for the summer – whether it’s […]
Expert Tips for an Expat Move – Moving Day
This is the third and final instalment of our series of tips on moving overseas. I have teamed up with Mel Carruthers, professional organiser and seasoned expat, to get her expert advice. We have already covered tips on getting organised and getting packed up. Now for the last piece in the puzzle – moving day. […]