Organising a move overseas can be really stressful, and one of the things that can feel overwhelming is the idea of all the organisation you need to do. Deciding what to take and what to leave. Getting your paperwork in order. Knowing that you are going to have to sort through the junk cupboard/ attic/ […]
living overseas
Expat Traditions – Our Cultural Pick & Mix
What are expat traditions? Well, one of the best things about living overseas for me is picking up new traditions and joining in different celebrations. I love this cultural mash up – or rather, a pick and mix of traditions I have written before about the fact that our family is monocultural – my husband […]
When Your Expat Plan Doesn’t Go To Plan…
Just when everything starts to feel right, everything changes again. Sound familiar? Yep, another move is on the cards. This was not in the plan. The *plan* was to do 3-4 years in Bangkok and then move back to England. Well, that plan didn’t happen. I worried about a lot of things before we moved […]
Expat Resources
When we moved the first time the word ‘expat’ was new to me. I didn’t even think about whether there would be expat resources available. I read one book – from the relocation company – about all the reasons expat assignments fail. Basically it’s because of the TRAILING SPOUSE…yep, another term I wasn’t really familiar […]
Moving on? Here are some thoughts for the leavers…
It’s that time of year again when our heterogenous expat community can be grouped into two distinct tribes: the leavers and the stayers. And for those moving on, it’s a busy, emotional and often stressful time. This year, I am happy to report that I am a stayer. But the downside of that is having to say […]
Florence with Kids – Top Travel Tips
Florence. Capital of Tuscany, cradle of the Renaissance, ‘City of Art’. It’s romantic, it’s beautiful and it’s brimming with culture. But Florence with kids? Absolutely! Florence with Kids Florence is an easy city to walk around and there are tons of places to eat which is great when you have children who are constantly hungry! Like […]
Expert Tips on Making Your Expat House Feel Like Home
A big part of any relocation is getting settled in your new expat house. But often this means a furnished flat, full of things you haven’t chosen. Or a house where none of the things you have shipped seem to quite work. So what can you do to make your expat house feel like home? And how […]
Expat sometimes means extra effort
When you’re an expat you can gain a lot (and not just the ‘bread and wine’ pounds I have found here in Germany) but also miss out on a lot. I have missed big birthday celebrations, family weekends away, school reunions (phew!), hen weekends, weddings and the arrival of babies. I don’t like missing out. So I […]
Monocultural Mum and the Third Culture Kids
I have lived away from home for four years now. Which in some ways is not that long really – equivalent to the length of time it took to do my degree (which included a year in France, not a repeat year…). However, when I think back to boarding the plane to Bangkok back in February 2013, what […]
Ten things I love about Germany…
There are always challenges when you move to a new country. And it’s easy to see all the things that are difficult. Or those that just get right on your nerves. So this post is the antithesis to all of that. This post is dedicated to the things I LOVE about living in Germany. Springtime in […]