Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Change, Creativity, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, Writing, tagged adult TCK, Antoni Gaudi, architect, ATCK, author, Barcelona, Catalan, Catalunya, crime, cultural values, desperation, economic downturn, England, From Barcelona: Stories Behind the City, frustration, Gaudi, Jeremy Holland, love, Native Spain, Netherlands, pickpockets, relationships, religion, Saudi Arabia, short stories, short story collection, social mores, Spain, Summertime Publishing, TCK, the Philippines, US, writer, writing on April 11, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
Time for another review of a book written by, about or for expats. Not only does Jeremy Holland’s From Barcelona: Stories Behind the City happen to be all three, it’s also a collection of short stories. To non-literary types, they sound surprisingly simple: just rattle off a quick tale about someone who did something (or had [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Authors (Other), Blogging, Change, Creativity, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Global Issues, Identity, Repatriation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Writing, tagged Ann Baker Cottrell, Anne Copeland, Apple Gidley, call to action, Colleen Reichrath-Smith, creative, cross-cultural, Cultural Integration and the Illusion of Closeness, cultural intelligence, culture, culture shock, doers, Duncan Westwood, Elizabeth Vennekens-Kelly, emotional intelligence, emotional resilience, expat life, expatriate life, expatriation, experiences, Families in Global Transitions, FIGT, FIGT 2013, ideas, innovative, insight, intercultural, international, Janet Bennett, Jo Parfitt, Judy Rickatson, Julia Simens, Kathleen Gamble, Katia Vachlos, Kilian Kroll, Laura J. Stephens, Leila Buck, living abroad, Maria Foley, networking, Norm Viss, perspective, Pico Iyer, projects, Rachel Yates, Rebecca Grappo, Repatriation, research, Ruth Van Reken, social intelligence, TCKs, topics, transition process, Trisha Carter on March 30, 2013 | 4 Comments »
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the annual Families in Global Transition conference (aka on Twitter as #FIGT2013). The theme this year was ‘Cultural Integration and the Illusion of Closeness.’ It was, in a word, exhilarating. Inspiring. Tremendous. Thought-provoking. Reassuring. Okay, it was many words, all those and more. Two thought-laden days dedicated to exchanging [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Change, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Expats A to Z, Repatriation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, tagged aware, caring, change, considerate, cross-cultural, culture shock, cultures, definitions, expat, expat transitions, expatriate, Expats A to Z, fits us to a T, global living, heedful, helping others along the way, intercultural, kind, living abroad, meanings, meditative, nomadic life, reasoned, reflective, Repatriation, TCKs, Third Culture Kids, thoughtful, traveling on December 4, 2012 | 12 Comments »
Earlier this year I introduced Expats A to Z, a new series of posts about the little things that can make a difference in how we approach some of the challenges and experiences of expat life. I’m talking about those qualities and traits that we can nurture within us not only to simply survive but thrive [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Blogging, Change, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Identity, Repatriation, Riveting Expat Reads, Sandwich Generation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, Work, Writing, tagged Apple Gidley, blogging, continents, culture shock, cultures, expat books, expat life, Expat Life: Slice by Slice, expatriate life, expatriation, global living, globalization, languages, living abroad, living cross-culturally, living overseas, memoir, post-colonization, Repatriation, Riveting Expat Reads, TCKs, technology, Third Culture Kids, transition, travel, writing on November 29, 2012 | 8 Comments »
Time again for another Riveting Expat Read in which I shine the spotlight on a new (or new to me) book in this varied and rapidly growing niche. There has been a slow but steadily expanding upsurge in books written by and for expats/global nomads/TCKs which examine life lived cross-culturally, and we are all the richer [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Blogging, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, Writing, tagged adult TCK, ATCK, blogging, Burma, Colombia, crosscultural, cultures, David C. Pollock, expat, Expat Alien, expatriate, Families in Global Transition, Ford Foundation, global nomad, Global Nomads International, intercultural, international organization, Kathleen Gamble, Mexico, multicultural, Norma McCaig, Russia, Ruth Van Reken, Switzerland, TCK, Third Culture Kid, Third Culture Kids:Growing Up Among Worlds, United States, writing on August 17, 2012 | 20 Comments »
Last week I was away spending some well deserved time alone with Husband, Son and Daughter. After the hectic and emotionally draining summer we’ve had, it was nice to enjoy the sun, surf and sand on Captiva Island in southern Florida. It was good for us to reconnect as a family, relaxing individually and collectively as one day [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Blogging, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, tagged Alan Ruck, American expats, Bill Paxton, blogging, China, cinema, culture shock, Dan Hsia, Daniel Henney, Eliza Coupe, expat adventures, expat stories, expat story contest, expats, film, Geng Le, global nomads, independent film, indie film, international film festivals, living abroad, movie, relocation specialist, Shanghai, Shanghai Calling, studying abroad, TCKs, traveling abroad, West meets East, YouTube, Zhu Zhu on June 9, 2012 | 13 Comments »
Do you hear it? That siren song, mystically seeping into your conscious mind, drawing you closer with each lilting syllable. That’s Shanghai’s calling. Shanghai wants you. Yes, you. Actually, Shanghai Calling wants lots of us. They’re conducting an expat story contest, and the winner gets to travel to an upcoming international film festival. Recently I was [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Exercise & Sports, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Netherlands, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, United States, tagged art, athletics, countries, crosscultural, crossing cultures, culture, food, intercultural, international schools, Model UN, music, nationalities, Netherlands, softball, sports, TCKs, The Hague, Third Culture Kids, tournament, travel, United Nations on May 27, 2012 | 2 Comments »
When we think of crossing cultures, what immediately comes to mind? It might be art, music, theater, dance. Perhaps it’s religious differences or religious similarities, the minaret or the church steeple. For many it’s traveling far and wide, or immersing yourself in one place, one culture, for an extended period of time. It can be [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Blogging, Change, Emotional Resilience, Exercise & Sports, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Food and Drink, Life Balance, Sandwich Generation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Writing, tagged children, college visits, competing demands, emotional resilience, exercise, expats, fitness, health, parents, sandwich generation, sleep, TCKs, Telegraph, university search, writing on April 20, 2012 | 16 Comments »
A few days ago I wrote of the challenges many of us face being sandwiched between generations. Just like everyone else, we expats do our best to care for, raise and guide our TCK children to adulthood(and beyond) while also staying connected to and supporting our aging parents. We just sometimes have a few wrenches thrown in due to our lack [...]
Posted in Blogging, Change, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Family & Friends, Holidays, Life Balance, Light Bulb Moments, Sandwich Generation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, tagged children, elderly, expats, needs, parenting from afar, parents, sandwich generation on April 14, 2012 | 6 Comments »
Recently I caught up with a couple expat friends, enjoying koffie while sharing the latest on comings and goings. Spring is in the air, along with blooming trees, blossoming flowers and plants, and the necessary but dreaded pollen. Students are getting antsy, ready to break free of their daily grind (oh, if they only knew!) of classes, course [...]
Posted in Blogging, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Repatriation, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged book, Diana Smits, Dr. Lisa Pittman, expat life, expat teens, Expat Teens Talk, Repatriation, TCKs, writing on March 16, 2012 | 6 Comments »
As a writer and an expat, I like to keep abreast of the current literature in the field. The field itself is relatively small, which is why new arrivals are long awaited and eagerly devoured. Recently I had the opportunity to read and review Expat Teens Talk: Peers, Parents and Professionals Offer Support, Advice and Solutions [...]
Posted in Change, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Family & Friends, Repatriation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged David Pollock, expat life, expat transitions, job loss, RAFT, Repatriation, Ruth Van Reken, uncertainty on August 29, 2011 | 12 Comments »
Anyone who tries to tell you that expat life is a piece of cake, with everyone living the high life and doing whatever they please wherever they want to, is sadly misinformed. The truth is, living abroad is a lot like living in your home/birth/passport country. Except for the whole cross-cultural aspect to it, and the [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Holidays, Life Balance, Light Bulb Moments, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, United States, tagged adult, child, college, grow up, mature, rite of passage, university on August 2, 2011 | 23 Comments »
Twenty three days. Twenty three short days. That’s the amount of time left until Son reports to university and begins his college career. He won’t be living at home and commuting to school. Nor will he be moving out into his own place to attend college nearby. He’s not even moving across the country. [...]
Posted in Change, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Emotional Resilience, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Identity, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Writers on Writing, Writing, tagged author, Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child, expat, Julia Simens, Non-fiction, writing, Writing a Book on July 24, 2011 | 8 Comments »
Last month, some of you Adventurers may recall that I wrote about Julia Simens’ insightful book Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child. While interviewing Julia I had asked a few questions about how she went about writing her book. As someone in the early throes of trying to write a book, I can tell you that [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged Beyonce, concert, Glastonbury, Lille, love, passion on July 1, 2011 | 8 Comments »
When you read the title of this post, what was your first thought? Tell the truth. You were probably hoping for something juicy. Sorry to disappoint you, but this won’t be about passion and romance. But it is about love, nonetheless. Just a different form of love. What exactly would you do for your children? [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Emotional Resilience, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Life Balance, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged 'leave well to enter well', affirmation, David Pollock & Ruth Van Reken, farewell, Julia Simens, RAFT, reconciliation, Simone Costa Eriksson & Ana Serra, think destination, Tina Quick on June 26, 2011 | 2 Comments »
I was going to share Part IV of the five-part series I wrote on Emotional Resilience in Expat Life, but because it ran a little long, the great folks over at I Am Expat made the good decision to break it into two parts when they published it. So today you get Part i of Part [...]
Posted in Change, Creativity, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Emotional Resilience, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Identity, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Writing, tagged child psychology, Doug Ota, Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child, emotions, expats, Gordon Neufeld, Julia Simens, rituals, six stages of attachment on June 13, 2011 | 6 Comments »
Today I’m interviewing Julia Simens, newly published author of the outstanding book Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child: Practical Tips and Storytelling Techniques That Will Strengthen the Global Family.* I’m going to come right out and tell you that I think highly of this book. I believe Julia has written a very important work that will [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Emotional Resilience, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Life Balance, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged Barbara Schaetti, change, David Pollock, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, emotional resilience, expat, Robin Pascoe, Ruth Van Reken, Tina Quick, transitions on June 11, 2011 | 4 Comments »
I’ve been working on a five-part series on Emotional Resilience in Expat Life, and a couple days ago the second article, on Transitions & Change, was published on I Am Expat. As mentioned previously, emotional resilience is generally defined as being able to deal with and adapt to whatever challenges, setbacks and unpleasant curve balls [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Emotional Resilience, Expat Authors, Expat Life, Expat Transitions & Change, Identity, Life Balance, Riveting Expat Reads, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged Barbara Schaetti, David Pollock, emotional resilience, expats, identity, Robin Pascoe, Ruth Van Reken, Tina Quick on May 31, 2011 | 6 Comments »
Well here we go. As mentioned briefly in an earlier post, I’ve been busy working on a five-part series entitled ‘Emotional Resilience in Expat Life.’ The first article, ‘Identity and the Expat’ debuted today on I Am Expat. I’m sharing it with you here on my blog because I believe that emotional resilience is important to [...]
Posted in Adventures Big & Small, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, Travel, tagged Bayeux Tapestry, celebrities, coronation, famous, London, Queen Elizabeth, Queen's chair, rpyal burial, Westminster Abbey, William the Conqueror, Wills & Kate's wedding on April 30, 2011 | 2 Comments »
[Credit: Tom Hevezi, Associated Press] I think it’s safe to say that most of you are aware that there was a wedding yesterday. (Well, probably several weddings, but there was one that gathered quite a lot of attention.) Of course I watched it. It was lovely to see Wills and Kate take their vows before [...]
Posted in Change, Culture, Crosscultural, Intercultural & Multicultural, Expat Life, Family & Friends, Holidays, Life Balance, Light Bulb Moments, Third Culture Kids (TCKs), Expat Teens, tagged birthday, book, critique, ego, one-woman show, performance on April 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Two days ago I wrote on the Honesty of Ego, based on Niamh Ni Bhroin’s recent post in which she interviews Ego. Yesterday I took a well-earned rest from blogging and all manner of work. I enjoyed an absolutely wonderful day with my brother and his family who are visiting from the US. Het was mijn [...]
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