Adventures in Expat Land

Career Break? Yes Please!

LAJ — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:11:43 +0000

I’ve been a big fan of The Displaced Nation for quite some time now. How could I not, with a tagline of ‘A Land of Plenty for the Global Voyager,’ promising advice, opinions and yarns? One of my favorite features on the site is the interview series called Random Nomads. The questions posed aren’t your average ’where [...]

To Show That They Existed

LAJ — Sun, 13 May 2012 08:47:26 +0000

Everyone wants to know, deep within, that their time on earth meant something to others. That their being here mattered. They mattered. It is human nature to want to leave your footprint on the world for others that come after you to see. For some, it is through their betterment of the immediate world around them. Think Mother [...]

Politics, Near and Far

LAJ — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:51:58 +0000

Two confessions up front. First, credit where credit is due. A comment about my post on Bridge-Building in the city of Peace and Justice, left by fellow expat and talented writer/blogger Russell VJ Ward*, served as the impetus for this plea post. Second, I am a self-confessed policy wonk and international affairs junkie. I’ve studied it, worked [...]

Bridge-Building in the City of Peace & Justice

LAJ — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:00:12 +0000

One of the most interesting aspects of living in The Hague is its international flavor. Today I’m not referring simply to the large number of people living here who come from other lands. I’m talking about its strong ties to global issues. The Hague is known as ‘the City of Peace and Justice’ for a reason: [...]

That Second Minute

LAJ — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:05:13 +0000

When this week began, little did I know that by the end I would be writing what has essentially become my own personal Trilogy to the Dutch. I’d enjoyed all the excitement and revelry of my third Queen’s Day, stuck again by how virtually everyone gets involved in what is essentially one big party. There’s something about an entire [...]

Happy Queen’s Day

LAJ — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:59:08 +0000

Never let it be said that Dutchies don’t know how to party. Seriously. Never say it. I’ve written about Queen’s Day before, and having celebrated the Dutch national holiday for the third year running, I can only say that it continues to amaze me. There’s something about it that makes me happy, and I’m not even [...]

Welcoming Party

LAJ — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:56:23 +0000

Every now and then I’m reminded of a cultural aspect of the Netherlands that is so very different from the US that it practically screams ‘this is SO different!’ This morning it was my journey to Schiphol airport to pick up Husband from his latest trip. Now first let me say that I love Schiphol [...]

A Delicate Balancing Act

LAJ — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:37:00 +0000

It was a chance encounter yesterday on a crowded street that sent me back in time. As I turned the corner onto our nearby shopping street affectionately known as ‘the Fred,’ I caught a snippet of conversation. The young woman was seated at one of the outside tables of a local restaurant, twirling her forefinger along [...]

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen: Further North

LAJ — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:15:38 +0000

The sun has been playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds all day. It’s teasing me with hints of its brilliance followed by longer periods of grey overcast sky. In other words, it’s a typical spring day. I was visibly reminded that it’s time to revisit earlier posts in the Further North series (here are Stockholm Sun and [...]

Oli’s Earth Day

LAJ — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:05:07 +0000

In case you didn’t hear, yesterday was Earth Day. That’s right, the 42nd anniversary of the inaugural Earth Day held in New York City way back in 1970. The aim remains the same: protect the environment and the world’s natural resources through conservation efforts. This year’s motto is Mobilize the Earth™. In honor of Earth Day 2012, Oli [...]

Multitasking Overload

LAJ — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:05:23 +0000

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 [...]

In Their Own Voice: Intercultural Meaning in Everyday Stories

LAJ — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:25:58 +0000

Earlier this year I read what I can only describe as an incredibly uplifting book, but I am only now getting around to sharing it with you. Shame on me, because it is the kind of informative, thought-provoking book that stays on your mind long after you read it. Its name? In Their Own Voice: [...]

Sandwich Generation, Expat-style

LAJ — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:16:56 +0000

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 [...]

Stellar Stonehenge

LAJ — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:28:44 +0000

On a recent trip to England I had the opportunity to experience one of the items on my own personal bucket list: a visit to Stonehenge. And may I just say that it was everything I’d hoped it would be, and more. Competing theories abound as to the origination and purpose of Stonehenge: the massive [...]

Stigma-Smashing, One by One

LAJ — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:02:20 +0000

In support of an effort by the group Bring Change 2 Mind to erase the stigma faced by those dealing with mental illness, my fellow expat blogger Aisha launched an ongoing series of posts on her site Expatlogue earlier this year entitled ’Breaking the Code of Silence’. Bravely sharing her own disturbing memories from younger days, the pain and suffering [...]

Spring Cleaning? Grab Your Bucket

LAJ — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:48:09 +0000

Lately there’s been a fair amount of change going on behind the scenes here at Adventures in Expat Land, and it dawned on me that I ought to share some of it with you. Like you, I lead a fairly busy life. One that’s full of family, work projects, friends, activities and interests. Add to [...]

Windmills of Kinderdijk

LAJ — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:46:36 +0000

This weekend has been absolutely phenomenal. You know, the kind of first weekend that truly announces ‘Spring has arrived’. The sun has been shining brilliantly for three days, a gorgeous blue sky with just a few pale wisps of white cloud here and there. The weather has been in the mid 60s to low 70s (Fahrenheit) here in [...]

Food Lines We Won’t Cross

LAJ — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:23:06 +0000

It’s been at least a few weeks since I’ve written a post that even mentions the phrase Albert Heijn (my favorite local Dutch grocery store to the uninitiated), so I should have known. Something was sure to materialize that I’d end up sharing with you here. Little did I realize exactly how special that something would be… [...]

Alice Update: A New Charity Helping Others

LAJ — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:59:39 +0000

Adventurers who’ve been following along for quite some time will recall the story of Alice Pyne, the English teen with terminal bone cancer who is inspiring others with her story and her Bucket List. [For newer readers, if you're interested you can have a look at series to date - A Teen's Bucket List, Teen Bucket List Update, [...]

Expat Teens Talk, With Much to Say

LAJ — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:38:57 +0000

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 [...]