In this section I publish posts about what it’s like being an expatriate and the cultures and traditions of the countries I’ve lived in: Italy, Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands.
I also add some observations about places I’ve often travelled to, like for example France and the UK.
It sounds almost a sacrilege to mention COVID19 and celebrating in the same sentence or title, especially considering those who are struggling right now. We all have different ways to cope in the many phases we go through not only now, but in any situation. At the moment, […]
During this time of the year we’re used to stories showing the values of our traditions and religions. Most of them are shared with children. The poem I would like to share in this post is about the time of advent and St. Nicholas. It is written and […]
Have you been home these holidays? Have you also spent hours in planes, trains or car… Did you end up waiting in long lines – in traffic, airports, train stations etc…. – maybe having your journey delayed…? And of course, while doing all this you took care of […]
I am always interested in learning about other cultures’ habits. I usually am quite understanding, but there some aspects I can understand on a rational level only, and have troubles accepting them on an emotional one. Especially when children and families are involved, I tend to have a […]
When you get a visit you don’t expect at Christmas
For everyone entering a new country, in this case, the Netherlands, I always advise to get all the information you can as quickly as you can… When I arrived here in 2005, I didn’t know anyone. I was the accompanying partner, mother of a son, not really knowing […]
Like many international families we tend to spend our summer holidays in a country where our children can meet family and discover something of one (or all) of their parents’ cultures. Since several years we spend a few weeks of the summer holidays in Switzerland for exactly this […]
This time of the year many multicultural families struggle with finding a compromise: which tradition to maintain around Christmas, especially when you partner is used to other customs and you are living in a place where “things are done differently” from what you were used to when you were a child. I must […]
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Expat Since Birth – A Life spent "abroad" 