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.
Many of us are enjoying their holidays on a beach, with family and friends, ignoring (or deciding to ignore?) what is going on in other countries. Being on social media was quite irritating for me in the last weeks: pictures of relaxed children playing in the sand appeared next […]
This is the time of the year when many internationally living families are preparing for their next move. They will soon leave the place they called “home” for the last few years and conquer new frontiers. Leaving is never easy, but we can learn how to do it […]
When we’re asked what flag is our country’s one, my children (and I) have a similar reaction like when someone asks us “where do you come from?”. If you ask my three children which country or culture they feel more close, they would tell: Swiss, Dutch, German, Italian, […]
This post is somehow a response in a dialogical way, to the brilliant post by Rita Rosenback “7 things you should not say to a bilingual child“. I did experience some of the 7 things she listed up and I totally agree with her that “children can be […]
Do you know that feeling when the smell of something or listening to music brings you back in time, reminds you of happy moments spent with dear friends or family? Smells and sounds have this effect on me. They bring me back in time and I feel exactly […]
In a recent article, Nick Stockton comments on a study published in Science where “a team of geographers (from the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital in Vienna) used data snapshots to create a broad analysis of global migrations over 20 years”. This kind of study is quite […]
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 […]
In many countries like Germany, Switzerland, Skandinavian countries etc. it is common use to take off the shoes when entering someone’s home (*). The custom of removing shoes is widespread also in Eastern countries like Japan, Korea and Turkey. In these countries it is considered a major faux […]
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