How We Became an Expat Family

I came to Lapland originally just to work for a three-month contract. However, whilst here I met my now husband and fell in love. I never did go home when that contract ended.

What I Enjoy Most and Least About Where I Live

I love the peace and quiet here and it is amazingly beautiful. I also hate the peace and quiet here and long for the built-up ugliness of city life.

Three Favorite Posts

1. Supermarket sex toys
2. The parrot eating debacle
3. Faulty women

How We Became an Expat Family

A tale of distance romance — I met my husband 10 years ago on a night out on New Year's Eve in Yorkshire, England, he was already living over here and we courted for a few years before I gave up my job and house in England to join him. We then married and had our first child; I'm currently pregnant with our second.

What I Enjoy Most About Where I Live

The fact that it's very rarely grey and dismal weather like in England.  We live in a lovely rural community which (as all of Spain does) really values children.  The chance to experience another culture first hand.
 

What I Enjoy Least About Where I Live

The weather, again! — the heat is a killer in July and August (especially when pregnant). The cost of living is high compared to the UK. I miss UK shops, UK food and of course my friends and family.

Three Favorite Posts

1. Parenting: It's as Simple as ABC  — satirical look at parenting.
2. Turn the Other Pig's Cheek — a look at the differences between British and Spanish food cultures
3. Cheese — an expat's lament on missing food stuffs from home

How We Became an Expat Family

I went to study in the USA when I was 17 and met my Aussie husband after I graduated from university.  We lived in Australia for six years and then decided to venture back to the northern hemisphere for a while.  We have lived in London now for over five years, but so far haven't gotten itchy feet, so maybe we'll stay here for a while yet.

What I Enjoy Most and Least About Where I Live

Three Favorite Posts

1. Doing It Auf Deutsch
2. A Heatwave to My Liking
3. CyberMUMMY vs CyberWOMAN

How We Became an Expat Family

My husband works for a large American company with global offices so we always had a mind to move abroad. We spent our honeymoon in the South of France and kept a kernel of hope to someday live here. It was these two things combined that spurred us to seek out the move and life abroad. We lived in a suburb south of Dublin for nearly 5 years and worked toward getting ourselves to the South of France for the last two of those.

What I Enjoy Most and Least About Where I Live

Living in France with the language and cultural differences is a wonderful challenge. It is something that thrills us but it does have its frustrations. For my family though, I feel like the positives more than outweigh the negatives. I think it’s important to have an open mind and embrace the culture you’re living in rather than insulate yourself in an American (or your home country) bubble. It seems like this is when the most frustrations arise because you cut yourself off more and more from really living in the new country. The short answer is this: I enjoy the language, food, wine, culture, people, location, weather, lifestyle and the fact that my three children are experiencing this life right along with us. I don’t enjoy always being so far from family and the saddest day of the year for me is Thanksgiving. 

Three Favorite Posts

1. Deisel Fiasco — One of my less than stellar moments. Makes for a good post though.
2. A Star for Each Brother — A food post. Review of Michelin star restaurant here in Montpellier. A lot of my  blog is about French food!
3. Merci 2010 — This sums up the first year in France and gives a good idea of my blog.