Moving Abroad With Kids and How to Share the News with Them
As thrilled as Tony and I were for this next chapter of our family’s life, relocating to Barcelona, I was worried sick about telling the kids. Moving abroad with kids is an exciting adventure, but breaking the initial news to them can be tough! Revealing a surprise to your children like a trip to Disney or a new swimming pool is one of the most enjoyable parts of being a parent. And for anyone that has had to share less enjoyable news you soon realize this is one of the hardest parts. A Mother’s Worries How would we even deliver the news?! “Hey…
10 Things I’m Finally Doing While Stuck at Home
Right now, the world is at a standstill. Shops and restaurants closed. Schools operating virtually or not at all. Only essential employees deemed necessary to head into work. From China to Italy, the United States to Australia – we’re all stuck at home wondering and waiting for what comes next. On my end of this global pandemic? Our family of five has been isolated to the fifth-floor apartment we call home in Barcelona. And while the days have been filled with preparing meals, homeschooling three kids, and cleaning (SO much cleaning!), I find myself more motivated than usual to take on some new…
What One Week in Coronavirus Lockdown Has Taught Me
To date, more than 233,000 people across the globe (NY Times) have contracted the COVID-19 Coronavirus. And 17,000 of those cases have been right here in Spain, which is now considered one of the top three most badly affected countries battling the epidemic. As Spanish residents like us wait at home in lockdown mode, the world is bracing itself for what comes next. Being isolated from family, friends, coworkers – it all feels so confusing! And turning on the TV or reading news articles doesn’t exactly provide clarity and comfort. It’s hard to decide what source to believe anymore! So, I’ve taken a…
7 Expat Lessons One Year Later
“What row are we again, hun?” I asked my husband as we stepped onto the airport tarmac leading us towards a United Airlines Boeing 757. “Uhh, I think Row 19…..seats A through E,” my husband responded and laughed as he checked all five of our boarding passes. We were in for a long nine-hour flight. Non-stop service from Newark, New Jersey to Barcelona, Spain. As we found our seats, shoved carry-ons into overheads and got situated I felt a strange and familiar feeling come over me. Deja-vu really does exist! Exactly one year ago (down to the minute!) we were boarding the same flight at…
A Teen Expat Inspirational Story
When you’re a teenager and also an expat, life can be difficult – unless you’re one inspirational girl living with her family in Dubai. When my husband and I first made the decision to move abroad with our three young kids, we knew the timing was right. They were young to become expats and the adjustment would be minimal compared to a teen, who is already rooted in their social and academic life. And while it has not always been smooth sailing moving overseas with three toddlers, it has been much more emotionally manageable. A three year old’s biggest worry is when their…
One Thing I Hate About Being an Expat
If you look at photos and videos of our time living abroad, it seems life is bliss. And believe me, we DO love living life overseas. Exciting experiences, new friends, rich cultures – there’s so much to gain from living overseas! So what is the one thing I could possibly hate about being an expat? Oh, there is a “thing”, trust me! It’s something I should have anticipated all along, well before arriving in Spain. It’s something that, if it weren’t for this incredible experience, we could have actually avoided. And despite all this, in a weird way, I’m thankful for this “thing”…
Best Cures for Expat Homesickness
Since our family’s relocation from America to Spain, certain seasons bring about a slight tinge of…expat homesickness. In the Fall, I long for apple cider, candy corns, roasting marshmallows and the crackle of the fire pit. In the winter, I miss the first gentle snowfall and rosy red noses on my children’s faces. It’s during these times that I think of our old life in New Jersey. Being an expat living in an unfamiliar part of the world will do that to a person! Every expat goes through it at one time or another, usually around their second or third year in a…
4 Qualities Being An Expat Won’t Change
It’s inevitable that choosing to uproot your life and move abroad to another country will forever change you. In some ways, such as language development and cultural appreciation, for the better. In other ways, such as gaining some extra pounds indulging in the local cuisine, for the less. But after almost two years living abroad, I can confidently say there are a few qualities about myself personally that are planted in my American New Jersey identity and won’t change. Whether I relocate myself in Barcelona or Brisbane, it’s who I am. And you know what? I’m totally okay with that! Related Article: Why…
5 Pieces of Advice to Future Expats
I like to think that two and a half years of living abroad in Barcelona has equipped me to offer some insight and advice to those looking to move abroad and become future expats. If living abroad has taught me one thing, it’s that living abroad isn’t so…uncommon! I used to think it was – picking up your whole life and venturing to a world unknown. But actually, it seems like every day I meet a new face here from a different part of the globe. People from all different cultures and backgrounds with rich stories to match and offering great pieces of…
