Expat Mums Blog is a blog for expat mums, by expat mums. It is full of practical information about raising children in another country. There's lots of unpractical information as well. And some funny stuff. Oh, did we mention opinions? There are a few of those, too. Have a read, we'll pat your back and empathize and help you remember all the exciting parts of living abroad.
About the founding contributors: Susanna Scott
Susanna has three children -- all born in three years! Her love affair with the UK began nearly 20 years ago, when she was an exchange student in Bath. She has been a working mum and a stay-at-home mum, with some variations in between. After a career in journalism and marketing, she took three years off to reflect on how the heck she went from charging around Europe to charging around the play park. She recently re-entered the workforce, and is pleased that she hasn’t lost as many brain cells as she feared.
Emily Vest
Emily became a Brit In Bosnia in August 2008 when she left the beautiful city of Oxford and moved to the less beautiful Northern Bosnian town of Tuzla with her husband, two small boys and rather greedy golden retriever dog. The boys go to nursery in the mornings as Emily attempts to complete a PhD, but in reality spends too much time checking other peoples blogs. Once upon a time she did have a career that might even be classed as high flying, but now she spends most of her time trying to get everyone walking in the same direction at a speed slightly faster than that of a drunken snail, wiping bottoms and trying to work out what people do with children in Bosnia. Her life is somewhat complicated by not speaking Bosnian very well, despite best attempts to learn it. You can read more at her blog, Brits in Bosnia.
Charlene
Originally from Connecticut, Charlene was enjoying life in New York City when she met her future husband and was whisked away to the UK. She now has four school-age children and a UK passport. She is a chauffer, a critic and short order cook. She is in constant amazement about why, even with a fulltime nanny, she doesn’t have time to answer her email. In a previous life she was a tax accountant with one of the Big Four, at least she thinks that was why she took the train into London each day. The sheer logistics of getting the kids to school and 16 activities per week keeps her on her toes.
Other contributors
Toni
Audrey
Just a Plane Ride Away is artist from Texas living the expat life in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 13-year-old daughter (Roxi), and dog Trudy (the Texas Star).
Mike is American author living in the south of England, sort of like Bill Bryson but without the best selling books and gobs of money. He just released the novel Postcards from Across the Pond, a hilarious account of life as an accidental expat. You can keep up with him at his blog, Postcards from Across the Pond, Dispatches from an Accidental Expat.
is an ex-techie mom of two boys. She is originally from Ireland, but now lives in Seattle. She loves to travel and to blog about it. As an expat mom, routine “visits-to-Grandma” are international trips requiring passports, 10hr-flights and (oh joy!) airport transfers. You can read more where she blogs, Wandermom.
Sharon is the founder of Expats Moving and Relocation Guide. After three international moves, with chidlren, she has a bit to say about it. She describes herself as a Third Culture Kid and her mission is to help moms moving abroad.
Kat is an Air Force wife, mother, sister, daughter, stay at home mom, person with questionable music taste, and so much more. She lives life like everyday is her last with a sense of humor to smooth over the rough patches. She recently moved to England and is trying to instill her morals and values into her beautiful little girls while trying to control her nasty cussing habit. You can read more at her blog, 3 Bedroom Bungalow.
Fab Brunette is a fabulous mom living in Toronto, Canada. Her 3 year old terror is nicknamed Princess and she is living with her lovely boyfriend, J. Fab enjoys writing, reading, shopping and shoes! Fab is packing up and moving to London, UK, within the year!
Noble Savage is a fusion of commentary on leaving the motherland, parenthood, culture, world news and feminism, written by a freelance journalist, expatriate and mother of two.
A new mum based in London, Metropolitan Mum is on a mission to find a decent way into motherhood without loosing herself.
Miss Behaving, originally from Yorkshire, lives with her four chicklets and man in a broken down house in the mountains in Japan. Her blog reflects just a slice of what life is like when you mix the craziness of Japan with the craziness of kids.
Karin, who blogs at Cafe Bebe, is a first-time stay-at-home mummy who wants to help others. She hopes to open a real-life Cafe Bebe soon.
Catharine started Surviving France to help her get things of her chest (did you know that when you go to the Post Office it is wise to take a supply of sandwiches, a thermos and a footstool. Why? Because there is bound to be a pensioner in front of you performing some extremely complicated financial transaction. And who is is still unaware that the currency these days is the euro.) Her blog is packed with useful tips and information on how to survive France as an expat mum.
Kat is a 30-year-old mama to one spirited small boy, named Ellis. She lives in Scotland with 2 cats, one goldfish, a couple of slugs and a dada named Kevin. When she is not blogging at Slugs on the Refrigerator she can be found crafting away.
Working Mum, originally from Finland, is an embattled mother that juggles a job, two kids and life in suburbia.
Vicky Gray is an English Mum in Australia who writes the Australia Uncovered Blog. She is also the author of a new book, Didgeridoos and Didgeridon'ts, a Brit's guide to moving your life Down Under.
Lorna Harris is a a British native living in Orange Country, California. She writes about her life in the US, her family, travels and what she misses about the UK (and why it’s better - sometimes) on her blog Califlorna.
Michelloui is an American who has lived in the UK for 19 years. Although she loves Britain, she reamins steadfastly American and now has a Mid-Atlantic accent to match her Mid-Atlantic culture. Her Blog is Mid-Atlantic English or How I learned to stop worrying and love the host culture (tips for enjoying your life abroad).
Iota blogs at Not Wrong, Just Different. An erstwhile civil servant, then fundraiser (arts and voluntary sector). Now Mum/Mom at home.
Gaelikaa is a forty something Irish woman married to an Indian and living in India.
Erin is an American Mom In England and mommy to a wonderful little boy named Nicholas, wife to Rick, and is trying to get used to life in England. Their life is crazy most of the time, but full of joy.
Wish, Wait, Hope, Pray is the musings of a pregnant 30-something trying to celebrate brilliance, wear heels and look fabulous whilst stumbling down the road to motherhood.
Mummy Do That! is written by Cartside, an economic migrant and thanks to the EU a very legal immigrant from Germany who'd previously stopped over in Ireland and Spain before growing roots in Scotland. She's mummy to Cubling, who's 2 1/2. When she's not running after Cubling, she can be found knitting, gardening, jogging along the Cart and above all blogging about all kinds of stuff. Cartside work in the voluntary sector trying to end child poverty (phew) and is also passionate about asylum and refugee issues, loves to travel and meet people.
Big Beluga Baby lives in Almaty, Kazakhstan (her fifth country in 10 years) and is a seasoned expat. She has lived in Brazil, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea. She has three daughters and they seem to be enjoying the journey, don't even comment if the loo is a squatty and will eat anything as long as it is not actually alive.
A published poet, Ph.D. dropout, and former Peace Corps volunteer, The Golden Papaya makes her home in a small patch of coconut palms and blue chlorinated calm, surrounded by walls edged with broken glass, between the Archdiocese of Salvador and the stench of burning trash, between the Bay of All Saints and the Coconut Road, between homesickness and awe, between the mystical dunes of Abaeté and the Atlantic Ocean.
Jo blogs at 3 years in Hungary, Scotland to Siófok, which is about her move with her family from Scotland, UK to Siófok in Hungary. Including details on Hungarian food, places, sights, life in Hungary as she sees it. Personal observations on adjusting to Hungarian life including nursery provison and the experiences of her children in moving to Hungary and life as an outsider.
Contribute
Do you have some practical parenting information or insight to share about raising children in another country? Are you both baffled and energised by living abroad? Please email expatmumsblog (at) gmail (dot) com to enquire about becoming a contributor.
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