Expat mama tribe?? - Page 5

[ithappened]

welcome macondo mama!

I moved to Austria last year and live in a small very closed community. I found the best and quickest way for me to deal with outsider issues was by taking language classes (where I met other english speakers) as well as find expat/meetup groups within driving distance. I am still working on it but have made a few local friends since moving here, but to be honest, the internet is my lifeline and I would be homesick/friendsick without it..

[zoebird]

we sent off our paperwork for new zealand today! so, we should know soon what their processing estimate is, and then get rolling on a new life in another country! wow!

[ithappened]

I was wondering if any of you are US citizens living abroad who have had to do the consulate birth certificate applications as well as US passport applications yet for your children?

I was just wondering if we would need to do all of this before visiting my family in the US or if we can apply for it later. We are undecided about US citizenship for the babe yet but didn't know if we had to make the decision or risk being turned away at the boarder.

[Lauren31]

Originally Posted by east carolina

Hello!

I consider myself an expat since I'm a US citizen living abroad, but I'm bicultural/bilingual and am now living in my other culture's homeland. I'm in Prague, Czech Republic..

Hi! I was just researching a trip to prague! I am living in Germany, about two hours from you and was hoping to get over there at Thanksgiving or after Christmas. It's overwhelming how much to do there. Do you mind if I have any questions, to ask you?

[zoebird]

it happened.

my friend gave birth in NZ twice, and both times had to get the certificates through the consulate ASAP and had to get the passports before leaving NZ.

i don't know if that helps or answers your question, but there it is.

[japonica]

Do you have room for one more?

Canadian expat living in Australia. We've been here 4 months now. Just had our first official Christmas here with the vast majority of our families 15 time zones away from us. My DH has one sister here who has been living in Australia for 13 years. We see her on weekends usually. But all the rest of the aunties, uncles, and both grandmas were left in Canada.

The kids seem to have adjusted fine. Our little guy obviously doesn't know much different. My daughter (who's 5) missed Canada and all her familiar things for a while...favorite places, foods, people. But she's settled pretty well, made new friends at school, has gone to a few birthday parties, and loves going to the beach and spending time outdoors. More than we did back home.

My husband has been working since just after we arrived. He had a job waiting for him. I'm still a SAHM for now but hope to find some p/t consulting in my field down the road.

Most days are pretty good here. We chat online, on the phone, on skype etc. with the family back home. Sure, I miss everyone and the little things (eg foods you can't get here etc.) but overall I'm content for the most part. But a big ol' wave of homesickness can still hit unexpectedly and that's part of the process I suppose.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello.

[aussiemum]

Of course, always room for one more ex-pat! I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd join back in since there is some new interest.

We use skype a lot, just talked to my family on Christmas Eve (x-mas day here) & watched my niece open some of her gifts. It's nice to be a part of my family celebrations again, even if it is a remote relationship.

As far as support systems in my adopted country go, well... I have a few friends I can count on when the shit hits the fan, my DH's family is two days drive away, & my family is two-three days by plane (not that they are particularly good in a crisis). So mostly it's a case of 'suck it up, sunshine, & get on with the issue at hand' when it comes to my support system.

I like to think of it as character building, especially after a decade or so....

[Tapioca]

count me in.

I've been posting on the other thread in the Multiculti forum, but now I know this one is here I will check it more often.

I'm a Kiwi, now living in Canada with Canadian OH and DD. I mostly love it but I still have days of intense homesickness every now and again. I have been here nearly 8 years.

[hjrowan]

Hello all, thought I'd introduce myself

I'm a British expat who's been living in the USA for 5+ years, married to a Kiwi - well and truly an expat family!

I wondered for a while whether there was an expat tribe - nice to meet you all. I've been really homesick for a few years, went home at Christmas and was quite depressed for several weeks after we got back here but DH doesn't want to go back to the UK and I don't want to go to NZ so we are here in limbo in Seattle until we can figure out what we want to do long-term. The decision is made harder (or easier?) by the fact that we don't have green cards (here on a work visa - can't get a GC as DH owns part of his company, don't get me started on immigration law LOL) so long-term plans are really hard to make

Nice to meet you!

[ithappened]

here on a work visa - can't get a GC as DH owns part of his company, don't get me started on immigration law LOL

yeah I hear you, thats 90% of the reason we're living in the EU rather then US at the moment. getting my DH visa there was going to be a saga. ...

[mami to 3 :)]

I belong here...

I was born in Spain, raised in Norway. I'm married to a French American, we met in Australia while I was doing my undergrad. So I must say we are really out there LOL.

We lived in Australia and Spain before getting married, our daughters were born in Canada and we lived there until 2008. We live in Wyoming now, and it's not that I don't like it but it's just boring. No offense. It's too cold, and it's so weird for me to say it as i've lived in Scandinavia but for a reason I feel it more here. But DH loves it, oh well.
But thankfully they offer him a better position in Denmark and we'll be moving there next year.

[sarahdavida]

wow - between not using the forum correctly and having a broken computer for months, I hadn´t checked this thread in a very long while...

we are still in Lima, Peru and DS is almost 3 and starting prechool in a few weeks...it is still a challenge for me living here, but things do get easier/better as time goes on...I started working last year and that has helped my general outlook on things - and as DS gets older and involved in other things - and as my Spanish improves, I feel I can start taking more charge of my life here...

I find there are so many challenges to raising a child in a foreign country (especially since it´s our first)- so many differences...I just try to roll with it and understand and appreciate those differences, while still being firm and holding true to what I/we want for our son and our family...

I still feel very isolated at times, but not as much as before...I also don´t get sick as much either, which is a BIG help - and my husband has been so patient and uderstanding and supportive, so for that, I am extra thankful...

I hope you are all well and happy wherever you are!

[calynde]

Originally Posted by sarahdavida

I just try to roll with it and understand and appreciate those differences, while still being firm and holding true to what I/we want for our son and our family...

I think this is so important and SO TRUE!

Especially the part about holding true to what you want for your family no matter where one is in the world. Wise advice.

[alohasunshine]

Ni hao Expat Mamas!

Add one more to the tribe! We are an American expat family that has been living in Shenzhen, China for 1-1/2 years. We've had our ups and downs adjusting to our new home, but I think that we are finally settling in.

Looking forward to talking to all of you mamas who are finding yourselves strangers in a strange land.

Zaijian!

[suziek]

I'm an ex-ex-pat. We're American and lived in Moscow for four years. We are back in the US but think we might end up in west Africa in two years or so. It'll be a difficult decision when the time comes--we love our little house by the sea here in New England, and love having family close by. We will really miss our family and friends if we go--but I know it will be hard to resist if the possibility arises. We'll see...For now we are happy where we are.

[zoebird]

we are getting settled in NZ. so far, it's just been a lot of fun. Our visas are coming *very* slowly, and it's the best we can do for it. Out of our hands. BUt we have a nice place to live, are getting settled, and getting going in the business (learning the ropes) anyway.

[sarahdavida]

Originally Posted by suziek

we love our little house by the sea here in New England, and love having family close by.

I´m from New England originally, too (just north of Boston)...and I think about it all the time, even though I lived in South Florida in the years leading up to our move aborad...and definitely, you miss being close to family all the more when you have kids and live so far away - physically and culturally...

[sraplayas]

Old thread? Just jumping in here! I'm an expat living in Mexico for 5 years. Two little ones and a husband, one dog.

With each passing year comes another phase in the expat life, so far. Some issues just keep coming up, like how to make friends; and others go away.

[aussiemum]

Not an old thread, just a bit slow from time to time.

How are things in NZ, zoebird? Winter must be creeping up on you guys now.

[zoebird]

it's going well. our visa situation sped up, and now we are running the business. so that's been fast!

i'm connecting with activities for DS, but because i do unconditional parenting, i'm finding many of those activities difficult because they are about following rules. one woman (leader) put her hands on my kid to "show him the proper moves" for the song. who gives a rats-butt what the "right" moves are at 18 mo? i moved her hands and encouraged him to move freely again.

and when he got excited, she would say "sit down like a good boy" and he would look at me and i say "you are a good boy no matter what. you can sit or stand if you like." i told the facilitator that i would not be returning because of the way she treated my son.

so, i'm looking for groups that are more open and less rigid about what kids "should" or "must" do when in the activity. i might have to start up some activities of my own anyway!

as far as weather, it's up and down in wellington--as usual. we had a southerly the other day--so about 4 days of "winter" temps. just felt like crisp fall to me. but we are from philadelphia!

but now it's back up to summer temps again. so, winter should show up in may/june, i guess. i need to get dehumidifiers before then. LOL