I’ve been trying for weeks to put into words how I feel about leaving SH. It’s been two months of goodbyes, last time at this restaurant or last date night or last friend coffee, and I have to say I am exhausted by it all. We have had some truly memorable moments over the past... Continue Reading →
The language of fun
We attended our last SH birthday party over the weekend. As I stood there listening to the Spanish being spoken all around me, it clarified something for me. SH is not just about speaking English or Mandarin. It is not a black and white experience where you interact with either people who speak your native... Continue Reading →
Tokyo, revisited
We returned to Tokyo last week for a final family vacation. Previously it was one of the places we thought was the least kid-friendly to visit, but for several reasons we decided to give it one last go. We had two days visiting traditional Japanese sights, and two days at Disneyland. I made the smart... Continue Reading →
Our last has his first: happy birthday, Zach!
Our baby boy turns one today. It was a year of crazy ups and downs, phases that felt endless and stages that pass in the blink of an eye. After your first child you think you’re ready for it all, but there are always new worries that crop up, and each child has different innate... Continue Reading →
A tale of two Singapores
We just came back from a family vacation in Singapore. It was a quick trip, ostensibly just to see the zoo and to revisit a few of the places that we had enjoyed on our first trip to Singapore two and a half years ago. Our first vacation there was our first major trip in... Continue Reading →
The best and worst of Shanghai–making friends and saying goodbye
This post originally appeared on Shanghai Mamas. You can find the article here: http://shanghaimamas.org/the-best-and-worst-of-shanghai-making-friends-saying-goodbye/ Spring. The dreaded time of year in Shanghai when we tally up all the friends who have just told us they are leaving as soon as school lets out. And every year it seems like a bigger number than the year... Continue Reading →
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
Happy New Year, everyone! I am sad that my “dog baby’s” year is over, but excited for whatever the year of the pig has in store. This year we didn’t know my husband’s travel schedule in time to book a getaway to a warm, tropical island. So, our CNY was spent right here in Shanghai.... Continue Reading →
Shanghai Mamas blog post: A time for reflection
Below is a piece I wrote for Shanghai Mamas. The original post can be found here. If you are a mama in Shanghai and haven't yet joined the Shanghai Mamas tribe, now is your chance! Head on over to their site and check out all the great events they put on and the advice they... Continue Reading →
Perception vs. Reality
There are so many ways that living abroad is universal regardless of your location or home country. It takes a while to assimilate into any a new place and learn a new language, but some places are just naturally magnets for expats like Shanghai. As a foreigner here, you are in good company with several... Continue Reading →
What does an ex-pat need to be successful in Shanghai?
As I was once told by another ex-pat, people who take on this lifestyle are generally of a similar mindset. Most of us living abroad are naturally open to adventure, meeting new people, seeing new places, and challenging ourselves to adjust our ways of thinking. But even the most adventurous folks could use a roadmap... Continue Reading →
Giving birth in China: part 2
A few months ago, we had our second son here in Shanghai. Now that it’s all said and done it feels like a total nonevent, but it certainly was a common topic of conversation leading up to the big day. I was asked by family and expat friends alike how I felt about giving birth... Continue Reading →
Can your friendship survive repatriation?
Summer in Shanghai is repatriation time. As the school year ends, families say goodbye to their time abroad, often returning to the same place (and life) they had before. Sometimes people begin new lives in another foreign country, but either way there’s an adjustment for the friends who leave and the friends who stay behind.... Continue Reading →
Resolutions: the start of year three
Last week marked the two-year anniversary of our arrival in Shanghai. So much in our lives has changed since that first lonely week in our new home. We returned from a summer in the US and easily settled back into the school/ayi/work/activities life we had carved out for ourselves over the past two years. Everything... Continue Reading →
Holiday loneliness
Today is the 4th of July in the US, typically one of the most fun weeks of the summer as people skip work and spend time with friends and family at BBQs, fireworks shows, and town parades. Here in China, it’s just Wednesday. Due to several life circumstances (new baby, traveling husband, best China friend... Continue Reading →
Abroad in Australia
I started this blog to talk to moms in Shanghai who are in a similar situation as me—away from family and friends, potentially for the first time, and trying to figure out how to make a life for themselves in a totally foreign land. After a year and a half meeting friends from all over... Continue Reading →
New year, new start
Happy New Year, everybody! It’s taken me a little bit to get back into the swing of life here in Shanghai. I admit, I was not super excited about coming back home after our month in the States. Yes, I wanted our routine again, and I was tired of living out of a suitcase, but... Continue Reading →
The holiday hurry-up
The end of the year always brings with it the anticipation of family holidays, the rush to see friends at holiday parties, and the excitement of opening presents with little ones. As an expat, I feel a need to hurry up and get into the holidays even more than I did when I lived at... Continue Reading →
A Conversation on Perspective
When we accepted this expat assignment, my husband and I had family goals we wanted to achieve while living abroad. I also had a few that were just for my own growth and development. One thing I really wanted to focus on was being open to exploring and understanding other ways of life. I wanted... Continue Reading →
How do you answer the question “What do you do?”
I recently attended the Shanghai Expat Show as well as a networking event hosted by a professional women's association here in Shanghai. This has been my first foray into networking and talking about myself since I left my job to move to China. At the expat show I introduced myself to the person manning the... Continue Reading →
1 year in
Yesterday was our one-year anniversary of living in Shanghai. I thought it would feel more momentous somehow, and it ended up being just another day. But I think that's good. I think it means I have finally stopped thinking of myself as someone who just moved here, and instead look at my life here as... Continue Reading →
An Ocean Away 