It was Father’s Day in Australia this month, so we celebrated with Sunday brunch in Soho, uptown Hong Kong. Don’t let that fool you; I hadn’t exactly planned it around Father’s Day, if you know what I mean! It was a restaurant review and I was technically “working” but hey, a hearty feast of scrambled … Read more
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of the victory. George S. Patton This month I’ve chalked up three years in the mighty Kong – my third anniversary symbolizing a colorful and (often) crazy journey towards living life as a fully-fledged, ‘fair dinkum’ expat! A friend said to me “You should be … Read more
When you’re born in the land of the Long White Cloud – the place dubbed ‘middle-earth’ – and then raised in that other place they call ‘The Land Down Under’ – getting to another country usually involves (at the very least) a good few hours up in the air. Let’s face it, flying within Australia … Read more
I was at the mighty Mongkok Ladies Markets this week or as the locals call it “Wong Gog” – meaning ‘prosperous and crowded corner.’ Crowded is probably a slight understatement, given the Guinness World Records has named it the busiest district in the world….Yes! Just the planet! Prosperous – most definitely not an understatement – … Read more
If there was a definition for EXPATIFY (which there’s not) I’m pretty sure it would go something like this: Acceptance of the alien nature of an environment, development of new-found tolerances, greater objectivity and appropriate coping skills. Pretty much sums up the adjustment required when you become an expat don’t you think? When you launch … Read more
“How did the interview go?” It’s a question that peppers conversations daily across the island and beyond, here in The Kong. You probably think I’m talking about a job interview – for a grown-up right? Wrong! I’m talking about interviewing a two year old. Yes – a very small person who can barely communicate (verbally … Read more
When you’re living the ‘enviable’ expat life, it is for the most part, just that. But looming amongst the five star shindigs, endless shopping extravaganzas and cultural enlightenment is the little unavoidable fact: you never quite know when it’s all going to end; when the phone’s going to ring with the next ‘tour of duty’. … Read more
Being an expat is the easy part, being good at it – not so ‘all in your stride’ straightforward. I’ve just arrived back in Hong Kong, bleary-eyed from an overnight flight with a two year old (say no more) and feeling a little bit, well, empty. It’s been six months since I was home, the … Read more
If you have a tendency to feel a little on the claustrophobic side, there’s every chance you’ll find the pulsating energy of Hong Kong suffocating (initially). In fact, even if you don’t mind being in a tight squeeze, you’re bound to find it a little intense if, like me, you weren’t brought up in the … Read more
Sawadika! Checking in from the land of smiley, happy faces….One of the undeniably pleasant perks of being an expat in Asia, coupled with having a husband in hotels, is the opportunity to fly to idyllic destinations like Phuket in just a few short hours and revel in 5-star luxury. I get it… I’m lucky! Very! … Read more