A Multicultural Life Blog

Does having the ‘right’ mindset, whatever that is, really change things for us? Can our way of thinking or feeling (aka our mindset) make a tedious job more enjoyable, a mountain hike less sweaty, and an unaccompanied tour more thrilling or even just feasible? My mom moved countries when she was in her forties, she…

A while back I asked a holding the fort mum if she would be willing to speak about her experience living outside her home country, with a partner who frequently travels. Here are her answers. Do you relate? What has it been like for you with a partner who travels a lot?  It is tough. We…

As a child growing up, we never celebrated much as a family. Birthdays yes, but not much more. I have recently been reminded that even small celebrations can boost our emotions and have a very positive impact on both our mental health and our experience of everyday life. I read an article in the Harvard…

There is much written about cross-cultural communication in multicultural teams. It is vital in my opinion to apply this knowledge to a family context, a mini multicultural team. What I tend to see is information for families arriving in a new country. There are so many other areas to consider: being in an intercultural relationship,…

“You could nip out this afternoon and say goodbye to your friend,” I encouraged my husband on a sunny Saturday morning. Even though we had other friends visiting our home that afternoon, I didn’t think it was a problem if he left for a couple of hours. Especially as they were staying overnight and his…

My parents fought a lot when I was a child. They loved each other, there was no doubt about that, and their lives were intertwined for life but there were a lot of disagreements, usually expressed through shouting on my mother’s side and repressed frustration on my father’s side. Growing up, I just thought that…

Are you longing for a career of your own, a space where your dreams, passions and gifts can make an impact? For years you may have supported your spouse in their career, transitioning yourself and your entire family into new countries and new cultures. A feat in itself! You have dealt with home emergencies on…

Reconnecting with your partner after they have been away for work is one of the biggest challenges of the expat life and business travel. I have been faced with it in my own life with my husband, as well as it being a recurring topic in coaching classes and interviews. How can you ease the…

‘Coaching is architecture, therapy is archaeology’. I love that analogy because coaching is about moving forward and living life by design. During a coaching session, I will: Ask you questions on your life, what frustrates you, what you would like to change. Listen intently and give you permission to speak freely. Challenge, mirror, explore what…

Solo Parenting is the closest word I’ve found to describe a family set-up where one parent spends the day to day with the children and the other parent is away for work. It differs from single parenting because in the case of solo parenting, both parents are still in a relationship with each other. A…

What travelling parent hasn’t struggled to get their kids to say more than a few words to them on the phone ? You ask them a question and they walk away, seemingly more interested in the dog playing in the garden than the fact that you have been gone for weeks and miss them. I…

Updated: Jan 24 “Nothing is less productive than making more efficient what should not be done at all” Peter Drucker. Ouch, thought I’d share as food for thought 🙂 I had to read it twice. How often do I try and organise my to do list better when some things shouldn’t even be on it!…