Desi Downey is the author of the book NiHowdy, her recently published account of her six years in China as a trailing spouse. We appreciate Desi sharing her first impression of her adopted country. Scroll down for a link to purchase the book. Neon. Lots and lots of neon. That is one of the first things I remember about China. When I was presented with the opportunity to live and work in China I jumped at the chance, even though I was both terrified and thrilled. And maybe just a little …
What Were They Thinking?
First of all, let me state that I'm a big fan of International Living. Their magazine and their daily postcards are gold mines of information, and I've also bought several of their country books. But last week, they just floored me, and I've come to the conclusion that it comes back to the profit motive. Because IL is a business, and they want to make money, they gave some advice that I really disagree with. Somebody wrote to them, stating that they thought everything they read in IL makes …
Expat Films: Anna and the King
Released in 1999, starring Jodie Foster, Chow Yun-Fat and Tom Felton. Based on the diaries of Anna Leonowens, an English widow who spent six years in the court of Siam as teacher to King Mongkut’s children, the film pays homage to Anna, portrays some of the historical events of the time, and adds more than a soupcon of Hollywood-style romance. Mrs. Leonowens arrived in Bangkok in 1862, to teach the King’s oldest son, Prince Chulalongkorn. She immediately sets the tone for her relationship with …
Five Stages of Culture Shock
I just finished reading a truly excellent article over at Expat Exchange. In Culture Shock: It's the Little Things that Count in the Biggest Ways, author Desi Downey identifies five stages of culture shock: Honeymoon/Tourist Irritation-to-Anger Rejection/Regression Integration/Assimilation Reverse or Reentry You can read the entire article here Downey went to China with her husband, sent there by his company. As she describes it, "One of the first things I noticed about China was …
Does Thinking About Moving Make You More Creative?
A few months ago, I published the results of a Fast Company study of MBA students. The study concluded that those who had lived outside their home country performed better on a creativity test than those who had not. However, that study concluded that simply traveling abroad did not enhance creativity in the way that living abroad did. Scientific American has just added more to the debate about expats and creativity. An article published on July 21 indicates that psychological distance makes …
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First Visit to New Overseas Home I'm looking forward with eagerness, and, I must admit, some trepidation, to visiting my possible new overseas home location for the first time. It's one thing to read about a place in books, magazines, and online. It's another to experience it firsthand. I know there's the possibility that I could hate the place I want to love, or fall in love with a place I don't know much about or even feel negatively about before I visit. …