With three children in various stages of schooling — middle, high and college to be a bit more specific — I have done my fair share of volunteering and chaperoning, baking and decorating, cutting and gluing. Volunteering, donating (time and preferably money as well), chaperoning and fundraising are integral to school life in the US. In many places, schools […]
My mom always says that she has been to more events/holiday themed parties/concerts at my kids’ schools than those of her grandchildren back home. It’s not because she visits us particularly often – usually once a year — but because by now, she has been here for every part of the year and between my […]
Elena: Nutcracker! Definitely! Growing up in the Soviet Union, the gift giving was… well… not a big part of our lives. Except for the one special gift I got from my father every single year – tickets to see the ballet at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. A lot of times it would be their production of the Nutcracker. […]
New Years Eve 1999 was the year everyone threw a big party (or so it seemed). It was of course the year of the Y2K – the year of the hype and the worries surrounding the transition from one millennium to another. Not wanting to miss out on the family fun, my husband and I trekked from California […]
It is funny but I can’t remember ever believing in Santa Claus, not even as a young child. I grew up in the 70’s in Sweden to baby boomer parents where Santa make-believe was not high on the list of child rearing practices. Not that we didn’t celebrate Christmas, because we did. We celebrated with a mish-mash of traditions […]
My mom and I were walking through the downtown street of my little town recently, when we started talking about how crazy it is that holiday decorations and Christmas shopping were already in full swing, in spite of it just being the middle of November. When I was a kid, in a small town in […]
By Felicia S. My kids say go, my husband says stay, my mom would love it if we came home and my friends all say “do what feels right”. When it comes to going home for the holidays, it can be hard to know what’s right. It is one of the greater stressors in the expat life as […]
By Felicia S. I recently found myself shelling out some $200 for a pair of waterproof walking shoes (for an upcoming trip to Europe) and as I got out my credit card I had a flashback to when I bought my first pair of shoes as an expat in California. The shoes were nothing to […]
By Felicia S. I remember my first few years as a Swedish expat in California – how seemingly easy it was to strike up a conversation with my neighbor while doing laundry, share a friendly “Hi, how are you doing?” with the check-out clerk at Whole Foods, or chat with a mom at the park while our kids […]
What’s in a name? Lots, actually! For one, identifying with the group calling themselves “Third Culture Parents” can help you with finding sometimes crucial information and support and to address the particular challenges, linked to raising kids in foreign cultures. Here are 10 signs shared by third culture parents. 1. We’re struck by culture shock – like […]
Just moved to America, or about to? Despite your exposure to international living, you may find quite a few surprises. Some will be nothing short of breathtaking; others, not so much. If you’re planning on relocation as a trailing spouse, we hope this weekly guide from our Culture Expert anticipates some of your expectations. If […]
About Bibiana Heckmann: I moved to the Bay Area five months ago, after having lived in Switzerland for 10 years. Originally, I am from Germany. I am an architect, started my career in Germany with building and renovating residential houses and have been concentrating on commercial projects in Switzerland. I enjoy exploring my new surroundings […]
