Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Bloom Where You're Planted; Life the Expat Way by Lasairiona E. McMaster. It's a travel guide or rules for living abroad meets expat expertise.
About the Author
Lasairiona McMaster grew up dreaming of an exciting life abroad, and, after graduating from Queens University, Belfast, that is exactly what she did - with her then-boyfriend, now husband of almost ten years.
Having recently repatriated to Northern Ireland after a decade abroad spanned over two countries (seven and a half years in America and eighteen months in India), she now finds herself 'home', with itchy feet and dreams of her next expatriation. With a penchant for both travelling, and writing, she started a blog during her first relocation to Houston, Texas and, since repatriating to Northern Ireland, has decided to do as everyone has been telling her to do for years, and finally pen a book (or two) and get published while she tries to adjust to the people and place she left ten years ago, where nothing looks the same as it did when she left.
Follow Lasairiona @QueenofFireLas on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads,
Buy Bloom Where You're Planted
About the book
Are you contemplating a move abroad?
Don’t panic!
From culture shock to capable, from language barriers to lifelong friends, and from foreign land to the familiar. Being hurled into life in a strange new place can be daunting and overwhelming, but it can also be exciting and enjoyable.
Rich with tips on how to expat like a boss, Lasairiona McMaster’s “Bloom where you are planted”, takes you on a journey from packing up her life in Northern Ireland to jumping in at the deep-end as an expat in two countries.
An experienced expat from a decade of living abroad, her honest and uncensored tales of what to expect when you’re expatriating, are as funny as they are poignant, and as practical as they are heartfelt. If you’ve lived abroad, or you’re considering the move from local to expat. If you’re looking to rediscover yourself, or simply wondering how on earth to help your children develop into adaptable, resilient, and well-rounded people, this book has something for you.
I am an expat, now a repat. I spent over three decades overseas in foreign countries, so I absolutely get the sentiment of the title and this book. Bloom where you're planted is the best way to assimilate the culture, language, people and country you choose to live in. Or if you are part of a military family, as I was, you go where you are ordered to go as part of the family unit.
You get two types of expats. The first type tries to create a small version of the home country. There is a steadfast refusal to adapt to the surroundings. That often means no real effort to integrate or comprehend how your adopted country works.
The second type tries to become part of the new community, that includes learning the language not just associating with your own countrymen, and trying to eliminate the boundaries between yourself and the native inhabitants.
The truth is either way you will always remain the expat and foreigner to them, even if they appreciate the effort to fit in and respect their culture and country. In the best case scenario you make friends on both sides of the fence. You do however tend to be drawn to people who are in similar situations to yourself. Expats become magnets to other expats.
A perfect example of that are the statements and stories McMaster has included at the end of the book. Many of her friends, both online and real life, have written about their own experiences as expats and have added words of friendship and support.
Aside from the banter, the witty remarks and the attempt to put a more positive slant on what must have been some quite difficult moments, the author includes helpful tips for others embarking on similar adventures. There are some really good suggestions and advice for expats. The nitty-gritty bureaucracy you might not think of or just small things that might help to make you feel less homesick.
This is more than just the meanderings of an expat with a taste for new experiences, it's also a helpful handy guide for people who are in similar situations or planning to move overseas. It's a travel guide or rules for living abroad meets expat expertise.
Buy Bloom Where You're Planted; Life the Expat Way at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.
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