gdp's Comments

http://www.joburgexpat.com/ : Making Memories

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 01:37:56 +0000

Ahh, moving at Christmas. We did it twice, moving to Cairo from Dubai and then again the following Christmas moving from Cairo back to Dubai. We lived in the same seedy apartment hotel on both occasions over the holiday period with a 15/16yr old and no internet - the horror! It took several years before I lost the urge to pack at this time of year. May your move be a smooth one and we look forward to hearing about your first impressions back in the US. My recent post Online Support Groups: Facebook

http://www.onmotherhoodandsanity.blogspot.com/ : Day 20: a gift

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:54:54 +0000

OMG those are far too beautiful to wear. Who cares if they're comfortable or not? Just put them on a pedestal and admire them.

Expat Blog : New interactive web tool for prospective expats to Canada

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:41:54 +0000

The link to the wizard is broken :( Could you please repost?

JSimens : CCK's First Crush: Love from the eyes of a cross-cultural kid

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:04:14 +0000

It's so interesting how children view the world! I remember when our son was in kindergarten, before we even went overseas, he came home and was talking about a girl he'd played with. I didn't recognize her from her name, so he started to describe her and went into some detail about what she'd been wearing. It was only when he started talking about the braids in her hair that I realized she was black. Her skin colour wasn't something he found distinctive.

JSimens : When being an expat is harder than being a medical professional person

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:36:43 +0000

Last year my father-in-law battled a mysterious and undiagnosed illness before he died. Living 3,000 miles away we were often frustrated by 2nd and 3rd hand accounts of doctor's visits, test results and the inability to do assist with so many small chores that would have been so easy to do if we had been living closeby. Fortunately we timed a visit when he was still well enough for us to enjoy some happy times with him, but that's not always the case. I have many expat friends, most of them women, who spend their time commuting between countries to visit aging parents. Although they do so willingly, it is at great personal cost as they are unable to maintain a normal life anywhere.

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Cultural Differences - Anger Sensitivities

Wed, 8 Dec 2010 02:02:21 +0000

As my grandma would say "You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar." :) The Middle East is similar to France - losing your temper will get you nowhere as it's seen as very rude behavior. In fact in Dubai there were many cases of expats who were arrested, jailed and deported for swearing or rude gestures!

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Global Healthcare Comparison

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:30:28 +0000

As someone who grew up in the UK with their national health system and then migrated to Canada which also has a state run health system, going overseas and suddenly encountering healthcare for profit was a real eye-opener and quite disturbing. In the countries I lived in I didn't see the kind of "solution looking for a problem" which you describe, but I certainly saw excessive testing and over-treatment both for myself and friends. And then there was the cost! Fortunately we had excellent medical insurance, but previously I had no idea how much healthcare cost and so am now much more appreciative of the state systems and less inclined to criticize them. For me the though of having to consider whether or not to seek treatment based on the cost of it, is frightening and yet I now realize that this is the reality for millions of people.

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Culture Transition Tip Tuesday - Deciding to Relocate

Tue, 25 May 2010 15:38:05 +0000

Love the addition of video, Heather, it is SO much more engaging than text!

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Unexpected Cultural Clashes - The Perils of Ice

Sun, 2 May 2010 12:39:08 +0000

Thank goodness I'm not the only one on this continent that doesn't like ice! :) Drink preferences are highly cultural in my experience. Many years ago, my brother-in-law, of British origin but a long-time Hong Kong resident, walked into a pub in the UK and ordered a drink. The rather surly bartender just poured the liquor into a glass and pushed it towards him. "Could I have some ice?" my BIL asked. The bartender rolled his eyes and went in search of an ice bucket. After a solitary cube was added, my BIL asked "And how about a slice of lemon?" This was the last straw for the bartender. "Do you want a woman as well?" he shot back.

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Florida Culture - Things to Expect

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:32:31 +0000

Very interesting and valuable advice. When we lived in Dubai there was lack of elderly people, as 90% of the population is expatriate which means being a) under age 60 and b) able-bodied. Whenever we visited other places or returned home they seemed to be flooded with old people by comparison! As a result the city is not very well set up for those with limited mobility or disabilities of any kind, although this is gradually changing

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Cell Phones - Do Different Countries Embrace Technology in Different Ways?

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:09:02 +0000

. . . Now I'm back in Canada I find I use my cell phone far less, but that may also be because I have a far smaller social circle (so far). My perception though is that much higher calling rates and complex plans with all kinds of limits deter people from using them so freely. One other important factor though is the availability of a reliable, cheap alternative - land lines. In both Azerbaijan and Egypt we learned that the reason the population embaraced cell phones was because of the antiquated land line system. Often there were incredibly long waits to get connected and even when you did the quality of lines was terrible. I think this applies to many less developed countries. Sorry to ramble on . . .interesting topic !

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Cell Phones - Do Different Countries Embrace Technology in Different Ways?

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:08:47 +0000

I think you usage by age group is spot on. As some one in the 40-60 age range I think many of us only use cell phone features we feel we have a need for, rather than using them for their own sake. And I agree cell phone usage does vary by country. Our first overseas assignment was in Azerbaijan in the late 90's. At that time cell phones were still horribly expensive and yet they were a huge status symbol amongst the young (under 30) locals. They would spend several month's salary to get the latest and greatest. Meanwhile I happily existed without one. More recently we've been in the UAE and there EVERYONE (even humble ditch diggers) has at least one cell phone, some carry more than one. I think the huge penetration is due to very cheap local calling and the almost total absence of complex "packages." Phones are sold separately and start at about $25 for a very basic model up to jewel encrusted ones. If you don't have a cell phone number people look at you as if you have two heads. . . .cont'd

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Wordpress Blogs - Information on How to Set Up Your Blog

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:56:34 +0000

It took me a while to figure this out. ;-) Just to reiterate for those who are still struggling, there are 2 kinds of Wordpress blogs. There is the non-hosted one at Wordpress.com, where your blog address ends with wordpress.com, which is totally free. This is really easy to use for the novice blogger (like me!). Then there is also the Wordpress.org blog software, which you can download for free, but you must host it on your own website - this is the kind you have. The hosted kind (wordpress.org) has a lot more options and can look like just a regular website. At some point I'll probably upgrade, so you're tips on transferring over are really useful - thanks!