My Life Part I and My Life Part II

I try and journal every day using a topics du jour system (a great tip I picked up in "Journal to the Self" by Kathleen Adams - (click on image for more information)). One of my recurring monthly topics is expat life. Inspired by a quote from Nelson Mandela, I started scribbling my thoughts.

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

These wise words stirred up a feeling I have had since the summer when I took a trip down memory lane and toured round the places I used to live and the schools I once attended. I have a past and a present. And they don't correlate.

I can't reconcile my British past with my expat present. When I moved to the Netherlands it was like My Life Part II starting. I don't have daily contact with anyone that shared in My Life Part I and nobody from My Life Part I knows what it is like to be living out My Life Part II. And the other way round. I have regular contact with family and friends from England but they can't know what life in the Netherlands is really like. My Dutch family and friends have no connection to my past.

At certain times, like the trip down memory lane a few months ago, My Life Part I and My Life Part II collide. They are so different it is hard to comprehend how the two parts make up the same life. They are world's apart. Or countries apart in any case. It's like a jigsaw puzzle that should fit together but doesn't.

When I am in England I have serious doubts about whether I could go back and live permanently in my birth country. I have changed. It's no longer home. When I first moved to the Netherlands every trip back to England was heart wrenching. I didn't want to get on the return flight back to Schiphol. I had to force myself to go back and leave my home.

A British Passport doesn't mean Britain is home
Photo: Phillip Bramble

Now when we are making the return trip from England to the Netherlands I know I am coming home. A Dutch border agent summed it up seven years ago when he checked my passport, looked up at me, smiled and said "Welkom thuis." Welcome home indeed.

I was actually aware of the transition as it happened - the place I called home moving from England to the Netherlands right before my eyes. We were driving on the M25 back to the ferry terminal and instead of feeling laden with sadness at leaving my family I had the consolation that at least we were heading home. And no matter where you've been it's always nice to go home right? Back to My Life Part II.

How do you piece together your life before moving abroad and your expat life now?

Online sales are flat-lining at newspapers

With total ad sales sliding 5.1% in the third quarter of this year, newspapers have set what must be some sort of record in the annals of American business by having their primary revenue stream fall for 25 quarters in a row. 

In 75 months of unremitting declines, the industry’s consolidated advertising sales have plunged from an all-time high of $49.4 billion in 2005 to what I estimate will be

Gift Ideas Crafted By Creative Expats (2): Gadanke Journals

Beautiful journals, refill
packs and embellishments
from Gadanke

Hot on the heels of my post about soft toy Christmas gift ideas created by Luana, the expat behind La Petite Lulu, comes another fabulous gift idea, again with a discount especially for you.

This week it's Gadanke's turn in the spotlight. Christmas gifts from Gadanke are very special indeed. It's an award winning handmade journal shop using eco-friendly materials. That's it in a nutshell, but there's oh so much more.

The Story Behind Gadanke

The story of how Gadanke came about is wonderful, the idea behind the journals is heart tingling and the journals themselves are awesome.

Katie - the creativity behind Gadanke
(c) Gadanke

Here's the expat bit: Katie Clemons is the face behind Gadanke, which comes from the German word for idea or thought. Whilst living in Berlin with her German husband she crafted her first journal.

And here's another awesome bit: Katie now lives in a converted airplane hangar in the Rocky Mountains in the US, having just moved out of a tire house. You can follow the couple's creation of and move into their dream home via Katie's Making This Home blog.

But what I like best of all is that Katie's journals are more than pieces of paper strung together so that she can make a living. To Katie, it's much, much more and that is so evident in the pieces she handcrafts. She doesn't just make and sell journals, she prompts journal owners to celebrate their story, to get memories down on paper, to record the past for the future. In her own words,

"I believe story is power. It enriches our lives, challenges us to dream bigger, and strengthens future generations."

The Inspiration of Gadanke

She has a Facebook page where she regularly poses questions that often make me stop what I am doing to cast my mind back. Here's an example:

"You and I are 10 years old. It snowed 12", and now we've got the whole day to play. What should we do?"

Where do you go when you think about the answer to that question? I was instantly taken back to my childhood days with my younger brother wrapped up in winter coats, wooly hats, scarves and gloves, playing in the garden trying to make a snowman. We'd beg and forage for all the bits we could use for the snowman's eyes, nose, arms...... I hadn't been to that place for a long time! It was so great to pause and rewind to the past.

Gadanke Journals

Gadanke journals are made predominantly from recycled papers and contain not only writing prompts but embellishments such as tags, little envelopes or library cards, stickers or carnival tickets. The themed journals make the perfect gift for expats.

One of many of the Gadanke
journals which make the perfect
gift for the expat in your life
(c) Gadanke

Take the "Love where we Live" journal. Many expats move from place to place and this journal helps expats capture the essence of the place they call home. Not just bricks and mortar but what makes the town you live in tick? How does it smell? What happens there? What does the room you play in look like? Capture it. Record it. Celebrate it. When your expat adventures are over you'll have a collection of stories and memories to treasure and share with your children and their children. Take a look inside Katie's journal that she used when she lived in Berlin.

And one more idea, I've been talking a lot recently about expats passing on traditions and the culture of their birth country to their children and there's a journal to help with that too: Joy to the World. It's a journal to capture the essence of Christmas and how you celebrate it. It's a way of recording what Christmas means to you and your family no matter where you are living right now.

Christmas Journals to capture the essence of your family Christmas
no matter where you are living. What makes it different each year because
you're an expat?
(c) Gadanke

What Expat Stories Have you got to Share?

Stories of expat living cry out to be captured. Listen to what Katie has to say on this topic,

"As expats, we're venturing into this all-new territory. Even the simplest things like grabbing a few towels at the store becomes a challenge because first you have to figure out which store sells towels! You can have the funniest experiences as well as the most frustrating. I still remember my classmates in language class pronouncing my name "Kevin"! But how much of these stories would you and I remember if we didn't pause to document them? I think that it's so important for an expat to journal. Trust me. It helps you work through your experiences. It helps you celebrate them! So many former expats have told me, "I wish I'd written that down. I wish I could remember how I felt and what it was like." 

Your story matters. This adventure you're navigating through matters."

I haven't talked about the baby and wedding journals, kids' journals and the journal to help you find direction, to capture your travel adventures, to record recipes.... phew, you know what there are so many more why don't you head over to Gadanke and check it out for yourself. 

Web election audience overtakes newspapers

In 2008, the Internet and newspapers were tied in the number of people who turned to each them for news about the presidential election.  This year, the Internet absolutely buried newspapers as the preferred source for campaign news.

The dramatic shift in the relevance, authority and influence of newspapers on this most consequential of news stories was revealed in a comprehensive post-election

The Expat Guide to the Dutch Crazy Season

As the crazy season gets going here are some older blog posts to help expats come through the other side sane and relatively calm.

First things first, an expat in the Netherlands always needs to get used to the Sinterklaas thing. Suck it up because it will happen regardless of whether you approve of Sint's helpers, the sugar feasts, and the fact that children are literally bouncing off walls at this time of the year. Sinterklaas will arrive this Saturday on his boat full of Zwarte Pieten and presents and you can't stop it (times and dates in your town here). And let's face it, why would you want to? It's fun. Honestly. If you have children it is.

Best thing to do is read up on it, accept it and then join in. As soon as the good Sint heads back to Spain, the Dutch dump their Zwarte Piet costumes and start to prepare for Christmas.

Here are some posts from the archive to catch up on about Sinterklaas and Christmas:

5 December - It's a Dutch Thing - the post in which I explain the essential tools for a successful Pakjesavond

From the Dutch Sinterklaas to Christmas - the post in which I explain the relief at transitioning from my lesser known holiday (Sinterklaas) to my centre of expertise (Christmas)

Passing on Festive Traditions - the post in which I explain to my dual nationality child the difference between Sinterklaas and Father Christmas

Eight Tips Series: Shopping in the Netherlands - the post in which I give life saving advice for the gift buying frenzy that you will have to do in the next few weeks.

Christmas Tree Top - Dutch Style - the post in which I explain that the Dutch don't do fairies or angels when it comes to Christmas tree toppings and you may need a safety helmet throughout the festive period if you top your tree Dutch style. You have been warned.

Rent or Adopt a Christmas Tree - the post in which I explain that you have options when it comes to putting that Christmas tree up.

Making Christmas Just Like Christmas - the post in which I explain Christmas can be recreated using your local expat shop.

Home for the Holidays - in which I sympathise that Christmas can be an emotional time for an expat

Gezellig Dining - where I share my first Dutch Christmas dining experience

So that's it - an archive of Sinterklaas celebrations and Christmases gone by. Enjoy!

Gift Ideas Crafted by Creative Expats (1): Softies from La Petite Lulu

As promised here is the first post on ideas for Christmas gifts (or 5 December) courtesy of creative expats.

Meet Beckett the Bassett Hound -
soon to be welcomed into the van
Mulligen household
(c) La Petite Lulu

First up - La Petite Lulu's wonderful handmade soft toys for babies and children. Unbeknown to my children they will each be the proud and happy owner of a unique cuddly animal on the 5th December. That's if I can wait that long to give the softies to them and not put them in their shoes before Pakjesavond. I can vouch first hand that these soft toys are amazing. They are incredibly cute, and unique.

(c) La Petite Lulu

Luana, the clever crafter of these little cuties, is an Australian currently living in California in the US. Up until March this year she called the Netherlands home, which is how I came to follow her expat adventures through pregnancy, birth and now motherhood via her La Petite Lulu blog.

Monty the Monkey - a unique
custom gift for my son
(c) La Petite Luana

All her softies are hand sewn or knitted, made from recycled fabrics and all very affordable. From dinosaurs to cars, and fairies to flowers, La Petitie Lulu has a great range for everyone. However, if your child's favourite animal or item isn't on display.... she's happy to take custom orders. That's how Monty the Monkey was born - I asked Luana if she could make a monkey and two days later she sent me a photo of her creation. You can't get a more unique gift than that!

To buy one of these little treasures head on over to her Etsy shop.

But wait, one more thing before you disappear... for readers of this blog there is an exclusive discount of 15% off La Petite Lulu's softies. Just enter the code DOUBLEBUGGY at the Etsy checkout. 

This one's made a new home
with our family but Pavel the Penguin is ready
to be adopted if you're quick
(c) La Petite Lulu

Meet Fitzroy the Frog
(c) La Petite Lulu

Little Gray Car
(c) La Petite Lulu

 There are many more amazing designs over in Luana's Etsy store!

**I would just like to mention that I am not receiving any commission for promoting any items in this blog series - I am just sharing the love for creative expats because their products are awesome!! :-)**

Gift Ideas Crafted by Creative Expats - Coming Soon!

It's the season for giving creative expat gifts
Photo: Wong Mei Teng

Leaving your home and moving abroad often requires you to think a little outside the box. If you don't want your working life to take a nose dive into oblivion that is. Expats tend, therefore, to be creative creatures. According to the Economist in an article entitled "Living abroad gives you a creative edge" (it's all in the title right?),

"Anecdotal evidence has long held that creativity in artists and writers can be associated with living in foreign parts. Rudyard Kipling, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Paul Gauguin, Samuel Beckett and others spent years dwelling abroad."

Creative expats are therefore in extremely good company. And there are lots around. At a drop of a hat I can name expat writers, photographers, crafters, bakers, artists - the list goes on.

So.... as the season of present giving is fast approaching (don't forget pakjesavond on 5 December for those in the Netherlands) I thought it might be a good time to share some of these creative expat geniuses with you all. And whats more watch this space for exclusive discounts for some of the amazing gift ideas coming up over the next couple of weeks.

Newspaper endorsements: Out of step?

Supporters of President Obama gasped prior to the election when four of the major newspapers in Iowa backed Mitt Romney for president in that crucial state. As it turns out, they needn’t have worried, with the President breezing to victory with 52% of the Hawkeye vote.



But the endorsements penned by the Des Moines Register, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Quad-City Times and Sioux City Journal were

The Interview About Police Trailers and Falling In Love

Want to read an interview with me about expat life in the Netherlands? Well then today is your lucky day because there just happens to be an interview which has gone live on Expats Blog.

If you want to read about borrowed police trailers, falling in love with a Dutchman, making the switch to a dream career and the difficulty of leaving family behind then head over to the interview now. 

And whilst you are there please take a second or two to leave a kind word about this blog or my expat parenting blog to help me win an Expats Blog Netherlands blog award. 

Newspapers failing to diversify digital audience

Though newspapers have been pretty good over the years at growing traffic on their websites, they are shockingly bad at capitalizing on the social power of the digital media to broaden their audiences.

Audience diversification is important, because the typical newspaper website is read, more or less, by the same senior citizens who take the print paper. Here’s how serious the demographic