If someone at this very moment handed you a magic wand that would immediately transport you to the global destination of your dreams, where would it be? Would you simply go for a short vacation or would you leave your country behind and take up residence to explore a new lifestyle, new food, new friends and a new culture?
In Part II of the ongoing series Black Women Expatriates, you will hear from four women who – with or without their magic wands – made the choice to live abroad, sometimes at the expense of homesickness and a little inconvenience.
Would you?
Could you?
SWITZERLAND: Carolyn Davenport-Moncel
STATS: Carolyn is an African-American woman from Chicago, IL who has been living in Lausanne, Switzerland (close to Geneva) for almost five years. Married to a Frenchman with two daughters ages 14 and 9, her family lived in Paris for five years prior to living in Lausanne. Carolyn is the owner of a bilingual digital media consulting firm called MotionTemps and is also a writer who just published her third collection of short stories. The latest is called “Railway Confessions.”
Website: Carolyn Moncel
1. What you love about being an expat: I love the people that I meet. Here in Switzerland, almost everyone is from some other land. The chances of meeting people from countries barely known to you are quite high, and you learn so much and realize that there are just as many similarities as there are differences. I love that my children are learning other languages. By the time we are done living abroad, they will speak at least three languages quite well.
2. What you don’t love about being an expat: I hate living so far away from my closest family and friends. Honestly, I do miss the sheer conveniences of living in America. We should be grateful for, and humbled by, our blessings.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: I would recommend that all women try it at least once because the expatriate experience does enrich your life. Remember that living as an expatriate is not the same as visiting a foreign land on vacation. Be sure to do your homework (line up your resources, figure out your expenses, where you will be living and how you will make a living) before making the move. Your life really does become a series of major, unexpected adjustments, so try to enjoy the ride!
BARBADOS: Davette P. Reid
STATS: Davette is an African-American woman from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York. She currently lives in Fitts Village in St. James, Barbados, and has been there for the last two years. Single with no children, Davette is the owner/manager of her very own guest house in Barbados.
Website: Becky’s By The Sea
1. What you love about being an expat: I love that I have the ability to feel comfortable and the ability to function in two entirely different environments.
2. What you don’t love about being an expat: I don’t like not feeling any sense of community, and having to start all over making new friends (not easy).
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: The most important thing is not to expect too much. Be respectful of the different ways of doing things; some may not make any sense to you but we all do things differently. I also suggest that you become familiar with the immigration requirements and put things in place so you can be as independent as possible and not rely on others. I also suggest your finances be in order so that you can leave the island in case of emergency. Other than that, enjoy!
GERMANY: Tatiana Richards Hanebutte
STATS: Tatiana describes herself as black and Southern, and is originally from Greenville, a rural town in central Alabama. She has lived in Wolfsburg, Germany for just 8 months and has also lived in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Alexander City (AL), as well as Los Angeles, CA. Tatiana is a (temporary) stay-at-home mom that worked in social media before she made the move to Europe. Married to a wonderful man from Wolfsburg, they have a two-year-old son – their biggest source of entertainment.
Blog: Tatiana in Flux
1. What you love about being an expat: Every day is an adventure. Living in a new culture means you have no choice but to be fully engaged in your life.
2. What you don't love about being an expat: Family is very important to me, so there are times when I miss the physical presence of my mother, brothers and cousins. Skype helps, but it's not the same.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: Don't be afraid! You may hear a million practical reasons as to why you should stay in a country that's familiar to you, but this is one instance where it's okay to let the heart lead. Be realistic and prepared, yes, but don't be fearful.
SERIAL EXPAT: Lebawit "Lily" Girma
STATS: Lily, who works as a corporate attorney for half the year, is a freelance travel writer and travel photographer currently residing in Washington DC. Single with no children, Lily spends the other half of the year living overseas. In 2011, Lily lived in Belize and in 2010 she lived in Jamaica. Originally from Ethiopia, Lily is a US citizen born in Ethiopia to Ethiopian parents who moved to Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa when Lily was a young girl. Lily is trilingual in English, French and Amharic and has lived in Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Grenada, Belize, England and the US.
Blog: Sunshine & Stilettos
1. What you love about being an expat: I love learning about the culture of the place where I live, almost daily – through shopping, socializing or almost any every day activity. I also love the laid-back lifestyle that comes with being an expat in the Caribbean.
2. What you don't love about being an expat: I don't like being far from my family back in the US, as I do miss them when I'm away. I also miss the conveniences of the US sometimes – like the fast service and the discount shopping.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: My advice would be to meet like-minded people when you move abroad and not isolate yourself; you could sign up for activities or join certain clubs. I also recommend that you have a good amount of savings for "rainy days," at least enough to keep you going for the first three months without work. And finally, just go with the flow and let the expat life take its course without fretting over every detail. Things have a way of falling into place, even away from home.
***
PART I: Jo Gan in China, Lola in Sweden, Dori in England, Nicole in South Korea - 5/1/12
PART III: Maureen in France, Sheryll in South Korea, Adrienne in Sweden, Arielle in Brazil - 5/21/12
PART IV: April in Jamaica, Nicole in Germany, Monique in The Netherlands, Oneika in London - 5/28/12
PART V: Natasha in Abu Dhabi, Margaret in Peru, Diana in Indonesia - 6/4/12
PART VI: Heather in Chile, Monique in Paris, Rachelle in Japan - 6/11/12
PART VII: Joia in Barbados, Shirley in Bordeaux, Adria in Colombia – 6/25/12
PART VIII: Carolyn in The Netherlands, Terra in Brussels, Robin in Denmark - 7/16/12
PART IX: Arlene in Ireland, Stephanie in Johannesburg, Nicole in Botswana
PART X: Tanya in Nice, Roxanne in China, Brittany in South Korea
PART XI: Judi in Barcelona, Claire in Copenhagen, Whitney in Norway
PART XII: Maya in Paris, Lori in Switzerland, Melissa in London
Are you or do you know a Black Woman Expatriate? Email Tracey@OneBrownGirl.com and join in on the celebration of Black Women Expatriates as they blow off stereotypes and #TravelByExample!
Please note: Don't let the lack of Facebook "LIKES" fool you. The Black Women Expatriates series is the most shared series on BlackAtlas.com! Just so happens that all LIKES were accidentally deleted during editing. #imjustsayin
No comments:
Post a Comment