Black Women Expatriates: The Series (Part III)

Originally Published:

Brown Girls DO Travel was dedicated to Brown Girls who travel and write.  In this series, I’d like to do something similar.
Downright shocked to hear that there are enough Black Women expatriates to write about every week, I am delighted to dedicate this post to a lovely Caribbean woman I met who told me she was genuinely excited to learn something new and to get a new perspective on Black women travelers.
Part I (5/1/12) introduced us to Black women expats living in China, Sweden, England and South Korea while Part II (5/14/12) got the skinny from expats in Switzerland, Barbados, Germany and a serial expat.
To my new Caribbean friend and to anyone else out there that simply didn’t know, here’s another look at four Black Women Expatriates living around the world.


FRANCE: Maureen Jenkins
STATS: Maureen Jenkins is an African-American freelance travel & food writer and Communications Consultant from Chicago, IL. Single and child-free, Maureen has lived in Samois-sur-Seine, France (40-minutes by train from Paris) since January 2012 and has also lived in Chicago & Rockford IL, Portland OR, Charlotte NC, Phoenix, AZ and Florence, Italy.
Blog: Urban Travel Girl
1. What you love about being an expat: I love representing a positive African-American image to Europeans who often get their ideas about us from the less-than-positive music and popular culture that Americans export to the world. I love experiencing life outside the United States, which allows me to more objectively view what’s great and not-so-great about life in Europe and back home in the States.
2. What you don’t love about being an expat: I don’t love the fact that I get paid by U.S. clients in dollars but have to spend much more expensive EUROS on everything in France (the currency exchange rate is not in my favor!). Although I’m thrilled to be living in Europe, I don’t like being so far away from my family in the States.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: Really work on learning the language in your new country. It’s hard to truly get and feel acclimated if you can’t communicate with local folks. Although it’s tempting to just hang out with English speakers and/or American expats, really try to get to know native residents of your new country. You’ll experience a totally different world by getting to know them and their culture on their own terms. Remember that even if they look, speak, and dress differently than those from home, men everywhere are still men. It’s easy to idolize foreign guys with accents and often charming ways, but don’t let common sense get lost in translation! When you get homesick or feel discouraged (and you will!), remember “this too shall pass.” Stay focused on why you moved to your new country and try to concentrate on what’s good about it.


SOUTH KOREA: Sheryll Donerson
STATS: Sheryll Donerson is an African-American travelista from Los Angeles, CA living and working as an English language instructor at Cheongdeok Middle School in Yongin, South Korea, about 45 minutes from Seoul. Sheryll and her long-time partner Johnny have lived together in South Korea for close to 3 months. In college, Sheryll lived in London for 6 months and, besides Los Angeles, has lived in Huntsville, AL and Tallahassee, FL.
Blog: The Wanderlust Project
1. What you love about being an expat: Being an expat in Korea has been a great experience so far. I love the cosmetics, the shopping, the transportation, the people, the food. It is also a very safe place for women to live.
2. What you don't love about being an expat: Being in expat in a foreign country can be quite difficult, especially if you don't know the language. I had to learn how to read Korean (hangeul) as soon as I got here to be able to navigate my neighborhood, get on the bus, or order food from a restaurant.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: I think that you should definitely consider being an expat at least once in your life. Before you set off to live in a new country, make sure to study the customs, the language and the cultural differences. In Korea, there are many manners and customs that are much different from western cultures, such as bowing, giving and receiving money with both hands, not drinking in front of elders, etc. Keep an open mind and know that things will most likely be different than what you are used to, but your life will be so enriched because of it.


SWEDEN: Adrianne
STATS: Adrianne is an African-American Marketing Communications Consultant that hails from Washington, D.C. Married with two bonus young adult children, Adrianne has lived in Sweden for 6 years: 2 in Halmstad and 4 in Stockholm. She has also lived in Virginia Beach, VA; San Diego County, CA; Fredricksburg & Springfield, VA; London and Brussels.
Blogs: Black Women in Europe and Stockholm Expat
1. What you love about being an expat: I love experiencing different cultures in a way you can't do solely with travel, by living like the locals. I love being an Ambassador for African-Americans by virtue of my very existence outside of the US.
2. What you don’t love about being an expat: I don't love the constant gnawing feeling of missing my family and oldest and dearest friends. I don't love my inability to spend every American holiday surrounded by people who completely get all the nuances of my traditions.
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: Before making a move overseas or across the country for that matter, do your research on the culture, traditions, political climate, economy, domestic laws, opportunity to learn the language and the job market for your education and skills. Find out the cost of living and make sure you have enough money to get home in case of emergency on the home front or if you decide you want out. Find like minded people through organizations like women's clubs, expat clubs, and activity clubs. But don't isolate yourself to the point that you don't make any local/native friends. And by all means, eat the local food!


BRAZIL: Arielle Loren
STATS: Arielle Loren is a Black American New Yorker who has been living in Brazil for the last 8 months and has lived in NJ, NYC, London, Madrid and Seville (Spain), and Salvador and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Single with no children, Arielle runs her own magazine full-time.
Website:  Corset Magazine
1. What you love about being an expat: I love that I can experience the richness and complexity of Brazilian culture while running my magazine remotely.
2. What you don't love about being an expat: I miss my NYC friends and the fact that I’m not a train ride away from our usual brunch dates!
3. Advice for women considering the expat life: If you are more intrigued by other cultures than your own and open to absorbing what another heritage has to offer, book a flight, pack your bags, start this new journey, and never look back.

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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
Email Tracey@OneBrownGirl.com and join in on the celebration as Black Women Expatriates 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