Visiting "Home"?

I now live in my fourth country.  This weekend we are taking a trip back to our previous country to visit friends.  A side of me feels like I am going home while another side feels like I am a tourist.  Such is the life of an expat.

So...What Do You Do?

As a male expat it is inevitable that you will get the question, "So, what do you do?"  The assumption of this query is that as a male it is your job/position/career that has plucked you and your family from your homeland and placed you in this new and exciting environment.  In the majority of cases the assumption is correct, but as always there are exceptions.  I am an exception to the rule, it is my wife's job that has brought us across the ocean.

While it is understandable when people make the assumption it is the man's job that has brought you overseas it can certainly be annoying.  The question for the male trailer then becomes "How do you respond?"  Personally I have come to expect the question/assumption thus taking away the surprise; much like going to a doctor for a shot,  you know its coming and it may not be pleasant but you can deal with it.  Secondly I describe our situation.  Upon understanding the circumstances the inquisitor often changes expression from bewilderment to one of "approval."  Lastly, I am not here to please others.  My job is to take care of my family in the best way possible for whatever situation we are in.

in short you know the question is coming.  Don't be surprised and have a pleasant response ready.  It is you and your family that matter and not the opinion of others.  Remember that there are others out there like you and you are not the first, last or only one going through this type of experience.

What Do You Mean?

Some time ago an acquaintance was confused with my use of the term "expatriate" or "expat"; the assumption was someone who has surrendered citizenship, based on the literal meaning of the word considering the prefix "ex"--former, and the root word "patriot"--citizen of a country.  I shared my understanding of the definition as someone living outside the country of their citizenship often the result of a work assignment.  Expats generally retain their citizenship and return back home at some time.

When a person takes a position/job in a new location and their spouse follows the spouse is known as a trailing spouse or trailer.  Trailing spouses are often associated with expat positions but may include moves within a country.

I trust these definitions are helpful and will prevent confusion.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expatriate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailing_spouse

Getting Started

I am excited to start this blog!  Being a trailing spouse provides its challenges and advantages.  Traveling is a definite advantage of living overseas.  I would love to hear any thoughts, ideas, questions etc. on these topics.