Carnival VII - It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas

Ho Ho Ho to everyone!

This week's carnival:-

Have you spent Christmas overseas and away from your family? What did you do? How did you connect with people back home? Most importantly who did you spend it with? If this is your first Christmas O/S - what are your plans?

Anna's ventures into the final frontier.

"I've always been blessed in my friends, and have always been able to make some connection with them, no matter where I am. But I miss the tastes that make Christmas, I miss the way the snow crunches under your feet. "
{Annaoverseas}


Don decides if you can't go home for Christmas, bring it to you!

"One of the big things about Christmas for me was spending a bit of time with my Mom. That combine with wanting to take some pressure off of her in hosting led to an invite to visit for Christmas. I was even able to fly her over as my gift."
{bluerevolutionist}


Phil remembers when he made a list but forgot to check it twice (and ask for directions).

"Not to worry dear reader, I was there to rescue proceedings and carefully steered the lurching group (we still drank the Bulgarian Red because hell it still was alcohol) to a chapel that I discovered was only two blocks away rather than one hour travelling time to the closest Cathedral."
{sheepdip}

Thanks to all particpants!

Expat Carnival will be on hiatus until the week after New Year's Eve. So have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year.... because we are going to want to hear about it.

Carnival VII - So it is Christmas and what have you done?

Christmas is a time for snow, being with family or drinking cold beer on a hot beach - it all depends on where you are and being expats we are sure to be globally challenged.

This week's carnival:-

Have you spent Christmas overseas and away from your family? What did you do? How did you connect with people back home? Most importantly who did you spend it with? If this is your first Christmas O/S - what are your plans?

Bonus points awarded for anybody who posts photo's of themselves wearing silly Christmas hats! **

If you want to contribute, please write a post on the above topic and post it to your blog/journal. Then email the www link to me at sheepdip@mac.com

Come one come all. There is plenty of room in the inn!

On Monday morning, local time - I'll post an entry here at the Carnival with everyones links and excerpts.

Please feel free to link to here or direct your readers to check out the carnival.


** Unfortunately I don't have any photos of myself to post but I like the idea of maniacal millinery.

Carnival VI - The Culture Wars.

This week's topic focuses on surviving the differences between the world's cultures.

Anna discusses Food Glorious Food in her post:-

"I'd be an oddity because, more often than not, I'd be eating alone. Usually, groups go out to restaurants. Big groups. Fun groups. Loud and boisterous, with the round-a-bout on the table so everyone could try all the dishes without reaching over and passing things."

{Annaoverseas}

Phil wonders why his sex life is so important to random strangers:-

"Two minutes after meeting me, the President of a catholic university was offering to set me up on dates with some nice Christian girls in Thailand. In Indonesia the impression is I just need a nice Muslim girl who'll settle me down and as for Malaysia - it's well known that I'm catnip for mid-forty CPWs. (Chinese professional women)".

{Sheepdip}

I'm in Australia on my holidays (yay!) so if you've written a post that you want to included here. Please email the link to me at sheepdip@mac.com and I'll update the post.

Have a cool week. I'm off to the beach!

Carnival VI Is Now Open

Are you ready for Carnival 6?

It's that time again, so sharpen your pencils and flex those typing hands. We've got tales to tell and stories to unfold.

Your mission this week:-

Every country has its own cultural quirks (eg Indian weddings last four days). Tell us about some of the cultural differences you've experienced - what you've liked and don't like.

I'll be running the carnival for the next few weeks to give the lovely Anna a well deserved break. Thanks for all your work Anna and I'll try not to screw it up (too much).

If you want to contribute (open to all expats) - write a post on the above topic and post it to your blog/journal.

Then email the www link to me at sheepdip@mac.com

On Monday morning, local time - I'll post an entry here at the Carnival with everyones links and excerpts.

Please feel free to link to here or direct your readers to check out the carnival.

Carnival V: Making A List

A short and sweet entry into this week's Carnival of Expats, where we focused on what we did before we left, and how we'd do it differently.

Phil, preparing for Yet Another International Move, advised on what to take with you:

I'm packed up my apartment to relocate from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. It me took 20 minutes. This is my 4th move overseas and I've got it down to fine art. There is only one tip to know.

PACK LIGHT

{Sheepdip}

Whereas I talk about how incredibly unorganized I was when leaving the country, both times. And how *this time* I'll be better prepared. Honest.

La la la, everything is fine, I'll just get my passport sorted out. La la la, I really should spend more time planning this. La la la, oh my, I just accepted a job in China and have two weeks to get everything sorted out.

*insert blind panic here*

{Anna Overseas}

And Don talks about not having enough time to have sorted everyting out, despite having planned to move for months before buying his ticket.

If I had to name a few key points which I would have wanted to do differently it would have been time, better arranging of details like bills, more time, and yet more time.

{Ponderings from Afar}

Thanks to everyone who particpated this week! I'd like to remind everyone that next week, Phil takes over hosting for the next month over at Sheepdip, but the main blog over at Carnival of Expats will continue to be updated with the topics and the results.

Have a great week!

Carnival 5

Carnival of Expats 5 is about to beging!

If you're curious as to what a Carnival of blogging is, check out my rather muddled explanation.

This week's topic: More practical than some in the past, but something I think a lot of people who are planning on being expats themselves would find useful. Tell us about what things you did in terms or preparation before you left to become an expat... and what would you do differently, knowing what you do now.

(I'll admit, it's selfishness on my part: I would have killed for this information when I was planning on going to China.)

I look forward to reading varied responses on Monday!

Note: Any expat can contribute a post and get linked. Don't feel obligated to respond to every Carnival! But, the more repsonses, the funner it will be!

Note 2: A reminder that Phil has graciously agreed to do a month of hosting starting December 16. If you think you're up to a month of hosting in January, let me know!

Note 3: We are now listed on Bog Carnival, specifically here.

Note 4: We have also been invited to list on Word of Blog, but they want a logo, and I cannot draw. Any takers?

Carnival IV: Rockin' Festivals Expat Style!

That is, in fact, the lamest title I could come up with.

Expat Carnival IV is now closed, and the entries, as usual, are as varied as the people who write them.

Phil, our participant who has moved the most and who thinks Christmas needs more BBQs, writes about Rock at Angkor Wat. There are pictures galore, and even a video you should watch.

A rock festival next door to the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat sounded just what I needed. (Rock at Angkor Wat 2003). Great company, good music, bad dancing styles, cold gin and tonics, it sounded like Schoolies Week/ Spring Break in an exotic location.

{Sheepdip}

Our participant in France, Pumpkin Pie, talks about the beauty and wonder of a Christmas spent in the Christmas Capital of the World, Strasbourg.

That is why it is so wonderful to buy a warm crepe to snack on and a hot cup of wine to sip slowly as you stroll from one Christmas stall to the next admiring handcrafted toys and decorations. Last year there was a stall that had beautifully handcrafted wooden boxes containing secret compartments that the salesman had to reveal. Otherwise, you may never have found the secret technique to open the secret hiding place inside the box.

{From my French Window}

One of our two participants in Scotland, Don, talks about how Christmas in Scotland is so different than icicles and braving dangerous packs of mallrats back in Canada.

It may just be the novelty but there seems to be more excitement in the air than I’ve felt from Edmonton in a long while. Christmas lost its splendour a long time ago for me. For the first time in many years I feel a certain childish excitement that Christmas is on the way.

{Ponderings from Afar}

And the other participant from Scotland (that would be me) writes about Spring Festival in China.

I don't remember anymore what I expected. Fireworks, certainly, but fireworks were a nightly event in China, so it went without saying. Something involving a dragon, maybe. Something exciting and new, that much I know.

{Anna Overseas}

Thanks again for everyone who got a chance to participate this week! It's been a lot of fun reading these, and I can't wait till next Thursday!