Expat Round-up: House mice, punting and tailgate parties British style

I’m writing this month’s expat roundup from a cafe in Cambridge while my children row on the River Cam. We don’t live in Cambridge but I love the city and I love that we’re here every weekend for the rowing. I love being in the famous city, I love the history and the very British culture. Even after living in Britain for over 20 years I am still a sucker for these cultural experiences, I am still drawn to moments and places that remind me that I am in a different country from the one I grew up in, I’m still experiencing the adventure.

On my blog this week I published An American buys a house in England, a post about an American who was featured on the British TV show Location, Location, Location, who experienced her very own cultural experience, witnessed by the eyes of her host nation (and a few sympathetic, fellow expats), and I really felt for her. And I was thankful my first days of living in Britain hadn’t been filmed as I am much more appreciateive of my host culture now than I was then!

Over on Jenography, Jen writes about her yearly sojourn to a very British event, the point-to-point, where she turns from Texas tail-gate parties to the British hamper, Point-to-point horseracing: An Americans guide. Jen has been nominated for a travel award in the MADs awards.

But every country has it’s dark side and just because we’re expats doesn’t mean we can’t get involved with issues of our host country. One great way to raise awareness is through our writing, especially  if we’re a popular blogger like Very Bored in Catalunya. Don’t click if you’re faint of heart (you’ve been warned) but do click if you’re interested in a pithy account of a serious issue all countries have to face. And definitely check out the rest of her blog because VBinC has been nominated for a Brilliance in Blogging Award for her humorous writing!

On to something lighter, but still Quite Serious for some. Sometimes learning about traditions of your host country can be difficult but you get on with it and just do it because well, that’s what being an expat is all about. It’s something to blog about at least! But sometimes the ‘traditions’ are just a little too freaky for even the most durable expat. And who ever thought Holland could be freaky? On her blog Expat Baby Adventures (nominated for an award in the Go category of Brilliance in Blogging Awards) Expat Mammy begins The Stuart Saga…

One of my favourite expat bloggers is Aisha Ashraf, who writes at Expatlogue. She grew up in Britain but is now in Canada. Not only has she changed countries but she has changed religions as well. In this post, Censorship: Muslims caught in the middle Aisha isn’t describing her life overseas but she has written a wonderfully interesting post on her experience with her religion. A valuable post for anyone who has their doubts about Islam.

And finally, some lovely photography and a light hearted account of life in the UK with a cute (and quite interesting) weekly column from Sarah, an American expat in Britain near Oxford. In What’s Different Wednesday this week Sarah writes about punting. Quite appropriate for me as I sit in Cambridge near all the punting boats–except that she’s at The Other Place (by that I mean Oxford–another cultural tidbit is how Oxford and Cambridge call each other The Other Place. Perhaps Sarah will write about this one Wednesday?) Sarah’s blog, The Salad Days, is where she records her expat life through gorgeous photos and light hearted, interesting writing.

Now over to you readers. Check out these wonderful expat blogs and add your own, or another’s to the linky below and share more great writing!

About Michelle Garrett

Michelle Garrett is the author of The American Resident, where she blogs about making a life overseas, raising a blended family, herding cats, chasing chickens and attempting the Good Life in Essex. Michelle is a freelance writer and BritMums editor.

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