In response to requests by a number of educators from across the globe, who are increasingly concerned about the cultural barriers their school communities are experiencing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Youth Intercultural Transition Specialist, Jane Barron, shares some of her wisdom and resources for facilitating intercultural empathy learning. For generations we’ve been told that “the playground can be … Continue reading COVID-19: A Teachable Moment for Intercultural Empathy
I Forgot How Much I Love This Place
How a summer that threatened every fibre of our being, helped me reconnect with my land, my people, my way of live, my cultural identity. Aaah, summer in Australia – radiant sun, hot sand, rolling surf, early morning swims, crisp fresh air, bold blue skies, trilling cicadas, warm evenings around the barbeque with those we … Continue reading I Forgot How Much I Love This Place
A Kaleidoscope of Cultures: Cross-Cultural Childhood Losses and Identity Development
Maria Lombart stood before an audience of over 200 people in The Hague, Netherlands. It was two years ago at the Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Conference but her dynamic presentation has continued to resonate with me ever since. It's a personal story of loss and identity development with similarities to many cross-cultural students … Continue reading A Kaleidoscope of Cultures: Cross-Cultural Childhood Losses and Identity Development
Quotable Quotes for a Fulfilled Global Life
How do you feel about words? Do you prefer the written word or the spoken word? Or both? Do you gravitate towards words of one language or multiple languages? I find words to be very powerful. They can build up or they can tear down. My brain prefers the written word, in English, yet I … Continue reading Quotable Quotes for a Fulfilled Global Life
Ethiopia to The Netherlands: A Ripple Effect
Today, it is a privilege to introduce my special guest, Hannele Secchia, to you. Born in Ethiopia to German and Finnish parents, she lived there for most of her developmental years. Hannele repatriated twice to England at ages six and eleven and spent her high school years at boarding school in Kenya. At eighteen, she … Continue reading Ethiopia to The Netherlands: A Ripple Effect
Building our Nest: FIGT Reflections
Spring has sprung here in The Netherlands. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, the tulips and daffodils are blooming and the birds are singing their celebratory Spring chorus. This morning I was awoken by the busy sounds of a bird outside my bedroom window. Singing away, she was flitting back and forth, … Continue reading Building our Nest: FIGT Reflections
Repatriation Reflections: Re-Entry in 5 Words
I have taken up a challenge thrown down by Blogging Abroad to reflect on my re-entry, in the hope that it will help others along their own re-entry journey or bring understanding to their loved ones watching from the sidelines. It’s not all good and it’s not all bad. It is a journey and one … Continue reading Repatriation Reflections: Re-Entry in 5 Words
Why I’m Excited
I’m delighted to announce that I have been awarded a 2017 Parfitt Pascoe Writing Residency Scholarship, thanks to the Families in Global Transition Organisation. The course work has already begun! I aim to develop my writing and blogging skills, whilst being mentored by writer and publisher Jo Parfitt from Summertime Publishing. The Pascoe part of … Continue reading Why I’m Excited
The Olympic Games: Which Country or Countries Will You Be Cheering For?
It is just 2 more sleeps until the opening ceremony of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Whilst many of us in the world are pulling out our favourite national sporting paraphernalia ready to cheer on our country’s athletes, those in the globally mobile world are being confronted by a … Continue reading The Olympic Games: Which Country or Countries Will You Be Cheering For?
How Has Living Abroad Changed You?
Last week I was asked this question: How has living abroad changed you? As with many questions asked of globally mobile people (Where are you from? Are you settled yet? Where is home? etc), I had to pause before answering. Did this person want the short answer or the long answer? The truth is, … Continue reading How Has Living Abroad Changed You?
Globally Grounded 