I am an Australian expat who wears multiple hats: mother, trailing spouse, marketer and blogger. Our family have done the 'ultimate' travel trip: living for eight years as expats in New Jersey, USA. Although we had to relocate back to Australia, I have documented our adventures and relocation trials in this blog, and continue to write about these memories, until there's no more to tell!
MOVING TO NEW JERSEY: When you’re relocating, there always seems to be an endless list of things to do. This applies to before you move, when you are moving and of course, just after. It may be tempting after moving to New Jersey and actually settled into your new home, to think ‘Woohoo!! It’s finally over!’ […] Continue reading → 
EXPAT LIFE IN AMERICA: In a recent post on the expat blog section of WSJ, there were some very interesting, although a few squeamish tales of expat food encounters from their overseas countries of residence. Eating out in America cannot of course compare with ant egg burritos or squid on a stick. As a western country with […] Continue reading → 
MOVING TO NEW JERSEY: Amongst the key attributes that expats and others moving to New Jersey look for when choosing a town to live in, is the presence of a great downtown. To put this into non-American parlance, this simply means municipalities or cities with a great town center area. What makes a great downtown though? Opinions […] Continue reading → 
MOVING TO NEW JERSEY: Having access to a working mobile these days is like having oxygen for most of us. Getting your first cell phone in the USA after arrival is going to be one of your highest priorities. Many new arrivals will still have their own mobile (or cell phone, as it is usually called here) from their […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: One of the most frequently asked questions from expats when they first arrive is: where to buy furniture in NJ ? Many expats choose not to bring their furniture from home or only a selection. This is in case the furniture does not fit or to avoid unnecessary shipping charges on possibly […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: OK this is one of my whinge-fests. I haven’t done one of these for a while so I hope you will indulge me and keep reading. At least it does me a lot of good, to get this off my chest, so here goes. Like many people, I hate shopping for […] Continue reading → 
RELOCATION: Probably the most important document to obtain when moving to the USA, after actually getting your visa, is a Social Security Card which provides newcomers with their Social Security Number (SSN). For reasons explained in an earlier post ‘When is a Social Security Number Needed in the USA?’, SSN’s are not necessary for everything […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: It’s about now, after 4 months of cold and a seemingly endless number of snowfalls that the locals start to moan about what a pain New Jersey’s winter is, and how they are sick of it. Of course, not everyone feels this way. But even the most avid fans of snow and […] Continue reading → 
EXPAT LIFE: For most new expats arriving in the USA, getting a Social Security Number (SSN) is usually a big priority. Even when they are eligible, it can often take up to one month or more before new expats receive their SSN. Unfortunately during those first 4-6 weeks, there are many settling in tasks to do […] Continue reading → 
EXPAT LIFE: I won’t be wishing for a White Christmas this year – just a cool one. Unbelievably, for the first time since we moved here to the USA, we will be having an expat family Christmas in Australia. Yep, that’s right: a hot, sunny Christmas, where the temperatures can go so high Santa has […] Continue reading →