RELOCATION: Electrical goods are a compulsory part of modern life. Who amongst us would seriously think of life without a TV, computer, coffee-maker, electronic toothbrush or hairdryer? Being very honest, that only covers about a tenth of the items I use that need electricity to run. Yes, I am no minimalist when it […] Continue reading → 
FAMILY FUN IN NEW JERSEY: April is a bit of a milestone month here in New Jersey. While spring officially started in March, it doesn’t start to feel like it until this month, when snow falls and freezing cold weather start to become distant memories. Although it is not the warmest month of the year, April […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: Are New Jersey road rules very different for an expat to learn? Well that depends on where you come from, no doubt. For Australians, who are used to driving on the left hand side of the road, switching sides is probably the biggest hurdle. That is, besides surviving NJ drivers. […] Continue reading → 
RELOCATION: It’s always easy to be wise after the event. And there was never a better example than when we moved to the US on our first international assignment. In hindsight there are many things I wished I had done before relocating our family. Here are some of our learnings that were gained mostly […] Continue reading → 
FAMILY FUN IN NEW JERSEY: Oh to be Irish for a day….. Well, almost everyone was, when we attended the St Patrick’s Day parade in Morristown, New Jersey. It’s hardly surprising though. Irish Americans are the second largest ancestral group in the US, and Northeastern USA has the most concentrated numbers of people with Irish descent. While New Jersey […] Continue reading → 
EXPAT LIFE: Have you ever tried to explain what you want to eat in a restaurant, where the menu is in a strange language? Both my husband and I have, several times on our travels overseas. It can be pretty interesting. Fortunately, in the USA, they speak English, our native tongue. Well, at least a […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: Snow in March? I didn’t think that really happened here. But it did last week and once again turned parts of New Jersey including my local town, into a breath-taking winter wonderland. I know you’re all probably sick of my continous rambling on about the beauty of snow here. However, I’m severely addicted it […] Continue reading → 
FAMILY FUN IN NEW JERSEY: Maple sugaring. Yes, any Australians like me will probably say ‘what the heck is that’? Well if you’ve heard of maple syrup, then you’re half way there. Maple sugaring is simply the process of making maple syrup, which is not only interesting to find out about but a fun thing […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: When you’re relocating overseas, finding about how schooling works elsewhere in the world can be a big job. Sure, maybe coming to another English-speaking country is easier. But it doesn’t take away that feeling of being out of your depth. Nor does it remove the need to make decisions sometimes without all the […] Continue reading → 
LIFE IN NEW JERSEY: Well after a lot of worrying and a bit of panic, snow storm ‘Nemo’ didn’t hurt New Jersey much at all, compared to Hurricane Sandy. The snow was enough to make my home town look beautiful, at least for a while. Here are some photos from Montclair, New Jersey from last week’s […] Continue reading →