I'm from Rochester, NY (the real Upstate = Where the jails are, not where the Clintons are! ), but have lived in Japan for just over 7 years.

Taught for 3 East of Osaka, gov't fellowship seminar for 2 months in Tokyo, taught for a year in Osaka, and have been playing the business man for just over 3 in Tokyo now. Plans to evenutally return, but no date yet.

I know this is a US Resident-dominated group, but I am sure there must be interesting current/former stories of lives lived abroad (ie. longer than "traveling"). Any interesting cultural asides, etc. to share?

For my part, I have unfortunately found that my martial arts skills have pretty much disappeared since coming to Japan. (Perhaps not what people would expect.) I did quite a bit before and through college in the US (and Japan), but working (anywhere) leaves little time for such "hobbies."

The only flashback I am allowed is a Japanese government subsized, yearly gathering of foreign black belts from all over in March. 4 days of lectures and practice sessions, followed by a week of sore muscles and then 11 1/2 months of inactive anticipation.

Now that I think about it, that sounds like my travel experience lately!

Howzabout it, all? Where ya from? Where ya been?

I'm an ex-expat of the following countries:

Japan
France
Hong Kong (British Territory)
Saudi Arabia

Lot's of memories and stories...just too many to even attempt here. You'll just have to wait for the book.

Born in Texas (US home would be considered Dallas), currently living in Switzerland. I also lived in Germany from '86 to '90 (I was in the US Army at the time, so you may not count that).

I really do not think of myself as being from Dallas and living somewhere else....as you can see by the member details.

Born in Buenos Aires, my expat experience is two fold: first, I tagged along with my parents (my dad was in the foreign service):

Tokyo, Japan (1 1/2 years)
Beijing, China (6 years)
Washington, USA (1 1/2 years)
Vienna, Austria (5 1/2 years)

Then, after 9 years in BA, I went off on my own to:

Beijing, China (1 1/2 years)
Jakarta, Indonesia (1 1/2 years)
.......

(Im now moving... but still dont know where)...

-----------------
Gaucho100K

[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 09-07-2000).]

i'm originally from the US (Pittsburgh) and though I still consider myself to be from Pittsburgh I have spent the past past three years mainly in India (Mumbai - where my family is originally from). Although I have been making trips to the States at least once every 6 weeks I am starting to realize that i'm not so in touch with what's happening there as i would like to be plus i've started driving on the wrong side of the road when im in the US - the opposite of what used to happen !!

growing up - we were mainly based in Pittsburgh but spent good chunks of most years between the US, India, Middle East, and East Africa. so being away from "home" isnt really that big of an issue.

so i guess i am kinda an ex-pat but not quite

Here's a list of links for those of you who, like me, have NO ROOTS and are culturally challenged:

Being a Global Nomad: The Pros and Cons, by Debra Carlson, 1997 http://www.worldweave.com/procon.htm

Phoenix Rising: A Question of Cultural Identity, by Barbara Schaetti http://www.worldweave.com/BSidentity.html
_______________

Global Nomads International http://globalnomads.association.com/index.htm http://globalnomads.association.com/areyou.htm

Global Nomads Virtual Village http://www.gnvv.org/

lists of links http://www.gnvv.org/N-hood/n-bors.html http://www.transition-dynamics.com/links.html http://www.worldweave.com/GNlinks.htm


Transition Dynamics, an independent consultancy serving the international
expatriate community, committed to helping expatriate families live healthy
internationally-mobile lives. Barbara Schaetti, principal http://www.transition-dynamics.com/

stories in the above site http://www.transition-dynamics.com/archives.html

Dronelax-- Great post !!!!

Some links, at least for me, a member of the "mobile" roots family....



[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 09-07-2000).]

I'm back in the U.S. now, but was recently an expat in France (Cote D'Azur) and I'll probably move back in a few years or perhaps for retirement.

Another expat website is http://overseasdigest.com/expat1.htm

Interesting stories indeed! Thanks for the links Droneklax and stimpy - I'm moving offices now so will check them out later.

Keep 'em coming!
-KP

I lived in Germany for 3 years, Chad for 2 years and Egypt for 1 year.

[This message has been edited by airbus320 (edited 09-07-2000).]

airbus320: cool!

Any episodes to share?

-KP

PS Who's "Chad"?