Look on the Bright Side

On my blog and in my App I choose to focus on the bright side of  life in Rome as an expat. That said, expatriate life is not always a prosecco in palazzos and weekday lunch outings. Living away from home, family, friends can be lonely and isolating no matter how glamorous the current post is. 

Happy or struggling, new to game or seasoned old-timer, Expat Confessions: 50 answers to Your Real Life Questions about Living Abroad is an excellent read and useful resource. 

I am a longtime fan of the website expatwomen.com.  No longer an "active" site, it is still a great place to start when looking for information on the expat life. 

Andrea Martins has distilled the very best of the vast amount of information from the super useful site, particularly the Expat Confessions section.  The book tackles subjects as broad as settling in and culture shock to knottier problems like alcoholism and teen rebellion to negotiating difficult expat friendships, career and the identity issues that can come along being a "trailing spouse," She offers concrete examples and corresponding practical advice and resources to help expat women make the most of our time abroad.

Expat life is more good than bad.  Life in Rome is more sunshine than gray skies. Get this book and keep looking on the bright side.