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Lost in Translation: When Good Intentions Go Awry Abroad
Lost in Translation: When Good Intentions Go Awry Abroad We all want to be good guests when we travel. We pack our bags with excitement and a sense of adventure. But what happens when our seemingly innocent habits become cultural faux pas in a foreign land? The very actions we consider polite at home can earn us a confused stare, an eye-roll, or even a genuine insult overseas. In fact, what’s normal in one culture can be shockingly rude in another. We carry our cultural baggage, and without realizing it, we can stumble into social blunders. See: Human Behavior in International Groups Everyday Actions, Unexpected Reactions Think about a warm…
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Finding the Right International School for Your Kids
For expat families, education is often the #1 concern. How do you choose the right school in a new country? School Types to Consider: Evaluation Criteria: Research Tips: CTA: Want help comparing top schools in your destination? Download our International School Comparison Template. [SettleAway.com/family]
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Discover a Calmer Way of Life as Expat!
Do you ever feel like you’re constantly sprinting, even on vacation? Many of us in fast-paced cultures live this way. We push ourselves, believing exhaustion means we’re trying hard enough. But what if there’s a different path? What if true rest isn’t about escaping, but about embracing a whole new rhythm? Before experiencing life overseas, many of us approach relaxation like another task on a to-do list. We rush to disconnect, only to find ourselves needing a break from our “break.” However, when you step outside your familiar routines, something shifts. You might start eating slower, talking less, and truly enjoying silence. It’s a subtle but profound change. The Power…
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“Normal” Is Just Where You Grew Up
“Why do you do it that way?” You often hear this question when you live abroad. Sometimes, this query comes spoken aloud; at other times, an internal voice merely whispers it as you navigate a new culture. And frequently, you don’t have an answer. You just… do. Because, quite simply, that’s what “normal” always meant to you. However, you will learn, on hot nights at country dachas in Ukraine, at bustling cafes in Spain, and over wine in a tiny village in France, is that normal is profoundly relative. What’s standard, commonplace, and utterly unremarkable in one place can appear completely alien, even bizarre, in another. Indeed, that, my friends,…
