Tag Archives: English

Not-so-diplomatic incidents

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

I was sitting in Starbucks, waiting for Younger Daughter’s riding lesson to end, and I’d brought along a book to help pass the time. When the first laugh popped out, it took me by surprise. I checked to see if … Continue reading →

Posted in Book review | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Say what?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

I mentioned in my recent post on language learning tips that I have a fondness for naughty words in other languages. A psychotherapist would be able to explain where that enjoyment comes from (and what it says about me), but … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

The lazy expat mom’s guide to language learning

Posted on February 9, 2012 by

Aaron Myers of The Everyday Language Learner is the idea guy behind today’s post. I discovered his website quite by accident, and I love his approach to learning languages. I’ll let him fill you in on the rest: “Today’s post … Continue reading →

Posted in France, Language, Singapore | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Ode to the K-girls

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

About two years after moving back to Canada, finished with school and having little luck finding a job, I decided to devote some of my considerable free time to volunteer work. I found a settlement agency close to home that … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Repatriation | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Gratitude: found in translation

Posted on May 13, 2011 by

You parents know what hard work it is to teach the language of courtesy to your kids. Please and thank you don’t come naturally to small children, and if I had a dollar for every time I had to prompt … Continue reading →

Posted in Language, Third Culture Kids | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Canadian English spoken here

Posted on March 31, 2011 by

Writing Monday’s post about Singlish reminded me of all the times I’ve put my foot in my mouth trying to make myself understood in a foreign country. (In my defence, the French words for highlights and ugly people differ by … Continue reading →

Posted in Identity, Language | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

What am I, Canadian?

Posted on February 6, 2011 by

Mike and Toni, who blog together at Pond Parleys, have a pretty cool set-up. He’s an American living in Britain, she’s a Briton living in America, and they regularly engage in he said/she said banter about the cultural differences they … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Identity | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why expats (and everyone else!) should learn another language

Posted on January 28, 2011 by

Cartoon © Natalie Dee  www.nataliedee.com I read an excellent article about the benefits of language learning in Tuesday’s Telegraph. I can remember a time when the only reasons to learn another language were to converse with your relatives back in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sharing Christmas traditions with expat friends

Posted on December 21, 2010 by

Although holidays are all about tradition, living abroad forced our family to shake things up a little: having chicken for Christmas dinner because we couldn’t fit a turkey in our tiny oven, for example, or leaving the girls’ stockings under … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Repatriation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eating humble pie in Vietnam

Posted on November 25, 2010 by

I’ve been embarrassed so many times in matters of the tongue that I’ve become extremely accommodating when speaking to people who struggle with English. My heart is in the right place, but there have been a couple of occasions when … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Language | Tagged , | 2 Comments