Category: The Irreverent Expat

The Diplomat’s Diet

One diplomatic wife turned to another at a cocktail reception recently and commented that in case the second wife wasn’t aware of it, about a

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Boxed In

“Moving boxes are a metaphor for expatriate life,” wrote the adaptation consultant on a chalkboard at the front of a makeshift briefing room. He had

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Packing Up

Memo: To All Expat Employees Moving This Summer From: Your Friendly Re-Location Department Re: Moving Day Yes, that date circled in red on your calendar

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Driving Under Construction

“Back up!!!” one local driver gestured wildly to another through a soundproof windshield. “I can’t! There’s three cars behind me! YOU move your car!!” The

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Testosterone Traffic Project

A pilot project involving spot drug tests for illegally high levels of testosterone to improve performance in traffic was carried out in secret in an

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Curbing Cabs

A white, hysterical-looking middle-aged expatriate woman stood at the end of her nameless street one day trying to hail a taxicab. Almost two hours had

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Expat Etiquette

“Have we met before?” one expatriate woman asked another, a cocktail glass in her hand. “Only on about seventeen other occasions,” answered the second women,

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