Although my story is written all over the conversations and experiences shared on Nomadic Diaries, I rarely talk about it directly....but here goes. I feel like I should start getting down on paper a compendium of life lived across these countries and call it something like Life in the Expat Lane!
Every year around this season of International Women's Day I watch us trot out the chatter on women, our power or lack of and every year I seem to be more and more frustrated, this year I choose to focus on the international aspects and how they have shaped me.
Several decades ago, I embarked on a journey as eclectic as a spice bazaar, I've pirouetted through life's stages as an au pair, a diplomatic dilettante, a corporate climber, an accidental entrepreneur, and now, a podcaster and resident of Mexico.
As International Women's Day unfolds like a grand opera, I can't help but chuckle at the mishaps, the meltdowns, and the marvelous misadventures that have peppered my path.
My journey began innocently enough, herding unruly kids as an au pair in Italy. That experience quickly taught me the art of negotiation and the importance of bribery with cookies works better than anything else, even with adults, beyond that, it opened my mind that the "where" our lives are lived is always influencing who we are becoming.
Transitioning to diplomacy with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and then the British Embassy in Cameroon, I soon discovered that navigating international relations was akin to herding cats in a complex code filled world, a delightful challenge, to say the least.
In a moment of wild abandon (or perhaps sheer lunacy), I found myself driving fast cars on the roads in Dubai, working in oil business. Climbing corporate ladders felt more like scaling Everest in stilettos, with each step forward accompanied by a stumble or two or more backwards.
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But the real adventure began in the land of opportunity, the United States, where I swapped tea for coffee and embarked on the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship. Building businesses from scratch felt like attempting to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions – a perplexing puzzle with no guarantee of success.
As I settled in sunny California, I penned my experiences in "Life in the Camel Lane," a memoir chronicling my escapades in the desert kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Let's just say, navigating cultural nuances and dodging wandering camels became second nature, much to the bemusement of my friends and family.
Now, ensconced in the vibrant hues of Mexico, I revel in the chaos, the colors, and the cacophony of life's symphony. International Women's Day serves as a reminder to laugh at the absurdity of it all – the missed flights, the misunderstood customs, and the occasional wardrobe malfunctions.
Being a woman means embracing the chaos with a wink and a smile, knowing that behind every mishap lies a marvelous story waiting to be told. It's about finding humor in the hiccups, grace in the gaffes, and beauty in the bloopers that define the human experience.
So here's to the women who dare to stumble, who embrace imperfection, and who dance through life's quirks with laughter in their hearts. Happy International Women's Day to all the fabulous femmes out there – may we continue to trip, tumble, and triumph our way through this marvelous adventure called life. Cheers to us!
