Category Archives: USA

Presidential Politics: Who Holds the Real Power?

Posted on November 7, 2012 by wordgeyser

The circus is over, the votes are in and everyone in the USA, and governments around the world – who appreciate the impact of the election on global politics – will know where they stand for the next four years. … Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy: Facing the Aftermath

Posted on November 2, 2012 by wordgeyser

In the past days the world has looked towards New York and the northeastern seaboard of the USA and watched with awe as mother nature flexed her muscles and reminded us there is no place on earth where she cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Politics and Social Comment, USA | Tagged aftermath of hurricane Sandy, aftermath of natural disasters, emergency responses to hurricane sandy, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness. life after a storm, insurances companies and storm damage, lessons learned from katrina, mental health and natural diasters, new york response to hurricane sandy, red cross and disasters, Times Picayune, US politic | 4 Comments

Global Tax : Inescapable and Unrelenting

Posted on February 22, 2012 by wordgeyser

It’s February and there’s that sinking feeling in my stomach. Not the winter blues, instead the gargantuan beast from hell, the preparation of the annual tax returns. You can’t forget about it, or pretend it’s not happening, stick fingers in your … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch Laws, Taxes and Bureaucracy, Expat Experiences, The Netherlands, USA | Tagged belastingdienst, dutch banks, Dutch taxes, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, Netherlands, Tax return (United States), taxes in the netherlands | 2 Comments

Thanksgiving: The Purest Holiday Of Them All

Posted on November 23, 2011 by wordgeyser

Growing up in Europe I’d never given much thought to Thanksgiving, except as an American holiday at the end of November. I knew it commemorated the pilgrims first year of survival in the New World and that was about it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, USA | Tagged celebrating Thanksgiving, national holidays, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving across the pond, Thanksgiving as a foreignor, Thanksgiving in New Orleans, Thanksgiving when you live overseas, why Thanksgiving is important | 3 Comments

Creativity and Talent: Don’t Dismiss The X factor

Posted on September 23, 2011 by wordgeyser

One thing I rarely admit to, certainly not publicly, is that I love what many people regard as scraping-the-barrel TV; American Idol and now the USA version of the X-factor. Recording the programme I fast forward through the dross, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Life, Personal challenges, USA | Tagged being true to yourself, Chris Rene, creative talent, following your dream, following your passion, LA Reid, living the dream, Simon Cowell, Stacy Francis, X Factor | 8 Comments

College Bound Kids: So You Think They’re Smart?

Posted on September 6, 2011 by wordgeyser

This was first posted when our middle child was in her freshman year at LSU. As the first reports trickle back of how this years new under-grads are faring, let this be a warning for parents… for the record, the … Continue reading →

Posted in College Bound Kids, Empty Nest, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Personal challenges, USA, Women and Female Related | Tagged college bound kids, college kids and hygiene, empty nest, expat kids going to college, kids leaving home, tck's in college | 2 Comments

Cultural Insensitivity 9/11: When Journalists should not have an Opinion

Posted on September 5, 2011 by wordgeyser

Monday morning, getting started on the week. Catching up on emails and media coverage getting a feel for what’s happening in the world. I subscribe to blogs sent automatically by email. It’s a professional interest if you will, seeing what fellow … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Inspiration and Reflection, Politics and Social Comment, USA | Tagged 9/11 people who jumped, david James Smith, people who jumped from the twin towers, suicides and 9/11, Sunday Times, when journalists go too far, www.adventuresinexpatland.com | 3 Comments

After the Storm: Phoenix Rising 2005

Posted on August 30, 2011 by wordgeyser

This is the fifth of a short series recounting what happened to our family over the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of America on Monday 29 August 2009, and the immediate aftermath. At that time our home was south of Slidell, Louisiana, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged after katrina, aftermath of Katrina, Baton Rouge, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness, katrina cleanup, New Orleans, new orleans and hurricane katrina, phoenix rising, Rebirth, Rebuild, Recover, red cross, surviving hurricane katrina | 3 Comments

The Day of the Storm: Monday 29 August 2005

Posted on August 29, 2011 by wordgeyser

This is the fourth and continuing part of a short series recounting what happened to our family over the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of America on Monday 29 August 2009, and the immediate aftermath. At that time our home … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged houston after hurricane katrina, hurricane evacuation, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness, new orleans and hurricane katrina, slidell louisiana, Storm surge, surviving hurricane katrina | 1 Comment

The Day Before the Storm: Sunday 28 August 2005

Posted on August 28, 2011 by wordgeyser

This is the third part of a short series recounting what happened to our family over the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of America on Monday 29 August 2009, and the immediate aftermath. At that time our home was south … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged Baton Rouge, category 5 hurricane, hurricane evacuation, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness, louisiana, mandeville louisiana, New Orleans, personal challenges, slidell, surviving hurricane, surviving hurricane katrina | 4 Comments

The Days before the Storm – Saturday 27 August 2005

Posted on August 27, 2011 by wordgeyser

This is the second of a short series of posts recounting what happened to our family over the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of America on Monday 29 August 2009, and the immediate aftermath. At that time our home was … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged bob breck, fox news 8 new orleans, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness, National Hurricane Center, New Orleans, personal challenges, slidell louisiana, St Tammany, surviving hurricane | 4 Comments

The Days Before the Storm: Friday 26 August 2005

Posted on August 26, 2011 by wordgeyser

This is the first of a short series of posts recounting what happened to our family over the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of America on Monday 29 August 2009, and the immediate aftermath. At that time … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged evacuating from hurricane katrina, Gulf of Mexico, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness, katrina diary, katrina memoir, Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans, personal challeges, Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, surviving hurricane katrina | 8 Comments

USA Consulate in Amsterdam: A Little Taste of Home

Posted on July 15, 2011 by wordgeyser

I had cause this week to head up to the US Consulate in Amsterdam. We had received a phone call from Harry whilst we were on vacation that his US passport had expired 3 months ago. Why he was even checking … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Expat Experiences, USA | Tagged expat renewing passports, passport renewal usa, renewing usa passport, us citizen overseas, usa consulate amsterdam, usa embassy netherlands | 7 Comments

Who Dat?: Friendly Faces in Foreign Places

Posted on June 4, 2011 by wordgeyser

A while back driving home from Schiphol (Amsterdam) Airport, the Captain and I experienced something which got me thinking about how we react when we meet fellow countrymen thousands of miles from home. Our American home is New Orleans; I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, The Netherlands, USA | Tagged americans in europe, meeting countrymen overseas, New Orleans, New Orleans Saints, new orleans saints fans worldwide | 4 Comments

So where do you go from here Mr. Camping?

Posted on May 24, 2011 by wordgeyser

Well, what a relief. Although I do wonder if the Rapture really did happen and we’ve all been left behind, including prophet Harold Camping who is now saying “oops, I miscalculated and meant October 21”. That he may be on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Social Comment, USA | Tagged Bible, date of next rapture, Family Radio, Harold Camping, Rapture, Religion, the rapture | 5 Comments

If The Accent Fits, Should We Wear It?

Posted on May 19, 2011 by wordgeyser

Struggling this morning with a thumping headache brought on by an accidental glue-sniffing incident (long story) I was rather concerned I wouldn’t be able to think of anything to blog about. Getting the grey matter going was a slow job, until I … Continue reading →

Posted in England and Things English, Expat Experiences, USA | Tagged English language, foreign accents, Linguistics, posh accents, Regional accents of English, social aspirations and accents, what accent should we have, what accents tell us about people, what we can tell about people from their accent | 5 Comments

Death of Osama Bin Laden: Closing The Loop, A Day the Nation Will Remember

Posted on May 2, 2011 by wordgeyser

Finally, nearly ten years after the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, on 9/11 2001, Osama Bin Laden is dead. While we know this will not end the operations of Al Qaeda, may make them more determined to continue in … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Social Comment, USA | Tagged Abbottabad, Al Qaeda, Barack Obama, military operation in Abbottabad, Osama Bin Laden dead, reaction to the death of Bin Laden, remembering september 11 attacks, September 11 attacks, war on terror, White House | 1 Comment

Preparing For The Worst: Death of a Spouse Overseas

Posted on April 20, 2011 by wordgeyser

A change of pace today, caused by some sad news which has me thinking deeply. Everyone has a file stored in the back of their mind under ‘things I’d rather not think about’ but which anyone living overseas has thought about quietly and planned … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Personal challenges, The Netherlands, USA | Tagged death, death of a spouse in a foreign country, death of a spouse overseas, death of an expat spouse, expat death, preparing for the worst, spouse dying in a foreign country, support for friend losing a spouse overseas, supporting a bereaved friend overseas | 8 Comments

Filed and Finished – Finally

Posted on April 13, 2011 by wordgeyser

I have to admit to feeling a little pleased with myself today. I wouldn’t go so far as to say smug because that would be tempting the fates, we don’t have to poke them with a stick to get their … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch Laws, Taxes and Bureaucracy, Expat Experiences, USA | Tagged 1040 filing, belastingdienst, dutch tax, dutch tax laws for expats, expats and Dutch taxes, filing dutch and US taxes in the netherlands, Filing dutch taxes, filing tax returns, paying taxes, tax filing, USA tax | 2 Comments

Disaster and Tragedy: The Emotional Cost

Posted on March 15, 2011 by wordgeyser

In 2001 I spent days watching footage from Japan. Then last week Hurricane Sandy. What struck me with both was my utter numbness. It seems inhuman and inhumane to admit this in the face of such horror and suffering on … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Hurricane Katrina, Personal challenges, Politics and Social Comment | Tagged aftermath of disasters, aftermath of hurricane Sandy, clean-up after disasters, emotional trauma, emotional trauma after natural disasters, Expat, hurricane Katrina, hurricane Sandy, Japan, mental well-being of survivors, New Orleans, psychological effect of natural disaster on | 8 Comments

New Orleans – Proud to Have Called Her Home

Posted on February 5, 2011 by wordgeyser

It is the traveler with real soul who will go beyond the guide books and tourist hype to find the beating heart of a place and the rhythm of the people who live there. If you are someone who feels … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Travel, USA | Tagged expat homesickness, feelings of home, Louisiana USA, mississippi river, New Orleans, southernliving, United States | 6 Comments

Fear and Indecision: Unlocking Painful Emotions

Posted on February 4, 2011 by wordgeyser

This morning I find myself in a mad mood, not at all conducive to creative thought. If I started to vent I would end up looking bitter, twisted and in need of immediate psychological help. This does not sit well … Continue reading →

Posted in Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, USA, Writing | Tagged dealing with suppressed emotions, Deep South, Expat, expats and feelings of loss, fear of writing, homesick for new orleans, missing new orleans, New Orleans, Writers Resources, writing about pain, writing about painful emotions | 1 Comment

January Blues and Southern Belles

Posted on January 13, 2011 by wordgeyser

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been feeling a tad low and rather sorry for myself. It may be due to our plague-ridden Christmas/ New Year and ingesting a cocktail of heavy-duty antibiotics and foreign over-the-counter-medication which have left me looking for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, USA, Women and Female Related | Tagged depression and pneumonia, Expat, expat illness and pneumonia, expats and homesickness, feelings of homesickness, feelings of sadness and loss, January blues, king cake, Mardi Gras, missing friends and family, missing new orleans, New Orleans, post christmas blues, southern belles, southernliving | 3 Comments

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2010 by wordgeyser

I’d never given much thought to American Thanksgiving, other than it was an American holiday at the end of November. I knew it commemorated the pilgrims first year of survival in the New World and that was about it. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, USA | Tagged american thanksgiving, celebrating thanksgiving as a foreigner, Expat, expat experience of Thanksgiving, purity of Thanksgiving, southern living magazine, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving as an expat | Leave a comment

Just When You Think Your Daughter is Finally Grown Up…

Posted on November 18, 2010 by wordgeyser

I hear the phone ringing off the hook and curse that the one on my desk is dead again. Pressing the send button on my keyboard I jump up and dash through to the kitchen and grab it before it … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, USA | Tagged advice to daughters, Baton Rouge, Children, college bound kids, college kids and hygiene, college kids managing on their own, Expat, kids in college, kids in college and cleaning, LSU, parenting teens, tck's in college, teens and house cleaning | 1 Comment