Reviews of my favorite books written by expatriates, journalists, and diplomats on what it's really like to live abroad

Friday, May 29, 2009

Book Review: Our Man in Belize by Richard Timothy Conroy

When I heard Belize got hit by a 7.1 earthquake yesterday morning, my thoughts immediately turned to this classic diplomatic memoir. Back in the fall of 1961, when Belize was still British Honduras and its biggest city had a population of 30,000, Hurricane Hattie hit causing massive devastation. 400 buildings were wiped out, along all utilities, roads, and the town's supply of drinking water (Conroy's description of dealing with would-be rescuers a few days later when he'd had no sleep since Hattie and nothing safe to drink but alcohol is marvelous.)

Although it's now touted as a green tourism destination, back in 1961, Belize was a butthole pure and simple. It was one of those diplomatic postings you got when you seriously pissed off the wrong person at State Department.

In the decades since his tour as Belize's US Vice Consul, Conroy, self-admittedly, honed his stories until they "took on a life of their own". And boy are they good. Reading this book, you completely understand why St Martin's editor Ruth Cavin, laughing like crazy, paid for Conroy's lunch at DC's Hotel Madison (not a cheap place), and then begged him to write it all down. I'm awfully glad he listened to her.

You'll enjoy this book if:
- You love dry humor, especially targeted at the State Department
- You're a hurricane story buff
- You're considering moving to Belize, now a much-hawked retirement and 2nd home destination for Americans, and would like a reality check on what it was like before the current developers moved in.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Book Review: No News at Throat Lake by Lawrence Donegan

On vacation with an old girlfriend, London-based journalist Lawrence Donegan fell in love with a small country village in Ireland. They spent their days at the beach and nights watching stars in the marvelously clear skies. Touched to his core by the "vast stretches of wild unspoiled beauty" and a slow, ultra-relaxed pace of life, Lawrence decided to chuck in his job at The Guardian and start over again working at a farm in Creeslough.

In this very funny memoir, Lawrence tells the story of what it's really like when you move to the Irish countryside. As you can guess, his farmer's helper job was short-lived (going from a desk job to a muddy field with a bunch of angry cows doesn't usually work out.) So, he threw himself o the mercy of the editor of the local paper, circulation 2,745, and became a local reporter.

It was a fantastic job for an outsider to luck into -- access to all the local events along with the official right to go poking your nose into everyone's business. If I ever move to another country where I speak the language well enough to pull it off, I'll try to do the very same thing.

You'll like this book if:
- You ever dreamed of the simple rural life in amidst "film set" beauty.
- You followed the story of American heiress Doris Duke's butler Bernard.
- You're a journalist or would-be reporter.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Book Review: Married to the Foreign Service by Jewell Fenzi & Carl Nelson

Based on 170 oral interviews with US foreign service spouses (nearly all women), this history book is packed with behind-the-scenes details of what diplomatic life was really like from the 1920s to the 1990s.

It's not at all dry -- I was completely engrossed by the personal stories and lengthy quotes which cover everything from being evacuated from Tehran; being stationed in Moscow during the height of the Cold War; surviving coup attempts in Baghdad; coping with the McCarthy hearings; and swimming the Bosporus. Not to mention a few cocktail parties along the way.

Interwoven with these stories, you'll find a history of the role of diplomatic spouse, from an unpaid helpmeet with little or no official training to the upheavals of the women's movement (1972 was the year "they fired the wives") to the end of the century when some spouses were male. Also included, an examination of what it means to be a foreign-born spouse representing your new country when you've barely lived there yourself. (More common than you might think.)

You'll like this book if you:
- enjoy tales of diplomatic adventures from a female perspective.
- are considering a foreign service career yourself (or your spouse is.)
- study women's history.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Book Review: Hidden Immigrants, Legacies of Growing Up Abroad, by Linda Bell

When I lived in Northwest Washington DC in my 20s, it was still a fairly sleepy little town with used car dealers and strip clubs within a few blocks of the White House. Aside from a few friends who worked for the government, it seemed everyone else my age was foreign, either a recent immigrant from one of 100 different countries, or a foreign journalist, a World Bank minion, an Iranian refugee, or an embassy staffer. In fact so many people in my neighborhood were foreign that you were assumed foreign until proven otherwise. I was myself often mistaken by fellow Americans for a Swede, and complimented on my well-spoken English!

That foreignness, that international flavor, attracted another demographic like crazy -- foreign service brats. Now young adults who had been brought up around the world by parents in the diplomatic service or other international careers. I remember one boyfriend who kept exclaiming because all the city signs were in English and it was so "incredibly" convenient. He'd never lived anywhere the English language was public before. Like him, many of my friends had lived everywhere as children ... except America itself. Suddenly they found themselves at 21 or 22, ejected from school and family, starting a new life in a strange country.

Now, as a stepmother to two young adults who grew up in two different countries before immigrating to America, I again see that "Which country is mine? Where do I fit?" played out around me.

So, I was happy to find Linda Bell's book, 'Hidden Immigrants' because she helped explain that no-man's-land of adjustment when you've spent much of your life in one country and then move back to your "native" land. Much of the material is direct transcription highlights of oral histories given by 13 real-life 'hidden immigrants' about their adjustment to life back in the home country.

Most fascinating are the conclusions about life patterns that Bell draws from her research. It seems people who grew up outside of their home country, especially those who moved several times, often exhibit very similar patterns, pains and problems. And yet, the stories they told of their childhood, the worlds they lived in... you can't help but be a little jealous.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Book Review: Moscow Spring by William and Jane Taubman

In the best tradition of academics, the Taubmans eschewed the expat ghetto in Moscow when they lived there in the late 1980s. Instead, they were the only non-Russians in their apartment building and possibly entire neighborhood, just as Gorbachev's reforms kicked in.

In this memoir, written as events were happening and published in 1989, the Taubmans recount their Russian friends and neighbors' daily life and passionate feelings about a future with the cold war ended and capitalism blooming.

You'll find this book this book fascinating if you:

- want insight into the formative early adult experiences that shaped the (mostly) men who are the generation in power in Russia today.

- are interested in studying societies at their moments of earth-shattering transition (not to mention economic upset.)

- consider "may you live in interesting times" a blessing you'd like to be gifted with.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Book Review: Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr

This book is exquisite, luminous, dazzling, poetic, enthralling. It is literature with a capital L. I almost feel as though it should be perfumed with a subtle yet intoxicating scent and cost at least $100 a page.

It's awfully, awfully well written and a vast pleasure to read. (These two things don't always go together you know.)

On the day Anthony and his wife came home from the Boise Idaho hospital with their newly born twins, he received a letter informing him he'd won the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts & Letters (a prize he'd been unaware he was up for) which included a free apartment plus writing studio in Rome for an entire year, as well as a stipend to live on.

This book is the story of that year, an insomniac's diary of what it's like to be a new parent in a strange city in a foreign land, as well as what it's like to be an artist working, and sometimes failing to work, at your craft in such an exotic place. Snowfall in the coliseum, fresh fava beans at the greenmarket, a child's first step, 13 obelisks, white gloved policemen, a funeral at the Vatican, pediatricians who make housecalls on Vespas, Caravaggio, peacocks and parrots, Pliny, four-hour dinners, "hopelessly good antipasti"... it's all in there.

You'll adore this book if you:
- Are an armchair traveler yearning for the next best thing to actually being in Rome yourself.
- Are the parent of twin infants (although you won't have time to read it.)
- Want a behind-the-scenes look into the everyday life and creative process of an award-winning 30-something novelist.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Book Review: Ciao, America! by Beppe Severgnini

"The American news we are bombarded with in Europe is like having a searchlight shine directly into your eyes," notes Beppe in his introduction. "Ordinary America is one of the world's best kept secrets." You know, I'm so glad someone besides me said that. America is as overexposed in the world's media as Paris Hilton, which leads many outside the US to assume, reasonably, that they know all about it. Then they come here and those preconceptions get blown to smithereens.

You can tell that Beppe, an Italian journalist, had a marvelous time writing this book about the year in the early 1990s he and his family lived in the Georgetown area of Washington DC. He details the strange customs of the natives (annoyingly friendly waiters, freakishly quick and businesslike phone calls, continual unalloyed optimism, no need to bribe clerks, boasting being valued over modesty, unusual holiday rituals, the overwhelming variety of offerings on supermarket shelves, etc.) and is terrifically proud of winning signs of acceptance from the neighbors after just six months. (Relentless front yard gardening was key.)

And, of course, he gives an Italian's take on American food. Pancake houses, burger joints, chewing gum, and mountains of ice in drinks.

You'll like this book if you:
- Are an American living in Europe and would like to imagine the reverse sometimes.
- Are an American who always wondered what our country looks like through foreigner's eyes.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Book Review: The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn

When Kathleen Flinn got laid off from her corporate job, the 36-year old took it as a sign from the fates that perhaps she was meant to live her dream life after all. So, she cashed in her savings and left for Paris to study for an entire year at Julia Child's alma mater, Le Cordon Bleu.

This memoir is the world's only behind-the-scenes portrayal of Le Cordon Bleu in the 21st century. Personally I love stuff like this, when you get to see what something terribly glamorous is truly like in real life. Kathleen is a great guide, sharing both the magic and the stresses of studying with some of the toughest teachers in the world. Laughter, new love, tears, and very sharp knives -- it's all in there along with her favorite recipes.

Also includes, to me amusing, sections on how hard it is to find a half-decent rental apartment in Paris for a remotely reasonable price.

Worth a read if you:
- Are a foodie and/or a cook
- Have dreamed of chucking it all in and moving to Paris
- Enjoy true-life love stories and romantic comedies

Monday, May 11, 2009

Book Review: A Lizard in My Luggage by Anna Nichols

What I like about this book is how much, as a busy, entrepreneurial businesswoman Anna Nichols reminds me of myself. I've always dreamed of moving to a country like Spain with a warmer climate and a healthier work/life balance while keeping my American career going, but how, exactly, would that work?

Would I relax so much in my new life that I couldn't keep up with the rat race in the old one? Would I come to despise airlines and having to fly back and forth so much for various obligations? And, how would I fit in, and make new friends in my new country while managing to continue as a good friend to people in my old one?

In this amusing memoir of recent events, Anna describes in detail how she kept a foot in both camps -- running a busy London-based PR practice at the same time as starting a new life with her husband and six-year old son in Mallorca. In between she trained for her first marathon, overcame a vicious fear of flying, learned to speak Spanish, made new friends with natives, and learned how to cope with out-of-town guests who don't remotely enjoy 'going native' as much as she does.

You'll enjoy this book if you are:
- living in two different countries at the same time, moving to and fro between them.
- scared of flying and want to overcome your fears
- an independent PR practitioner
- taking up jogging for the first time in your 40s
- wondering if you can work from home in another country

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Book Review: The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater

I do not want to be a TV star. The thought of it appalls me. Having to learn all those lines; to appear perfectly groomed and glamorous in public; to live on locations far from home and my garden; to constantly seek my next gig and the one after that....

But, oh, you know I would make the sacrifice. I would. If it meant I could have Carol Drinkwater's villa and olive farm in the hills of Southern France above Cannes.

The way she tells the story, you can't hate her. You can't be nasty and jealous. Because, although she is famous and beautiful, as well as appearing in one of my favorite BBC series ever (Jame's Herriot's All Creatures Great & Small), Carol is so sweet and warm. The sort of a person you'd want as a girlfriend, or failing that, a favorite Aunt.

Plus, life was not easy. She and her husband only just scraped together the funds to buy the old half-ruined farm, and then they both worked like crazy for years to pay a looming mortgage, fix the generously leaking roof, fend off destructive wild boars, and somehow fill the ancient pool. This may be a dream home, but it's a home that's hard won and all the more beloved for it.

If you have fantasies about olive trees, paths of lavender, a distant view of the sea, and plenty of friends laughing around an outdoor lunch in the Mediterranean sun while dogs pant at their feet, this is your book. May you enjoy it as much as I have. Maybe even more.

You'll adore this book if you:
- yearn to renovate an old stone villa.
- love to garden (or at least fantasize about gardening.)
- want a behind-the-scenes look at how TV mini-series are actually scripted and produced.
- dream of the sunny south of France (even if you can't afford it.)

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Book Review: First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria by Eve Brown-Waite

Be forewarned, although this book just came out, with an eye-grabbing cover of an alarmed-looking young woman peeping from behind a huge tropical leaf, it's actually about adventures the author had as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador and then a CARE executive's wife in Uganda... almost 20 years ago.

Just because the stories are a bit older than expected from the publisher's marketing blurbs, doesn't make them any less interesting. Well, ok. A little less. How I Met My Husband & Got Him to Propose moments of 20-something romantic travail will be less than fascinating to anyone older. But that's only the start of the book. The inside look at Peace Corps assignments will be interesting to anyone at any age considering volunteering. I, for one, hadn't realized quite how pushy and entrepreneurial you have to be to find "work" in your host country.

After her marriage, Eve followed her husband to his posting in Arua Uganda, at the time considered so dangerous that the US State Department warned against it. Although Eve's memoirs are full of love and laughter, personally I would have run screaming from the Big Bugs everywhere, not to mention the rat in the toilet. But, she stuck it out, even through one of the skinniest pregnancies ever. (When you can't find any food in the market you're craving, that baby bump is tiny.)

Although she tried valiantly, finding work was next to impossible even though Eve was an AIDs expert in one of the most AIDs-ridden countries on the planet at that time. So, she ended up living a lifestyle that diplomatic spouses would recognize from ages of yore -- including hot and cold running servants and all the gin and tonics she could drink to fend off malaria.

Perhaps Eve's best writing centers around the extreme confusion and disconnectedness expats can feel when they visit home. The moment in Heathrow airport when she simply couldn't cope because she was surrounded by white people is wonderful.

When memoir ended with the announcement of her husband's then-next job posting -- Uzbekistan -- I couldn't help myself and immediately emailed her to ask if a follow-up volume was coming. Cross your fingers!

This book will be interesting for people who:

- Are considering the Peace Corps or working for an NGO in Africa
- Have survived a foreign posting when your spouse had work but you couldn't find anything
- Like amusing stories of living in exotic lands

Friday, May 8, 2009

Book Review: Dome of Many-Coloured Glass by Post Wheeler & Hallie Erminie Rives

In years past, the best used book sale in Washington DC was run by a non-profit arm of the State Department. All the foreign service personnel and spouses would donate books - it was so huge they had to rent the biggest hall in town. If you've lived overseas you can understand why. Books in English are better than Godiva chocolates, so you collect an awful lot of them.

Foreign service officers and their spouses tend to live more exciting lives than most of us and then write books about themselves, which they all in turn collect, and then, when they get old, donate to the booksale. So there's that too.

At my very first Foreign Service booksale, so many years ago that I was in my 20s and living in a one-bedroom apartment within walking distance to the White House, I picked up a copy of 'Dome of Many-Coloured Glass' a diplomatic memoir. I think I liked the heft of the book (860-pages, not including index with tantilizing entries such as 'Anathan, Baroness d' pages 277, 445, 561") as much as I adored the scent of its yellowing pages.

Even in 1955, when it was first published, this autobiography must have been unusual in that husband and wife, both well-published authors, shared the stage. Each one tells the story of a diplomatic posting from their own perspective, the husband who is the diplomatic officer and the wife who must 'pay, pack and follow' as well as create a vibrant social life. Their postings, including Japan, London, The Arctic, Rome, Russia, Paraguay, Sweden and Albania, were extraordinary, and held at extraordinary times in the first half of the 20th century.

This book is no longer in print and second-hand copies are sometimes hard to come by, but you'll find the search is well worth it if you're interested in:

- international relations in the first half of the 20th century.

- what it was like being a diplomatic spouse back when men were diplomats and women were "helpmeets" (and boy did they help!)

- office politics at the US State Department. (Ugly, mean, tough.)

- High society in Japan, Sweden, et al, back when the Wheelers were circulating in it.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Book Review: Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah MacDonald

I had no idea how much I would love this book when I bought it, rather automatically, when my husband informed me we'd be stopping in India for a few days on our way to Nepal. But then, I never expected to love India either. I thought it would be smelly, messy, and overwhelming. And so it was, but now I'm crazy for the place.

Which, funnily enough, is exactly how Sarah MacDonald felt. A successful morning TV show host, at 33 she left her career behind to follow her boyfriend to India when he landed a key position there for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. While he hustled for stories and airtime, she found herself a housewife in an unexpected country.

Luckily for us, unlike many writers Sarah's extremely outgoing, making friends with all sorts of people including Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Parsis, Punjabis, servants, and millionaires. As she had neither a job nor children during the two+ years she was in India, she used all the time for adventures, including a stint as an extra in Bollywood (where she got to meet Mr B himself)... exploring Delhi's nightlife for young unmarried women... visiting ashrams, meditation centers and religious festivals... and being a guest of honor at several weddings. She also explored the joys of local medicine by falling seriously ill early on, and tagged along on reporting trips to Kashmir and Pakistan.

Although this sounds like a lot of activity (and it is), the book isn't a 'visiting India' tourism guide so much as it is an intimate - and often very funny - personal diary that's at its heart a coming of age story, from busy yuppie to contemplative woman.

You'll like this book if you:

- Enjoy witty British/Australian-style writing.

- Would like a woman's perspective on India, especially tales and insights from strong girlfriend friendships with natives.

- You've considered visiting Delhi, or an Indian religious festival, guru or center and you'd like a scales-off-the-eyes truthful account of what it's really like.

- You're crazy for Bollywood movies.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Book Review: How to Be a Carioca by Priscilla Ann Goslin

An absolute Must Read before you go to Rio. And luckily it's small and light enough you can carry it around in your purse when you get there. (The vocab list of ubiquitous slang you'll never find in a formal dictionary is funny and helpful - example: "dancar" 'to dance' which actually means to get caught by the police doing something you're not supposed to do; when "see you" actually means "I never want to see you again"; explanations of local body language; and when the word for dental floss actually refers to a string bikini.)

Speaking of which, this book features a very helpful guide on exactly how to act on the beach, with separate instructions for men versus women, including how to get the beer guy to set up a weekly tab, how to go for a swim without looking like an idiot gringo, and when is the appropriate time to leave.

My personal favorite chapters are 'Cariocas on Wheels' without which I don't think any American could possibly figure out how to park in Rio (hint: one wheel on the sidewalk), and of course, 'Eating Out in Rio" which decodes boteca menus for you (hint: the pizza will be lukewarm and soggy.) There's also a helpful section on dealing with the police and how often and where you're supposed to kiss your acquaintances whenever you see them. I don't know about you, but the kissing thing always throws me. Also, the sample DMV (department of motor vehicles) test can't be missed,

This very funny yet insightful book, now in its third edition and umpteenth printing, is great for:

- Anyone visiting Rio, and even probably Brazil as a whole.

- People who live in cities with a lot of Brazilian immigrants (most of the taxi drivers in San Francisco these days seem to be from Brazil.)

- People with a good sense of humor.

- Fans of 'The Girl (or boy) from Ipanema'

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Book Review: An Embarrassment of Mangoes by Ann Vanderhoof

Doesn't the name alone just grab you? This book is a detailed account of the two years a 40-something Canadian couple spent in the mid-90s sailing their 42-foot boat around the Caribbeans.

Don't worry if you're not a sailor -- neither was Ann when she started out. As she learns about the sailing life, so does the reader. I like this because it makes it easier for me to imagine myself in her shoes .. or rather tanned bare feet. And just when the mangoes, beaches, rum, warm sun, and Carnivals begin to make you feel a bit jealous, Ann evens things out by detailing the nitty gritty behind the glamour of sailing life, including no storage, lack of water, extra household cleaning chores, and horribly tiny, ship-to-shore dingies.

Ann's a total foodie, buying fresh local provisions at the native markets, visiting local rum factories, befriending local fisherman for the fresh catch and constantly concocting new recipes. Definitely read this book with a snack at your side -- you'll get hungry. Luckily, Ann includes about a dozen of her best Caribbean recipes including one for a genuine rum punch.

As she notes, many couples in the 'cruising culture' spend their time socializing with other North American cruisers and just see the islands as ports for restocking gas and groceries. Ann and her husband were the exception to that rule. They actively sought out local culture and friendships on several of the islands, especially Grenada. So, although this book is more about the sailing life than it is about living on a particular island, you definitely do get some insights into native Caribbean culture.

You'll like this book if:

-You've dreamed of sailing away....

- You'd love to attend native Carnival celebrations on a Caribbean island and dance (and drink) all night and all day.

- You're planning a boat trip down the Intracoastal Highway from the Chesapeake to Miami and you want to know what it's like beforehand.

- You're a foodie.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Book Review: Miniskirts, Mothers & Muslims by Christine A Mallouhi

Muslims are butt men. That's why to some conservative Muslims, women who wear trousers in public appear almost trashy. "Buttocks smouldering under slacks" is the phrase some Muslims use to describe sexy women.

This book manages the almost-impossible -- it's a thoroughly entertaining read as well as a serious scholarly study. It's used as a teaching tool by university professors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from the US to Europe and Australia to help students and professionals alike understand the Muslim culture, especially as it relates to women.

It's actually a fairly slim volume, not at all intimidating to read. I really loved its non-academic and definitely non-stuffy approach. Although many of the concepts discussed are general (friendship, womanhood, family), Christine brings her advice alive with lots of real-life examples from her own experiences living in Muslim countries around the world, including Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt.

Now you'll understand why women wear veils and how to navigate the tricky waters of male-female relations in the Muslim world. After reading this book, I can see how easy it would be for an uninformed Christian to unwittingly cause offense to Muslim friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Also useful, lots of side notes on how rules can vary depending on which country you're in, for example yellow-colored food is normal in some places but verbotten elsewhere.

You'll really appreciate this book if you:

- Are going to be living in a Muslim country or community and you want to get along with your new neighbors. Extremely useful for avoiding cross-cultural misunderstandings!

- Are a Western woman curious about the daily life and world that Muslim women live in -- especially about clothing restrictions.

- Are an evangelical Christian seeking to understand how to approach the Muslim world with even a slim chance of being taken seriously there.

- Love anthropology and getting a behind-the-scenes look at a foreign culture.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Book Review: On Mexican Time by Tony Cohan

I suspect this bestseller from 2000 is the reason why real estate sales in the hilltop town of San Miguel Mexico shot sharply upwards a few years back. Now you can't swing a dead cat downtown without hitting a well-heeled gringo.

I love it anyway. I can't help it - I'm a sucker for foreign real estate porn. You know, a tourist walks through an old town someplace suitably exotic with a more relaxed lifestyle than America. He or she spots a crumbling old house or villa, falls in love, buys it and turns their life upside down. Then follow amusing stories of local craftsmen and carpenters with larger than life characters who never show up when they promise they will, but somehow the work gets done. And the final house is... magnificent. All the friends back home who said you were crazy to move, suddenly are raging with jealousy, and eagerly signing up to come down for vacations.

Author Tony Cohan is a professional novelist, not just a hobby author, so the text is richer and more poetic than typical new-life-abroad books. He's also truly interested in real life in Mexico, not in gringo ghettos, and reaches out to make friends with native neighbors and other locals.

You'll like this book if:

- You want to learn about the inland culture and lifestyle of Mexico, beyond the beaches.

- You appreciate skilled, thoughtful writing.

- You dream of renovating a gorgeous old house.

Book Review: An Innocent, A Broad by Ann Leary

Back before American comedian Denis Leary was rich and famous, he scored a one-night gig on a British TV show. Best of all, the show agreed to fly he and his pregnant wife Ann over for a two-night stay at a deluxe London hotel. The young couple were having a wonderful time... until Ann's waters broke although the baby, their first, wasn't due for three more months.

In that moment, a weekend's holiday abroad turned into a six month adventure. At first, Ann wasn't allowed to leave her hospital bed, let alone the country. Then, when her son Jack was born weighing only a little over two pounds, she had to stay in the UK to be with him as he slowly grew strong. Her memoir of those months is by turns emotional, witty and rueful.

You'll enjoy this book especially if you:

- Are interested in what nationalized health systems are really like. (Turns out Ann and the baby got more advanced medical care than they would have in the US.)

- Have been the parent (or grandparent) of a prematurely born child.

- Have ever endured a horribly, embarrassingly bad, hair cut.

- Are a fan of Denis Leary, who created the one-man show 'No Cure for Cancer' which first made him famous as a desperate attempt to make enough money to pay for Ann and the baby's extended stay in Britain.