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

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

No comments:

Post a Comment