What you are doing for your kids is awesome. My parents had all five of their children in five different places (and three different countries). My experience growing up overseas is something I would never trade for anything in the world. I worry about raising kids ‘in one place’ because so much of who I am came from moving around and living in other countries.

My husband and I have been on the international circuit for the past 15 years plus one more year prior to some time in the States. We have our two kids while living in Japan and now we’re in Malaysia, ready to make the move to Saudi. We’ve been in Turkey, Ecuador and (again) Saudi Arabia. Ex-pat life before kids and after kids is a big difference, but it’s interesting to experience family life without an extended family support system. It’s true that as a family we really form stronger bonds than what might be “usual.” I was just talking to a woman I met the other day who was a French-Canadian who had raised her son all over the world, and she brought this specific point up. Our kids are 6 & 7 and have never lived in the US, and they probably won’t until they’re much older. Much like you, we try to teach them bits and pieces about their American roots, and give them lessons in American history/geography or whatever, but it’s still very much a foreign country to them.

Anyway. I’m also interested in hearing about your experience with body attitudes and culture; (ours is different because of our time in Japan. Those dang family baths and all).

I think one reason I love the bloggernacle so much is because it connects me to my LDS culture when I’m so far away. The members around the world are incredible, but sometimes it’s hard to communicate (literally) and other times it’s just mentally exhausting. oh yeah, and oftentimes the women in RS will look over to me and say things like, “you’re the American. What’s the REAL answer?” Kind of weird.

How else could he reduce his expat experience to a few years in Paris, ignoring many more years than that in the “lower 48″?

I have been an ex-pat on several continents, and have enjoyed it.

My husband and I are bi-cultural and bi-lingual and I really admire your bilingualism. We are also One parent One language, but it is very hard, because the language he is teaching the kids (most people in his cultural are at least tri-cultural) is simply not present elsewhere. There are no books, no videos, and no local ex-pats besides himself (it is an African language), so the kids only have him as a model. We have struggled, but hope to improve.

I am also curious about your cultural choices. I find that my husband is somewhat resigned to do things my way, although I do what I can to include his culture (food, language, holidays, etc.) I think some of it is what he feels like assimilation is inevitable . Some of it is disenchantment with certain aspects of his culture. I wonder, though, if some of it is that I am the Mom and make so many household decisions? Do you think that plays a role in your household?

Tstevens – I would echo that having been an expat and moved my whole life, the biggest side effect is restlessness. I cannot seem to stay in one place for very long, and every year or so find myself looking for the next place to live. My sister had the opposite reaction however, and quickly found herself a ‘hometown’.

Those of you who are jealous…you do realize what winters in Scandivia are like right? Its not just cold…there is the whole matter of NO SUN. There is a reason people drink alot :)