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To start with, I'm American and married to a European citizen. After living in the US for 12 years, we decided to move temporarely to Europe (2-3 years) but somehow ended up living in spouses country for six yrs and are presently still here! Life throws you curves, I get that but it was NOT in our plan to stay here in Europe this long nor keep our children in the International School here for this long. Now our oldest is 12 and we are finding that she is a fish out of water no matter which country she is in (native or host country) because of her limited exposure within the "International Bubble" she has only ever known. Mentally, She's not American and views herself European but talks like American English is her second language when it is indeed her first! (For example, "I bringed my bag home", "I make a picture with my camera") We know and have seen the benifits of exposing our children to living abroad and learning in an International education setting, but we also are surprised to discover that there are huge disadvantages too! So much that we are ready to take a 45% pay cut so we can move back to the US and just put them in a public school where they can understand their teachers, focus on hobbies, learn who they are and what their potential can be AND get a good command on their first language, American English!
Has anyone else had this experience with their children in International schools? How did your children manage back intheir native country after living abroad for so long? Has anyone returned home for the same reasons?
Another reason I so desperately want to leave is because I am so sick of being a housewife that has nothing to do but drink coffee/tea with the other expat ladies or lunch, lunch, "LUNCH" during the day while our children are in school. I feel I have lost my full potential to be anything outside of my European home. It is hard to be an expat and not be able to take advantage of every opportunity in my host country because of language barriars. I love and prefer most of the European way of life but at the end of the day, my children and I are restricted to what we can be. Coming from the US, IT's hard to except such restrictions and that is why we want to move back to the US. .
To start with, I'm American and married to a European citizen. After living in the US for 12 years, we decided to move temporarely to Europe (2-3 years) but somehow ended up living in spouses country for six yrs and are presently still here! Life throws you curves, I get that but it was NOT in our plan to stay here in Europe this long nor keep our children in the International School here for this long. Now our oldest is 12 and we are finding that she is a fish out of water no matter which country she is in (native or host country) because of her limited exposure within the "International Bubble" she has only ever known. Mentally, She's not American and views herself European but talks like American English is her second language when it is indeed her first! (For example, "I bringed my bag home", "I make a picture with my camera") We know and have seen the benifits of exposing our children to living abroad and learning in an International education setting, but we also are surprised to discover that there are huge disadvantages too! So much that we are ready to take a 45% pay cut so we can move back to the US and just put them in a public school where they can understand their teachers, focus on hobbies, learn who they are and what their potential can be AND get a good command on their first language, American English!
Has anyone else had this experience with their children in International schools? How did your children manage back intheir native country after living abroad for so long? Has anyone returned home for the same reasons?
Another reason I so desperately want to leave is because I am so sick of being a housewife that has nothing to do but drink coffee/tea with the other expat ladies or lunch, lunch, "LUNCH" during the day while our children are in school. I feel I have lost my full potential to be anything outside of my European home. It is hard to be an expat and not be able to take advantage of every opportunity in my host country because of language barriars. I love and prefer most of the European way of life but at the end of the day, my children and I are restricted to what we can be. Coming from the US, IT's hard to except such restrictions and that is why we want to move back to the US. .
First, move your kids to a local school, International schools churn out International good for nothing Teeny Boppers (I went to one). Get a job, go to the University, get a degree online. If you move back to the US, your kids will hate you and you will be bored to death in some suburban graveyard.
I'm French but residing in London on a 2 year posting. This is the first time that my wife and daughter have been able to accompany me and my daughter has always gone to a French school (unsurprisingly). One of the criteria of them joining me was that there was a school in the area (London) teaching the French school curriculum and one was found. We felt it was important that she continue her education without interruption.
Are schools of the type that my daughter has gone too (CFBL) rare or are they predominately only in large or capital cities that have a diverse, international and multilingual population? I know that large military bases around the world would often have a school on the base teaching the syllabus of the home nation that people could send their children too instead of a local school. I have no idea if they were open to non-military residence of the same nationality though.
First, move your kids to a local school, International schools churn out International good for nothing Teeny Boppers (I went to one). Get a job, go to the University, get a degree online. If you move back to the US, your kids will hate you and you will be bored to death in some suburban graveyard.
Six years in country and still having coffee with expat wives? That is for the initial "where have I landed" phase. Life goes on afterwards. As already posted - language classes, integration, job ... Especially with a native spouse and potential family. Where is the exposure to living abroad for the kids when mom is hibernating and dad is working? Sorry!
Why do the kids have issues with English? Mother is SAM - homework, conversation, tutoring at home, ... We grew up fluent in several language and that in public education with parental support.
What is supposed to improve with a significant pay cut in the US? Better education? Less boredom?
University of Wisconsin River Falls has this cool Europe program where i think you go to Scotland, England, France, Netherlands and Italy.
We got to visit her when she was in France and the Netherlands, loved it there but one bad thing about Europe is Europeans.... Always talking politics, so judgmental, complain complain complain "why do you Americans do this? " "Why do you Americans do that?", snobby, asking dumb questions about the US, etc... the Europeans i did like were the really racist, cocky type and they we're hated by everyone so people judge you even more for even hanging out with them.
Probably would of been better if we visited her when she was in Scotland and England.
Lets just say coming home, stepping off the plane and seeing the big "Welcome to the United States" sign at Newark airport was a beautiful site.
Europe was still beautiful though, if i went to school i would probably do this program and just hang out with other American students.
First, move your kids to a local school, International schools churn out International good for nothing Teeny Boppers (I went to one). Get a job, go to the University, get a degree online. If you move back to the US, your kids will hate you and you will be bored to death in some suburban graveyard.
WHOA, whoa! Moving back to the US might be the best thing you could do for your kids, depending on where you live. The kids could very well be thrilled at the thought. The US is a great place for kids and teens, depending on locale. Is moving back to the US an option, OP?
Some countries don't assimilate foreigners very well, and their job market remains closed in spite of the foreigner's qualifications. If you're not happy, and the kids aren't happy, why stay? Would your husband have job options in the US, OP?
After living in the US for 12 years, we decided to move temporarely to Europe (2-3 years) but somehow ended up living in spouses country for six yrs and are presently still here!
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It is hard to be an expat and not be able to take advantage of every opportunity in my host country because of language barriars.
I can't believe you still have language barriers after six years in a foreign European country. How is that even possible? I've heard some stories about locked up muslim women in small apartments facing that problem, but a Western woman in Europe..? If I ever moved to a new country which had a language I didn't know, I would make that my number one priority to be fluent in it asap. Especially if this was my spouse's native country. May be native English speaking people have a different mentality when it comes to this, compared to those of us who speak a minor native language.
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