Category:

Trailing Kids

The Art of Adaptation as Foreign Service Spouse

by Sean McKee June 22, 2020

To paraphrase from The Lord of the Rings, “One does not simply become a trailing spouse.” We may accept the idea of relocating for our partner’s career as a one-time event or even as a lifestyle, but it takes a lot of time and experience to completely adapt to the “trailing” part of the deal.

As a young adult, I became acquainted with some of the highs and lows of expat life by working in the Russian Far East in business skills education and international development through a program supported by USAID. And yet when I married Erin, a foreign service officer, I still had a lot to learn about how to balance raising a family and maintaining my professional interests with her frequent, somewhat unpredictable assignments.

Career Transitions Driving Distance Trailing Kids

Trailing & Being Trailed: Round 3

by Anusha Shrivastava April 30, 2020

written by Anusha Shrivastava

Continued from Trailing & Being Trailed: Round 2

After eight years of career slowdowns due to my trailing spouse circumstances, I was thrilled to accept a job as a Dow Jones corporate bonds reporter in 2006 — but it came with a heavy price. Given that my start date was in the middle of the school year and there was no guarantee this position would work out past the trial period, I decided it would make most sense for me to move to New Jersey alone, while my husband and our 7-year-old son stayed in Connecticut.

On weekday mornings, I would listen to my son practice piano over the phone; we talked again every evening about his school day and homework. For months, our precious weekends together focused on grocery shopping, cooking a week’s worth of meals, swimming lessons, and occasionally visiting a museum or watching a movie.

Expat Experiences Trailing Kids

How Expat Life Prepared Me for COVID-19

by Crista Lindberg April 27, 2020

written by Crista Lindberg

Social distancing, digitally connecting, stockpiling supplies, wearing masks, homeschooling, working from home? My expat friends were the first to settle into these new norms, and are now seemingly unfazed. Meanwhile, my American friends who’ve never lived overseas were panicked or in denial from the start of this global coronavirus pandemic — and, weeks later, are still resisting new routines.

This has made me pause and ask: What really sets these groups apart? What critical skills have expats — trailing spouses, especially — mastered that are just now being learned by others facing unprecedented uncertainty for the first time?

Career Transitions Driving Distance Military Moves Trailing Kids

Strategic Disruptions Can Help Advance Your Career

by Erica Klinger March 19, 2020

written by Erica Klinger

Trailing spouses are forced to encounter change more than the average human, often without much support. In my 26 years as a Navy wife, my family has experienced 10 house moves, including five different states and one overseas tour. Throughout this adventure, I’ve continued prioritizing my professional advancement as a creative marketing professional. In the past, pursuing your own career dreams hasn’t been expected of military wives — but times are changing and I hope sharing my story publicly for the first time inspires others to never give up on their dreams.

Continued from Part 1 of Erica’s story…

After juggling four eventful years as a trailing spouse, military wife, new mom and creative marketing professional in the emerging digital landscape, I was excited to see what life would bring next for my marriage, my career, my 4-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. At the same time, however, I was also seeking more stability.

Career Transitions Driving Distance Expat Experiences Trailing Kids

Trailing & Being Trailed: Round 2

by Anusha Shrivastava February 26, 2020

written by Anusha Shrivastava

Continued from Trailing & Being Trailed: Round 1

Moving from New Delhi to New York for my husband’s career had rendered me unemployable overnight, due to my dependent spouse visa status and lack of a strong local network. Assessing my options, I went back to school for a second master’s degree; my mother generously flew in to help care for our baby son while I worked hard to resume my career as a journalist.

Graduating from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in 2002 was exciting, but there was a shadow over this milestone because unlike most of my energized classmates, I could not yet apply for an internship or job. Until my American work authorization came through, my immigration status still meant that an employer would have to be willing to take on the significant hassle and cost of sponsoring me.

Career Transitions Driving Distance Expat Experiences Trailing Kids

Comfort Food, Luxury Food, Phantom Food

by Nicole Neroulias Gupte February 4, 2020

written by Nicole Neroulias Gupte

It’s one thing to leave family, friends, and employment opportunities behind to accompany our spouses when their careers require a relocation. But when the move also means giving up our favorite foods? Yikes.

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

As a tourist or business traveler, I’ve found myself saddened by two edible extremes: discovering amazing new foods that I won’t be able to find again back home vs. managing the absence of a dietary staple while on my journey.

Career Transitions Driving Distance Trailing Kids

Thankful to Be Their Special Someone

by Stephanie P. Cohn November 24, 2019

written by Stephanie P. Cohn

My unexpected journey as a trailing spouse began in 2004 when, after much soul-searching, I decided to leave my beloved job at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in order to follow my other beloved to another university, in another state, for his graduate studies.

I agonized over this decision.