My friend, Simone wrote this review which I would like to share with all of you.
A true account of what it was like to move to Asia in the 90s
Sharon and I met in Thailand, a few years after she moved to Pakistan in 1991. I, myself, moved to Thailand in 1990, and even though Thailand is not like Pakistan at all, there are many similarities in our expat experiences, and that is why I really liked this book.
Sharon relates the story of leaving the comfort of her home in Canada and making a bold move to Pakistan with her husband and her two adolescent children. She had never visited Pakistan before, therefore it must have been difficult to prepare the family for this adventure. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like to uproot two adolescents even though this experience must have opened their horizons long-term, and it sounds like they adjusted well.
Sharon gives us a detailed account of her journey as a wife, mother, head of a large house, and teacher, but also of her husband’s and children’s journeys. At times their lives took a very dangerous twist, which creates a suspense that I’m sure the family could have done without.
I loved all the anecdotes, whether creepy, funny, or scary. Sharon describes them well and they brought up many memories of my own time in Asia.
Let’s not forget the many trips Sharon took with her family, again she goes into a lot of details about all the places they visited.
Those of you who have moved to a new country with an entirely different culture, religion, customs, food, and much more, will relate to Sharon’s stories. Those of you who are planning to do so, you will see how, while it is not easy at the beginning, with time and a little bit of resilience, one adjusts, and things that were strange or scary at first become normality.
The Bazant Blog 