The Expats

Author's Note

Author's NoteAs the world reached a new millennium at the turn of the 21st Century, more and more skilled workers were seeking employment overseas, reaching out to unique opportunities and grasping them with both hands.

Unlike foreign traders and prospectors in previous years who had ventured out, leaving their families safely at home, this new breed of employee were uprooting their wives and children and embarking on a new life in faraway lands.

My husband and I were just two of those foreigners seeking to make our fortune in a new country. His career as a talented engineer had opened unexpected doors and in 2003 we embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime. I wasn't worried about finding work, as we packed up our belongings and prepared to fly to Asia, as I had plenty of teaching experience and relished the challenges that lay before us. It was hard saying goodbye to family and friends, wondering if we were making the right decision and contemplating who would come to visit us and when, but the excitement of beginning a new adventure together far outweighed any fears that we may have had and hence the journey began.

This tale is based upon our experiences and friendships forged in Shanghai, China, where we initially agreed to spend two years but ended up staying for a decade. The city was, and still is, a vibrant melting pot of people from all walks of life and we met some wonderful people both Chinese and other nationalities from around the globe, making it hard to tear ourselves away when the time came to leave, but also content in the knowledge that we had created many wonderful memories.

Some of the chapters in this work of fiction are based on true events but the characters are, for the most part, pure figments of my very over-active imagination. I know that our friends won't mind me sharing their pieces of this very colourful jigsaw puzzle, as they know that they all have a very special place in our hearts, we all have the photos, and in some cases scars, to prove it.

If you ever find yourself wondering whether you should take the plunge and seek a position overseas, I can only advise that you take it. Living and working in Shanghai was amazing and it has given me the tools to live a fearless and eventful life. This book is dedicated to every person who shared a slice of Shanghai life with us and never ever forgetting the one who didn't come home.