Bloom Where You are Planted (Life the Expat Way)

Lasairiona McMaster

Are you contemplating a move abroad? First of all, lucky you! Exotic locations…luxury living…the opportunity of a lifetime to savor new sites, culture, foods…What, excuse me Lasairiona, why are you sputtering and laughing? I’ll let author Lasairiona McMaster take over and give you the real deetz about expat living! You will have a blast with this book! 💯

Don’t panic! You are in good hands with this wildly humorous and totally supportive book.

From culture shock to capable, from language barriers to lifelong friends, and from foreign land to the familiar. Being hurled into life in a strange new place can be daunting and overwhelming, but it can also be exciting and enjoyable. 

Rich with tips on how to expat like a boss, Lasairiona McMaster’s “Bloom where you are planted”,takes you on a journey from packing up her life in Northern Ireland to jumping in at the deep-end as an expat in two countries.

An experienced expat from a decade of living abroad, her honest and uncensored tales of what to expect when you’re expatriating, are as funny as they are poignant, and as practical as they are heartfelt. If you’ve lived abroad, or you’re considering the move from local to expat. If you’re looking to rediscover yourself, or simply wondering how on earth to help your children develop into adaptable, resilient, and well-rounded people, this book has something for you. 

JENA’S REVIEW

“It doesn’t matter where you live, life is an adventure that is meant to challenge and push you, but also reward you.” Taylor Smith, friend of the author

I liked the positive title of this non-fiction book, but I hope the author doesn’t mind if I tweak it. I suggest changing it to “Bloom Where You are Planted and Transplanted” because this is a book about the expat life- and how to bloom in a variety of gardens.

Author Las McMaster gives us a hilarious, honest, open and no-holds barred look at her life as an ex-pat. As the “trailing spouse” of an employee of an international company, the author was “transplanted” to Houston, Texas and India. (via a short stop at their home country, Northern Ireland). When many of us think of ex-pats, we may view that life through rose-colored glasses- and only consider the chance to live in exotic locations with luxury housing and capable servants.

The author gives us the real scoop. Yes, she loved her experiences, and the adventure, but she also faced some challenges. She gives good advice about how to pack and ship your belongings, and many practical tips on settling in to your new country, such as making sure you can drive, who to call in an emergency, dealing with your pet, and how to survive embarrassing cultural gaffes. As she says, “being an expat is all about the give and take.” 

If you are an expat, or about to become one, I would want a friend like the author to guide me. Even if you aren’t ever going to leave your hometown, you will learn many interesting nuggets from Las McMaster. She was a young wife and then mother during her ex-pat years. For many people, beginning a marriage and motherhood can also seem like you have landed in a foreign country. Much of her advice about taking care of yourself, and bonding with friends will help everyone bloom where they are planted. “Put yourself out there”, she advices.

The book ends with short stories from many of her ex-pat friends. The author is right- she and her friends are all super heroes. I enjoyed this book. I wish the author had shared more stories from her daily life, but readers will find this a fun and useful read.

Many thanks to the author and Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy.

Author Bio – 

Lasairiona McMaster grew up dreaming of an exciting life abroad, and, after graduating from Queens University, Belfast, that is exactly what she did – with her then-boyfriend, now husband of almost ten years. Having recently repatriated to Northern Ireland after a decade abroad spanned over two countries (seven and a half years in America and eighteen months in India), she now finds herself ‘home’, with itchy feet and dreams of her next expatriation. With a penchant for both travelling, and writing, she started a blog during her first relocation to Houston, Texas and, since repatriating to Northern Ireland, has decided to do as everyone has been telling her to do for years, and finally pen a book (or two) and get published while she tries to adjust to the people and place she left ten years ago, where nothing looks the same as it did when she left.

Social Media Links – 

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