FROM ONE EXPAT TO ANOTHER

John was given advice from another expat from Snapon who lives in France. "When you and your wife say to each other "What in the world were we thinking" just remember many expats before you have had this same thought. Treat this as an adventure and keep your sense of humor. I say that truer words were never spoken. I am looking at these next couple of years as my "Asian Adventure." We have come here without children, since ours are grown, and that has good and bad points. Bringing your children gets you involved with their school and extracurricular activities and you meet people a lot quicker. Being here without them means you have to meet people in different ways. And when your husband is the only American working at the company, it is a bigger challenge. You don't have the work people to hang around with. So, how do we handle this? We go to Hooters, of course, where the Western people hang out. Thank God for American restaurants in China is all I can say. Too much Chinese food makes me crabby. Think positive about your time in Belgium and travel as much as you can. I know that one day I will be able to say "oh, the things that I have seen" because I have seen so much already and I have been here less than one month. I'm sure you and your family will be able to say the same.