The Expat Arc: An Expat's Journey Over Culture Shock [Paperback]

Danielle Barkhouse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2008

"Don't read this if you're expecting deep insights on culture, politics or religion in India. Oh no. I'm far too shallow and lack the intelligence necessary for that. I'm not an expert about anything. I'm just here for a good time and amusing myself about it to stay sane." Danielle Barkhouse researched and prepared for her family's relocation from Illinois to India. She was an experienced expatriate, so she thought she knew the range of feelings that she would experience. She was wrong. "I have found that most expats don't really talk about culture shock. We all look at one another and know we're each going through it at some level. Some people will say they're fine, when they're really not. And then there's me. Let's just put it under a microscope, magnify the details and write about it! That's all this really is, a magnification of the details." (more)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Danielle Barkhouse expatriated from Canada thirteen years ago, 'trailing' her husband through nine moves for his job with a multinational manufacturing company. Danielle has enjoyed traveling, taking photographs and geocaching in the 20 countries she has visited. Having lived in four nations, they recently returned from India and call Texas "home" with their third-culture son and their third-culture golden retriever.

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (April 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434844730
• ISBN-13: 978-1434844736
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,493,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Danielle Barkhouse expatriated from Canada thirteen years ago, 'trailing' her husband through nine moves for his job with a multinational manufacturing company. Danielle has enjoyed traveling, taking photographs and geocaching in the 20 countries she has visited. Having lived in four nations, they recently returned from India and call Texas "home" with their third-culture son and their third-culture golden retriever.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh and Humorous Look at Living Abroad, March 4, 2009

By 

Kimberly Jackson "hockey mom" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Expat Arc: An Expat's Journey Over Culture Shock (Paperback)

This book didn't make me want to live abroad, but it certainly made me appreciate how much effort it takes to maintain a family life in a very different environment. Danie chronicles the move and the adjustments to living in Chennai, India where her husband's job takes them. Her humor and frank candidness give a fresh perspective to her family's travails, from dealing with unwanted slithering guests to navigating the local markets. Her pictures beautifully illustrate her stories and we really get to travel along on her 'journey' over culture shock.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very delightful, wise and entertaining!, March 3, 2009

By 

Joyce Akesson "www.joyceakesson.com" (Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Expat Arc: An Expat's Journey Over Culture Shock (Paperback)

This is a very delightful, wise and entertaining book. The author takes us along on a journey to Chennai, India and gives us an honest and insightful account about the challenges and the beauty of living there.
The author writes in a lighthearted way, but conveys deeper meaning. The stories are awesome and contain a lot of humor. Sprinkled in is interesting information about the country which I enjoyed very much reading.
The author has a positive outlook on the adventure that she, her spouse and her young son had the opportunity to have enjoyed.
I can recommend this very inspirational book to anyone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh with Danie about the ups and downs of Culture Shock, May 16, 2008

By 

Robin Pascoe (North Vancouver, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Expat Arc: An Expat's Journey Over Culture Shock (Paperback)

I met the author on a recent visit to Chennai, India, where she lives and writes about in Expat Arc. She's right when she says herself that she's not offering a travelogue of India nor deep insights into its culture. What she does offer, and what I believe everyone expat spouse will relate it, is the rollercoaster of emotions which a family, and especially an accompanying, supportive spouse, rides when they find themselves transplanted from a place like Chicago to southern India. The culture shock wave hits Danie straight in the face over and and over again..and she keeps coming up for air with her sense of humour in tact and a positive outlook on the experience which she, her husband, and her young son are privileged to be enjoying. A lot of fun to read!