05-29-09, author Anastasia Ashman, guest host
The transcript below covers the complete #litchat conversation on May 29, 2009. The order appears sequentially from the first post to the final post. Topic of the week was Expatriate Literature, guest host was Anastasia Ashman( @Thandelike), co-editor of Tales from the Expat Harem.
| LitChat Welcome to #litchat. We’re concluding expat lit week today with guest host Anastasia Ashman (@Thandelike). are you there Anastasia? -12:57 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @LitChat i’m here, hello everyone! #litchat -12:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| expatexpert Excited to be part of this discussion. Good luck Anastasia! #litchat -12:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Hi Anastasia. Thanks for coming back a third time. You must like us! #litchat -12:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @expatexpert robin pascoe, you made it! robin writes expat nonfiction — be sure to tell us more #litchat -12:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Hey, there. Lots of expats today! #litchat -12:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Hello, expatexpert. Welcome. #litchat -1:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Hi, Jennifer Gokmen here! Anastasia’s Expat Harem co-editor #litchat -1:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike Hi Anastasia! Looking forward to today’s #litchat 🙂 -1:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @maggiedana very much so, maggie. @litchat did you want to start us with Wednesday’s final question? #litchat -1:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs Hello everyone Dipping in and out tonight as watching Britainsgot talent sorry #litchat -1:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| LitChat If you’re stepping into #litchat today please post questions and comments and enjoy. -1:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Q1 who are your favorite expat writers and why? #litchat -1:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul My fave contemp expat lit: Jamie Zeppa’s Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan #litchat -1:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Historical expat-travel lit has helped me connect to the land I’m living in, draw parallels, excite interest #litchat -1:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Delicate details, thoughtful, gives context. Sensitive to her surroundings. #litchat -1:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Peter Mayle comes to mind, but he’s almost a cliche, now. Is it good for the genre? #litchat -1:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike In Malaysia I liked Somerset Maugham’s Far Eastern Tales & Anthony Burgess’ Malay Triology #litchat -1:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| LitChat @Thandelike @lm curious about the meaning behind your screen name. What does it mean? #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike In Turkey: Mary Lee Settle’s Turkish Reflections, Carla Grissman’s Dinner with Herbs #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Another fave: Marlena de Blasi’s A thousand Days in Venice. Moody, bittersweet, evocative #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal why do so many of friends now seem like expats? #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit i’ve never read him, and he’s already a cliche! too bad for me… #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit How about Three cups of Tea? Is that expat lit? #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @mdbenoit I love Peter Mayle! #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Sarah Turnbull’s Almost French, Sarah McDonald’s Holy Cow, David Sedaris’ Nuit of the Living Dead (and other essays in Corduroy) #litchat -1:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Antique travel writing collection: Unsuitable For Ladies (Karen Blixen, Freya Stark and more) #litchat -1:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @mdbenoit 3 cups of T. Great book about a great man. #litchat -1:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| expatexpert Women travel writers like Freya Stark and Isabella Bird are writers I most admire. Of course, the “Lost Generation” in Paris too #litchat -1:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit 3 cups of tea, tell us mor #litchat -1:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul 3 Cups Of Tea–everyone recommending. I’m looking fwd to it! #litchat -1:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| BookingIt Mostly listening today, this is an area of books I have a lot to learn about. #litchat -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal London Basel Weil der Stadt Reykjavik #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| pussreboots RT @Expat_Istanbul Another fave Marlena de Blasi’s A thousand Days in Venice. Moody, bittersweet, evocative #litchat & 1000 Days in Tuscany -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Lawrence Durrell – Alexandria Quartet in particular. Malcolm Lowry. -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal How many expats do you know? #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks Anastasia how would you describe Turkey to someone who has never been there – in 140 characters! #litchat -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Doris Lessing’s Martha Quest? -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Q2 Why chose expat lit? What are you looking for? #litchat -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs Loved the bookseller of Kabul #litchat -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit It’s the biography of a man who builds schools in Asia. He’s American. #litchat -1:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana 3 cups of T about ex-mountaineer who builds schools for girls in NW Pakistan’s tribal area. #litchat -1:06 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @BookingIt me toobut very interested #litchat -1:06 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks a culturally Mediterranean country with a Muslim majority population #litchat -1:06 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @LitChat How many expats do you know? #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:06 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @LitChat what was it like to be Stein-Toklas, American Jews in Nazi France? #litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Turkey: hospitality, natural beauty, sumptuous food… comforting and exotic at same time #litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana Thanks. Much better description. #litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns sadly haven’t read it Jeremy! guess there’s still a lot left on the shelf #litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks @Thandelike Is there a vibrant literary scene in Turkey? #litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| expatexpert Q2: Looking for inspiration and affirmation, as a writer of expat non-fiction for families, that some things never change!#litchat -1:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @mdbenoit Thanks, but maybe his schools aren’t just for girls. For all kids, yes? #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @expatexpert oh yes Isabella Bird — in Malaysia I also read spoofs of her writing — “the lilly with the gilding off” #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Do you account for readers’ preconceptions about a country when you write? #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| pussreboots Re Q2: A different way to see the world #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @Thandelike I would never call Mayles a cliche. I would call him hilarious, I reread “French Lessons.” #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Expat lit is a unique way to experience how a writer recognizes and comes to terms with a new context, or clashes of context #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel last year #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @Thandelike why do so many of friends now seem like expats? #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks novelist Elif Shafak is making a big splash #litchat -1:08 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @julichilliard Well, he’s the “typical” Brit stuck in a completely different country #litchat -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen got snow by orhan #litchat -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @Thandelike London Basel Weil der Stadt Reykjavik #litchat #newlostgeneration -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike why expat lit not = travel lit: writing about life from outside homeland does not mean writing from a state of travel #litchat -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Elif Shafak wrote the forword for Expat Harem #litchat -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mizwrite @VanessaDobbs @BookingIt Me, too! Kind of a “lurker” this week, but very interested … #litchat -1:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks @stujallen have you read it? #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Coping with extended life in a foreign culture, navigating subtleties, adapting to find harmony #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @stujallen got my name is red as well #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul expats live outside their native culture, are/should be somewhat invested in new culture #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @insidebooks on to read pile lol #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a Q2: I expect greater depth & more layers of observation/analysis from an expat writer vs. travel writer #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| BookingIt That’s what I’d find likely to draw me to the subject. RT @pussreboots: Re Q2: A different way to see the world #litchat -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard #litchat I love Paris expat books: Turnbull’s “Almost French,” Gopnik’s “Paris to the Moon,” Liebling’s “Between Meals” … -1:10 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jamesgleventhal exactly why expat lit is coming of age. globally mobile times #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul so many globetrotters, so many identity issues when home keeps changing #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @Thandelike Even with shared language, US/UK differences are marked. #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Personal assimilation/identity issues dominate expat writing, filter their world #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @emmanuelle_a I would agreewith that #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Before, expats blame host culture for all probs. After, cultural context sheds light and expat comes to terms #litchat -1:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks @stujallen might add it to mine. #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @maggiedana You’re telling me! I’ve heard Americans call themselves “San Francisco expat in LA”!! #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @Thandelike and a bunch of disenfranchised americans? #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana Add too that Canadian differences #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike Main difference to me: Travel may open your eyes but does not change your identity. Expatriation sure does! #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @mdbenoit The Brit who loves the French … #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jamesgleventhal @Thandelike and globalization, the good kind #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks Do you think expat writers are appreciated more abroad than at home? #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul I agree w Q2 answer from emanuelle #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen would isherwood be expat lit writing bout berlin #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @emmanuelle_a I think expat lit at best when combo of outsider-view-from-the-inside & journey of self-realization #litchat -1:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Because you’re transplanted. It’s disorienting at first. #litchat -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike when writer faces her own culture’s stereotypes of adopted land & shows more realistically #litchat -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat I’m also an expat writer, of sorts – Brit living in Sweden, writing spy thrillers set in the Sixties. 🙂 -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul expat writer needs to i.d. how their cultural naivete can contribute to probs w locals. Maybe their motives misunderstood #litchat -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike Exactly – it is the identity shift that is fascinating for me to observe (let alone live!) #litchat -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks no, since expat writers write for their home audience (mainly) #litchat -1:13 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| flygirl737700 @julichilliard also Stanley Karnow’s “Paris in the Fifties” and Mary Blume’s “A French Affair.”. #litchat -1:14 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @emmanuelle_a Expat Harem is about that very identity shift #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi Hi all! I also like 3 Cups of T but wouldn’t call Expat Lit. Have recently read Dalrymple and loved his writing, but prob travel w #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Expat_Istanbul Are you an interpreter of culture, then? #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @Thandelike Cultures and stereotypes. YES! I’ve bumped into that. #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @flygirl737700 Is Blume’s about moving to Paris after her husband died? #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike a shift in wider perception –> we want to reclaim the harem as female powerbase, a little-known Eastern feminist continuum #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi Do you think there’s a difference between female expat writers and male ones? Former do more with identity and assimilation, I find #litchat -1:15 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Hi Nassim!!! Great to see you here! #litchat -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @nassefi Merhaba from Florida! #litchat -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit absolutely! Expat Harem’s titillating, anachronistic title acknowledges Western stereotypes re Asia Minor/Muslim world #litchat -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen does turkeys close links with germany have any influence on its lit #litchat -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat What if you’re a perpetual expat, ie rootless? Or if you become the nationality you’re ‘expat’ to? -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi How long does it take for one to become an expat vs. traveler? What’s min time requirement to have lived somewhere vs passing thru? #litchat -1:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @jeremyduns That sounds mighty expat to me. 🙂 #litchat -1:17 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @stujallen good question stu, probably but I’m not able to tell you how! #litchat -1:17 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul writing about Turkish culture-So many Turks and expats love this country that they can be protective. Unwelcome certain portrayals #litchat -1:17 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Can one change identity – and then no longer be an expat writer? Is it then aobut the transition? -1:17 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul I don’t think time is the indicator of expatness. I think it is your ability to engage with the culture. Understand context #litchat -1:18 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi for Expat Harem we required everyone to have lived for one year in Turkey #litchat -1:18 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @Thandelike thanks #litchat -1:18 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi we figured that was the minimum time to face assimilation issues. #litchat -1:18 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Is there a difference between an expat and a ‘native’ writer after some point, or is the category more biographical? -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @jeremyduns I think you always stay an expat. You keep living your own culture in your home, despite different country #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi instead we discovered that individuals assimilated or not depending on their identity, some took 6 mos to grasp. #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns I’m ex-pat Brit living in US writing fiction set in both places. #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul We only rejected stories that lacked cultural context, lacked engagement with/awareness of culture #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi others still didn’t get it after 30 years #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Even a year is not very long #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi 1 yr seems reasonable. Tho’ after 1.5 yrs in Turkey, I can’t even begin to write about the place (prob because of language barrier) #litchat -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Ie some people talk about men’s literature or women’s literature. And Jan Morris is which? 🙂 -1:19 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen how is the current trail of the writer in turkey effecting people #litchat -1:20 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Expat_Istanbul I agree- to me the criteria is, has your overseas experience affected your identity? Are you a different person? #litchat -1:20 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns plenty of people go “native”, like foreign correspondents — which is why they keep moving them around #litchat -1:20 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @stujallen you mean Elif Shafak’s trial? #litchat -1:21 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul I can say I have certainly “gone native”! #litchat -1:21 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @mdbenoit depends how you immerse yourself in the local culture and life though #litchat -1:21 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit There are different expats, same as travelers. Some are Holiday Inn travelers — never see anything worthwhile #litchat -1:21 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns we were published by women’s press but hear from grandfathers who love EH so no one knows who a writer writes for #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard @flygirl737700 Both books sound fun. Thanks! #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul that’s why we chose the harem metaphor… virtual harem walls= lang barrier, cultural ignorance, ethnocentricity #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi Should expat lit be classified as separate from immigrant literature and travelogue? All 3 give a somewhat outsider’s view on place #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @maggiedana Wotcha/Hi! 🙂 #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike: @jeremyduns Good point re: going native – but can you ever *completely* assimilate? #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @VanessaDobbs Yes, but deep down, you are a product of your education, etc. #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @Thandelike yeah #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Expat Harem= coinage of modern, virtual foreign female community in Turkey (& everywhere) #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul virtual harem sanctuary= solace in experiences of peers, validation of your responses #litchat -1:22 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @Thandelike Why do they? Never really underastood that – don’t you want someone who knows the place inside out? #litchat -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @emmanuelle_a nope. that’s why we’re like foreign brides of the sultans: wedded to the culture but always alien #litchat -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns Wotcha still works best! #litchat -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| julichilliard #litchat This Florida transplant from Missouri must pull out of fascinating literary discussion to get some pre-weekend housework done. 😦 -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Love that image. #litchat -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @emmanuelle_a No, I don’t think you can. But I feel equally unassimilated from my ‘native’ culture (Britain) and indeed everywhere #litchat -1:23 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Expat lit in Turkey started 18th century: Lady Mary Wortley Montague’s Turkish Embassy Letters #litchat -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul she was British Ambassador’s wife who revealed how advanced and genteel Turkish culture was #litchat -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @mdbenoit it’slike you were saying about travelers some people don’t leave the hotel miss somuch #litchat -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Q3 How has expat lit changed? Henry JamesàHemingwayàPaul BowlesàFrances Mayes #litchat -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat I would say I have a *very* expat identity, in that I simply have no fixed national identity to draw me. perhaps deluding myself? -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike That’s a beautiful way to put it 🙂 #litchat -1:24 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| llunalila Great! Could make it to #litchat before it ended! Hi to everyone (reading some of what you’ve said before jumping in) -1:25 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @jeremyduns I’m a member of that club… feel foreign everywhere! but most at home in Turkey #litchat -1:25 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns Unassimilated. I’m rotless, even after living in US since dinosaurs roamed earth. #litchat -1:25 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @VanessaDobbs Some expats protect their own culture instead of embracing the new one. #litchat -1:25 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike I like books of manners, personal dynamics #litchat -1:25 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns you are in good company. Pico Iyer says if no place is your home the world is your home #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns Typo alert. I meant rootless! #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks @Thandelike has globalisation taken the edge off things? Now easier to see and learn about almost anywhere on the planet. #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @mdbenoit Yeah, I live in Fethiye, which could be a British suburb for some. Possible to have your shepherd’s pie and fish & chips. #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @mdbenoit do you notice that those who don’t access the culture are the bitter ones who complain the most? #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit As a French Canadian living in English Canada, I, too, feel rootless sometimes. #litchat -1:26 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit that’s the cultural prison we refer to — the con of the expat harem #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @mdbenoit agree esp brits in spain #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks yes and no, since everywhere becomes homogenized too — threatening local culture #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Expat_Istanbul Bitterness, definitely. Criticism, always. Contempt, sometimes. Their loss. #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @llunalila Welcome to the discussion! 🙂 #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul re brit Spain: loved Chris Stewart’s Driving Over Lemons, creating a farm in the Alpujarras region of Andalucia #litchat -1:27 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @insidebooks I think better technology vs globaliz.(internet, skype, etc) makes the expat exp easier & may slow down assimilation. #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi or make expats able to lead their lives without imposing their ways on others #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @insidebooks good question #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @Expat_Istanbul yes loved those books #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer Jumping in here. It’s past midnight in Dubai, where 90% of the population are expats, which works for me. #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @nassefi Oh, my, fish & chips in Turkey. How dreadful. #litchat -1:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| cohenside I like my home city but I love to travel & learn the intimacies of other cultures. That’s appeal of expat lit to me. #litchat -1:29 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @insidebooks i reviewed Pico Iyer’s Tropical Classical on this very topic. a collection of his essays #litchat -1:29 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| llunalila @insidebooks frontiers are blurrier than ever. you can wake up in the other part of the world & get as many info as you need on pc #litchat -1:29 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi Oh, Pico Iyer is a true global nomad. A fascinating character able to live in rural Japan tho’ he says he doesn’t do email. #litchat -1:29 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @cohenside do you feel able to enter their world more easily than if the writer was native? #litchat -1:30 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike But living online may preclude you to go out there and meet others different from you. #litchat -1:30 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @cohenside wellput that’s what I like as well #litchat -1:30 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @mdbenoit Not only Brit foods here in TR, but garden clubs, Burn’s poetry nights, balls like pimps & prostitutes & car boot sales. #litchat -1:31 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit ah that old saw about online not being the real world…. 🙂 #litchat -1:31 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| cohenside @Thandelike I think so b/c I have that initial sense of cultural commonality. Probably just my bias. I enjoy native writers too. #litchat -1:31 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| pussreboots @mdbenoit Or the online experience might give you the tools and desire to travel abroad. #litchat -1:31 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit to me if you are at ease in your life you have the ability to take what comes, works especially well with foreign culture #litchat -1:31 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul expats vs travelers- holidaymakers who check their morals at the airport give all expats who stay on an unearned reputation! #litchat -1:32 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike I have one more question for the expat writers in the chat… #litchat -1:32 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike Q4 Expat writers: since you’ve lived abroad how has your writing changed? #litchat -1:32 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Not saying it’s not real. Just saying that finding culturally similar people online might slow down the process #litchat -1:33 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi having internet comm w/ friends abroad is both blessing & curse. lessens need to make new friends & makes self-reinvention harder #litchat -1:33 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit yeah sorry, misread! but being at home is being at home is being at home #litchat -1:33 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @nassefi Well put. That’s what I meant. #litchat -1:34 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit living abroad is often a huge change on so many fronts, any little comfort makes big difference #litchat -1:34 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Q4- so much more texture and diversity of topics #litchat -1:34 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| anniegirl1138 @Thandelike My writing takes in my new setting. I can see stories in everything/one. #litchat -1:35 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @Expat_Istanbul give travelers like me bad rep as well! Constantlylook for where not going to get lairy holidaymakers #litchat -1:35 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Do you re-evaluate the little things you took for granted at home? #litchat -1:35 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @anniegirl1138 where are you annie? and where from? #litchat -1:35 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Q4 Wasn’t a writer in the UK, but since my book is being pub’d there, I am now, sort of. YEARs after leaving. #litchat -1:36 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit yes. some of the simplest things are impossible to do outside of your home territory #litchat -1:36 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @mdbenoit or just the opposite… I got used to the Turkish way and wonder why they don’t do xyz in US! #litchat -1:37 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @maggiedana excellent maggie. tell us when it’s coming out, title, summary #litchat -1:37 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @VanessaDobbs hate that when lived in germany #litchat -1:37 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @Thandelike Like nipping into a pub. Miss that. #litchat -1:37 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer what do you write, and why 90% expat is all right with you? #litchat -1:37 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @stujallen so did I #litchat -1:38 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Example? #litchat -1:38 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit like getting a new flax-seed filled keyboard wrist rest. i’m going to have to make it myself #litchat -1:38 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @Thandelike Living in Dubai is like living in India, Pakistan, Britan, UAE…etc… etc….It’s all here & few are assimilating. #litchat -1:39 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Beachcombing, June 5, from Macmillan. Two old flames try to turn back the clock, despite 35 years and an ocean apart. #litchat -1:39 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a Q4: Writing has become more layered (new perspectives, new sensations), but also more challenging as I write in a foreign language #litchat -1:39 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @Thandelike I write fiction that relates to cultural identity and culture clash. #litchat -1:39 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Wow. Twitter has forced me to write an elevator pitch! YIPEE! Been trying to do that for ages. #litchat -1:40 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul So, does expat lit deserve it’s own classification in bookstores, libraries? #litchat -1:40 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer one reason i like historical travel/expat lit is because of the culture clashes that haven’t changed… #litchat -1:40 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @maggiedana big pat on back. massive accomplishment. #litchat -1:41 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @maggiedana congratulations!!! looking forward to it! #litchat -1:41 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana I wondered about that. It sounded awfully good. #litchat -1:42 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @Thandelike Thanks. I’m normally garrulous. #litchat -1:42 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @emmanuelle_a what are you writing emmanuelle? nonfiction was it? #litchat -1:42 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @Thandelike No, certain things never change…Like expats re-creating their culture in faraway lands, which is not necessarily bad #litchat -1:42 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer i was once an extra in a period drama film shot in malaysia and experienced sensations i read about in expat lit #litchat -1:42 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @maggiedana Wow, that’s great! Congratulations on your elevator speech! 🙂 #litchat -1:43 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Expat_Istanbul I think at least it deserves a hybrid genre like MEMOIR/EXPAT LIT etc #litchat -1:43 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @Dubai_Writer sometimes we also over-exoticize the familiar to enhance our experience! #litchat -1:44 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike Yes, it is nonfiction – I write about the emotional and motivational impact of expatriation. #litchat -1:44 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit ok that was an obscure example, there are so so many #litchat -1:44 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @emmanuelle_a Am now blushing. And thanks! You guys are generous and kind. Writers are cool! #litchat -1:45 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mdbenoit better example: no way to get a haircut here. they don’t believe in wash/wear or cutting to hair type or face shape #litchat -1:45 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi Cud c expanding travel lit to include expat lit + immigrant lit. Isn’t the biggest audience for expat lit other expats & travelers? #litchat -1:46 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike No, that was a good one. I was chuckling. Friend of mine who served in Bosnia came back awed by availability of food #litchat -1:46 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @nassefi or armchair travelers, which is almost everyone #litchat -1:46 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @Thandelike You need the Kabul beauty school! #litchat -1:47 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @nassefi also universities cultural/lit/history depts, or if the host culture is DYING to know what expats are saying about them!:) #litchat -1:47 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike in our own country. She couldn’t enter a supermarket for the longest time #litchat -1:48 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @maggiedana ha ha, even there i think the culture is so different, it’s not about durability or feasibility, it’s one time fix #litchat -1:48 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @nassefi I love immigrant stories. Full of lots of tension & resistence, as well as success. #litchat -1:48 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @mdbenoit my example: no women’s size 10 shoes in Turkey!!! #litchat -1:48 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| catekiwi @nassefi Expat readers always want to know about other countries around their region,students as well. #LitChat -1:49 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer the best part of KITE RUNNER was the Afghan immigrant scene in California, the flea market society #litchat -1:49 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer compared with that section, character’s return to Afghanistan was unconvincing. #litchat -1:50 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Expat_Istanbul So you go shopping over in Greece? #litchat -1:50 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @catekiwi welcome cate! are you writing from Singapore? #litchat -1:50 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs Have to take expat brother marmite whenever visit him in Germany #litchat -1:50 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @Thandelike Yes, and also when the protagonist goes back to Afghanistan, as both a stranger & someone from there. #litchat -1:50 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @VanessaDobbs exactly, comfort food. a favorite Bic pen. the silliest things. in Asia I would have killed for bagels #litchat -1:51 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| dosankodebbie @LitChat Kim by Kipling was an awesome intro to what I now call TCK Lit (third culture kid). Is that ex-pat lit too? #litchat -1:51 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @VanessaDobbs No Marmite in Germany? Even heathen US markets sell Marmite! Yanks don’t like it, though. #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @mdbenoit no, I dedicate one suitcase to shoes every time I visit US (about ever other year). I’m the Imelda Marcos of Michigan #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| catekiwi @Thandelike no actualy I’m in Florida at the moment. Yeah I get around #LitChat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @Thandelike Kite Runner’s protagonist’s return to Kabul vs as Cali expat less convincing ‘cuz Khaled Hosseini has barely returned #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer i look forward to that author writing about the Afghan diaspora in America #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Expat_Istanbul LOL #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @nassefi But what about Hemingway, Durrell, etc? Don’t most people like reading about other parts of the world? #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @dosankodebbie thanks for pointing out Third Culture Kid phenomenon, it’s on the rise and very specific set of qualities/issues #litchat -1:52 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns yes i agree we read to explore the world, why not with people getting out and about? #litchat -1:53 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @Thandelike #litchat Am familiar-ish with TCK phenom – doesn’t that mean not missing Marmite, etc? I don’t miss Britain at all. -1:54 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @VanessaDobbs cheshire cheese what i missed in germany #litchat -1:54 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Why do some posts look as if they have more than 140 characters? #litchat -1:54 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul I think TCK lit has more multi-faceted identity issues versus the writer who becomes an expat as an adult. #litchat -1:54 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @jeremyduns Personally, I’ve found that most people who read expat lit are either avid travelers, expats, or students #litchat -1:54 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns my husband says TCK means speaking three languages poorly #litchat -1:55 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat I do like Marmite, but don’t miss it! 🙂 -1:55 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul the adult expat writer already has an established identity that gets challenged as adult. TCK has been challenged w ID all his life #litchat -1:55 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| stujallen @Thandelike hosin new book set in america when published #litchat -1:55 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Expat_Istanbul Among Worlds is a magazine for Third Culture Kids I believe — worth checking out if you are one #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs @jeremyduns Imissed friends and family but not Britain itself (or food )when I lived in Germany #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @Thandelike Then I’m definitely a TCK. French, English, Spanish, Italian (the last one badly) #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @nassefi But perhaps that’s to do with your definition of expat lit? How about, say, Doris Lessing? #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mizwrite @Thandelike Had SO much fun reading your (+others’) comments today at #litchat! Must print for book club friends. Wonderfully interesting. -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns Phew. I was about to revoke your National Insurance card. #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @dosankodebbie I think TCK lit can be the epitome of expat lit, a “twice-removed” look at the culture but w/a specific lens&issues #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @Thandelike Ha! Yes, I expect so. Certainly seems the case that children of expats often become expats. #litchat -1:56 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| catekiwi nassefi @jeremyduns but there are readers who have an interest in other cultures,not just those who travel or are students #LitChat -1:57 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @mizwrite glad you could make it! #litchat -1:57 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @jeremyduns Here’s wikipedia’s definition of TCK: http://bit.ly/18Xv3O #litchat -1:57 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @emmanuelle_a exactly emmanuelle. the depth it brings, and the conflict, is undeniable #litchat -1:57 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat I don’t find that expats are all that amenable to expat lit. Expats often moan endlessly about the country they live in. 🙂 -1:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @maggiedana What’s that? 🙂 #litchat -1:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns that’s the toxic expat. takes all kinds. #litchat -1:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @jeremyduns You’re right. Depends on what you count as expat lit. Golden Notebook could be considered expat lit, but continued… #litchat -1:58 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @jeremyduns Some countries are moan-about-able, though. #litchat -1:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer @jeremyduns Yes, and then they moan about their own country when they take trips back. #litchat -1:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| deegospel coming in for the last 2 minutes of #litchat -1:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi i tend to think of expat lit as belonging more to the memoir/travelogue genres rather than fiction (even though i write fiction). #litchat -1:59 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat Well we have a TCK as leader of the USA. #litchat -2:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| dosankodebbie @Expat_Istanbul I grew up in Japan and have a hard time sympathizing with ex-pat-as-adults. I crave more TCK lit #litchat -2:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @deegospel phew, what a marathon! #litchat -2:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns there you go. good point #litchat -2:00 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @jeremyduns To me being a TCK often (not always) means truly not knowing where home is – citizenship/nationality become irrelevant #litchat -2:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul @jeremyduns re Obamam as TCK… thank goodness for that. that will make a difference in the country’s foreign policy… I hope #litchat -2:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @litchat I believe we are out of time. Thank you all for coming and sharing your thoughts on expat lit #litchat -2:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| catekiwi @jeremyduns I have to agree. when I lived in Japan I was disinterested in Japanese lit.But my views changed when in Korea. #LitChat -2:01 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Dubai_Writer Bye & thanks. My first Tweetchat. Fun. #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| maggiedana What a grand hour we’ve just had. Envigorating. #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul thanks, Anastasia!! #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a @Thandelike Thanks for hosting – great discussion! #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns Fascinating conversation – thanks! #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @Dubai_Writer you were fab. hope to see you again #litchat -2:02 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| catekiwi catekiwi thanks for the invite, bye everyone. #LitChat -2:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Thank you so much, I had a great time, learned a lot, met new people! Take care all. #litchat -2:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Thandelike @jeremyduns likewise Jeremy! #litchat -2:03 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| VanessaDobbs Have enjoyed the chat and learned loads.Thanks @Thandelike and litchat and to new people #litchat -2:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul don’t forget! Beachcombing, June 5, from Macmillan. #litchat -2:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat And that it probably helps as a writer. -2:04 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns #litchat But that’s a broad intuition – who knows if it will translate into concrete foreign policy in the next few years. -2:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| llunalila Thanks all! As I got in late I’ve kept reading behind and didn’t talk too much but it’s real interesting! #litchat -2:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| LitChat I think we lost some of our regulars to #BEA09, but still a great #litchat. -2:05 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| insidebooks Cheerio all in #litchat and thanks @Thandelike -2:06 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| LitChat Will post chatscript later this weekend. Thanks again ro everyone who #litchat ted today. -2:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| Expat_Istanbul Goodbye, all! Nice to meet you! #litchat -2:07 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| LitChat Our official #litchat hour is over, but feel free to continue. @ know it’s late where @Thandelike is. Good night! -2:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| authenticstyle @LitChat Oh I am sorry I missed the #litchat hour … I’ll have to catch it sometime soon! 🙂 #followfriday -2:09 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| jeremyduns @emmanuelle_a Fantastic quote – agree. #litchat -2:11 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| nassefi @Thandelike Great job with #litchat! That was fun. Hour flew by. Still don’t know where/how to classify expat lit tho’! Iyi geceler. -2:12 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a Great #litchat today! The theme was expat literature. Many thanks to our host @Thandelike, and fellow expats, please stay in touch! 🙂 -2:16 PM May 29th, 2009 |
| emmanuelle_a OK, I am out of here to get some blogging done – I hope I did not inconvenience anyone with today’s stream of #litchat comments. -2:28 PM May 29th, 2009 |
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[…] SOCIAL MEDIA + ONLINE COMMUNITIES WOMEN & EXPAT & GLOBAL NOMAD ISSUES ExpatWomen.com Twitter litchat on expatriate literature Career by Choice Commitment Now Expat Focus My Merhaba TRAVEL & WRITING WORLD Rolf Potts’ […]
[…] I asked that question during a week of live #litchat on Twitter when I guest hosted in May 2009. (Transcripts here and here and here.) […]