A Review by Kay Branaman Eakin, International
Education Consultant, and President Emertius, Foreign Service
Youth Foundation
WHEN ABROAD DO AS THE LOCAL CHILDREN DO--Ori's Guide for
Young Expats
by Hilly van Swol-Ulbrich and Bettina Kaltenhauser
When
Abroad Do as the Local Children Do, an interactive guide book
for children ages 8 - 12 years old who are preparing for an international
move, is a delightful book written by two multicultural Europeans.
This book is for children of any culture and is available in English
and German.
Dedicated to migrating birds of any species, Ori, a crane, and
his newfound hedgehog friend, Rikki, lead your child through the
process of an international move. On this journey, your child
will be invited to draw pictures, cut and paste icons and write
entries to help plan the move. As they go through this process,
they will engage such issues as friendships, new countries, changes,
feelings, looking back, and returning to the country of origin
after a period of living abroad. A particularly good section for
parents and/or instructors suggests how to assist children at
each stage of the move. Additional chapters include learning local
money and new languages, as well as understanding cultural differences.
Many useful kid oriented websites and other cyber tips on how
to stay in touch will appeal to the international child of the
21st Century!
By including the child in the move with a tool such as this book,
families can ease the transition to another country. When Abroad
addresses a child's anxieties about leaving family, pets and friends
and his concerns surrounding new friends and schools. Older children
will be able to complete many of the activities independently.
Even so, this book will facilitate useful conversations between
children and parents about the move, allowing families to explore
its frightening and exciting aspects.
The book includes excellent references and its own web site,
www.Ori-and-Ricki.net.
Ori even has his own email at
ori@ori-and-ricki.net,
so kids can stay in touch. When Abroad is available in the U.S.
from
www.interchangeinstitute.org
for $18.95. In Europe contact
www.xpat.nl,
€ 15.90.
