TRAVEL TUESDAYS: INTERVIEW WITH JAMEELA OF DIARY OF AN EXPAT

This week we would like to introduce Jameela of Diary of an Expat. Jameela likes to think of herself as a serial expat, not because she’s lived everywhere but because she just can’t live in the same place too long. A few years ago she would just jump in a plane and go but now she has a family so she needs more planning and security. Luckily her husband and children love traveling too. They all have the travel bug so they enjoy planning, moving, settling down and discovering new things together.

1. What inspires you to travel, and how would you define the word ‘traveler’?

I’m a bit restless, I get bored of my surroundings (people, places, routine…) very fast so I move. Do you know that impression that you’ve lost your marks when you arrive somewhere new? I crave that feeling, for me it’s a chance to start again from scratch, like a blank page.

A traveler is one who likes to go places (far or close) without prejudice, one who doesn’t believe in stereotypes and prefers to discover things for himself.

2. For those who don’t yet know you, can you explain your travel style? 

I travel for 2 reasons: to visit family in France and Tunisia, or to move to a new country. My expat travels only have one direction though, forward! I don’t retrace my steps… a new place is only home long enough to plan the next move.

3. How do you afford your travels?

I work full time (as an ESL teacher among other things) and I travel light, I usually arrive in a new country with very little possessions and even less money but I don’t move until some kind of plan is in place, like the promise of a job. I know that it won’t be long before I get some money. Despite my careful planning there are always surprises… and not just the good ones.

4. Where was your first international trip and how old were you?

When I was in High School I went on a trip to Cardigan in Wales with my class, I stayed with a Welsh family and got to see a little of the country. I think I was about 15 years old. I returned to Cardigan many times after that, I still have some friends there… they’re like family.

5. Where has been your favorite destination? Where has been your least favorite?

I’ve got a few favourite destinations: one of them would be Cardiff, Wales. The first time I went I fell in love with the city and all the times after that I felt totally at home there. I always said that I’d have to go and live there. It took a few years but I did it, I lived in Cardiff for 3 years. Sidi Bousaid in Tunisia would also be in my top cities. It is just amazingly beautiful and people there are lovely.

The place I really didn’t like was Cairo in Egypt. The city was OK and there is loads to discover but I hated the attitude of the people: they treat all tourists, especially the white skinned one who speak English as milking cows! People are not sincere with you, everything they do and say is to get money out of you. It was like a failure for me, I didn’t learn anything real about Egypt.

6. If you had to settle down in one location forever, where would you choose and why?

Today, I would say Tunisia, this is where I’m headed at some point. We plan to build a house there with my husband, this is where he is from but I cannot guarantee that after a few years in Tunisia I won’t want to move again.

7. Have you ever had high hopes for a destination, tour, etc., only to be disappointed in the end? Or any travel mishaps?

Yes, Cairo (see above). I went there for 2 weeks, part holiday part work, my husband and I organised a linguistic trip for adult students to learn Arabic and visit the city. I was disappointed by the people, besides we had many problems when we arrived at the airport and many problems after so I spent the whole time working, including at night! Finally the day we were supposed to fly back to the UK that volcano in Iceland erupted, grounding us (and millions other passengers around the world) for an extra week in Egypt. We of course hadn’t planned that… so more headaches, more work!

8. What’s the funniest or weirdest cultural idiosyncrasy you’ve either witnessed or experienced?

The driving in Libya is crazy, but really, what I can’t understand is the way weapons are used during celebrations. The first week we moved into our flat in Misurata we heard the noises of a wedding not far, when we asked around one shop keeper told us to stay away from wedding celebrations because people use guns with real bullets to express their joy. Most recently Libya won the Africa Champion Cup in football and the whole country exploded in joy and celebration. As a result, many people died! I just can’t understand this. You want to celebrate, to show your happiness and you end up burying loved ones… Why?!

9. What keepsake do you have to get at all your destinations?

I don’t really have this habit, maybe it’s because I haven’t lived anywhere long enough to call Home. I always know I’ll be moving again and things will be left behind so why bother. I do like taking pictures though, everywhere I go I try to capture what I see and experience, it’s not art I’m really not that good but this is my keepsake I guess.

10. How about the one thing you cannot travel without?

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it.

11. Why did you begin blogging? And how did you come up with your blog name?

Before I moved to Libya I wanted to see the place, know about the weather, check out where I’d be working and all I found was outdated info (from before the revolution) and pictures of the war. I realized that info on Libya was very rare, at least on the English Web. At about the same time I stumbled on a blog that was interesting, and on top of the page it said “start your own blog” so I clicked and it started like that. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do I just wanted to try then I thought I’d help future expats by answering all those questions I had found no answers to.

The name Diary of an Expat is like a warning that it’s personal, I don’t claim to know everything about Libya or other countries but I’ll share what I know.

12. What’s next for 2014? 

More travels, first I’d love to go to France and see my family there, I haven’t been since 2011 and I miss them. We’ll be spending some time in Tunisia this summer as well to visit my husband’s family and maybe to check up on the progress of our house if we can start building this year. As for the rest it depends on the situation in Libya, if things get too unstable and dangerous we’ll be looking to move somewhere else.

Traveler Toss-ups

Backpack or suitcase? Suitcase

Window or aisle? Window

Solo or group? Solo

Tapas or sushi? I’d love to try real sushi from Japan

Beach or mountains? beach

Be sure to follow along Jameela and her expat adventures:

Visit Jameela’s site: Diary of an Expat
Follow Jameela on Twitter: @diaryofanexpat
“Like” Jameela on Facebook: Diary of an Expat