Global Living Magazine

Hoorah! I got a piece about my USA expat life in Global Living Magazine, which is the ‘ultimate global lifestyle magazine and resource for expats worldwide’. Brillopads!

I am, as we Brits say, dead chuffed. 🙂

You can read the article by following the link here: ExpatinUSA

And this is my smiling face on the Contributors’ page: Contributors

The cover of Global Living

Global Living Magazine is on a mission to become the leading resource for expatriates and individuals living abroad, worldwide so it’s pretty cool to be part of that journey as a writer 🙂 .

This link (Issue 11 GLM) takes you to the front cover and you can download the whole magazine via an app if you wish – how very modern!

American politics

So, last night I was part of something very new and very fascinating and very, very American.

I was at a house party in Howard County for the Democratic candidates for the race to become Maryland’s next Governor and Lieutenant (read ‘Loo-tenant’, Americans; and ‘Lef-tenant’, Brits 😉 ).

I was trying to explain why American politics is so different from British politics. For one, there is a fundraising for campaigns in the USA, and then there is the kind of ‘glamour’ aspect. I mean the glitterati turning out for an event, and all the whooping and cheering in a double-fronted #hocomd house as folk get all passionate whilst raising a toast of Miller-Lite and balancing a plate of sushi appetizers.

Schmoozing with the next Governor and Lt Governor of Maryland, don’t ya know!

Sure, people get passionate in the UK, but the British reserve is always applied, and there is only so much passion one can apply in a draughty town or church hall, as one waits to indulge in Vera’s Cotswold-renowned harder-than-marble fruitcake and a cup of urn-churned tea.

Look, my experience of American politics so far is rather glam, and I love hearing the speeches – Gordon Bennett, they know how speak and rally a crowd. It feels real and genuine and, sure it’s PR, but I hear what they’re saying and I feel inspired. Ken Ulman and Anthony Brown know how to get that crowd going – they’re like the rock gods of Maryland!

Ken and Anthony having a right old giggle!

And Ken wears jeans, which most British men can’t pull off, so full respect to the man they call #hocohottiepants 😉

Ken Ulman rocks the jeans look!

During my American journey my involvement in Tom Coale’s campaign for District 9B in Ellicott City and events such as this one have given me an insight into how the PR of politics works, and as I schmoozed and chatted with the community of Howard County last night, I stopped for one moment and took it all in.

Wow, thought I, I was potentially in a room with at least one future candidate for the USA presidency. How cool is that! Rock on!

Selfie with the #hocohomos and Ken UIman, aka #hocohottiepants 😉

PS. I was on my best behaviour, although I did photobomb one important pic – can you spot me..? 😉

My little head photobombing important people 🙂