The blogger, The Diplowife, is a Filipina in her 20′s and is married to a budding diplomat. She is also a frustrated 
writer/daughter/sister/cousin/friend/critic/non-conformist/emotional/corny/always broke/hard-working/noisy/laid back/mediocre/intellectually average/contented/paranoid/hopeful/happy.
The blog’s title and its main theme is inspired by the book of the same title by British writer Brigid Keenan about her life and journeys as a diplomat’s wife.
I know there is no point in explaining, but my only excuse for once again being away for so long is that I got side-tracked; with what, is still another post. So anyway, I promised one last thing to share about my trip to Spain. Aside from the tours, going to Toledo, and El Escorial, [...]
I have to say that I am not going to jump up and down of excitement telling you about Madrid, it was a great city, as well as the other parts of Spain that we went to. I really find it wonderful how countries like Spain are able to maintain a lot of their historical [...]
For the record, I would like to say that it makes me sad that I do not have the discipline to update my blog regularly. It is not because I do not have anything to write about, on the contrary, since my last entry, and even previous to that, I have experienced a lot of [...]
While preparing brunch yesterday, I gave myself a nasty cut with the kitchen knife. It was a small one on the left middle finger, but it was a bit deep. Friday mornings in Arab country is the worst time to get injured, because all stores are closed for prayer until the afternoons (especially when you [...]
Yesterday JG asked me what nationality I would’ve preferred to be if I could choose. I said I think I want to be Japanese. Mostly because I think they are very interesting people, I love how they are still very in tune with their past and their heritage, their discipline, and I am also a [...]
Dear Diplowife
Welcome to the diplomatic blogosphere!
I did find you via Google, mainly because I was writing an article about the ups and downs of diplomatic family life, and you appeared! I’ll link to it on my website as and when it is published.
I am sure that you will create a fine bloc of blog work if you keep at it – the insights into the human and family condition of someone married to a diplomat are always of interest within the profession and more widely.
Being frank is also a huge virtue (and makes for more readers) – but once a frank text is on the web everyone can see it, including one’s spouse’s future boss and other colleagues and their spouses…
With children I believe in laying down some firm rules from the very start. You have to be a huge part of part of their life, but they have to part of yours, especially with all the extra discipline and responsibility that comes with being in a family representing one’s own cpountry. With great privilege comes great responsibility. Or something.
Good luck to you and your husband in your future adventures,
Charles
Dear Mr. Crawford.
I thank you for your message and am looking forward to reading your article.
Yes, I understand how what you are said about whatever I write in my blog is available to everybody, and may cause repercussions in the future. It’s funny because, I got that same comment from JG, which is why I did not get the last of his I-told-you-so look when I told him about your comment on your website. So I guess I’m saying that you’re not the first to tell me so. But seriously, I understand and will always consider your reminder from now on. For that, I thank you again.
And as for child rearing, I will take whatever advice I can get, especially from someone of your stature, because speaking of being frank, I am truly terrified that I turn into a bad parent. Especially that I may have to raise our children away from people and things I am used to.
Thank you can again for making my blogging endeavors a little exciting and worthwhile as I am now aware that someone does bother to read it after all.
Sincerely,
The Diplowife
Dear diplowife,
I accidently found your excellent blog a couple of weeks ago. I like it very very much. I really like your speaking-writing style(my self-created word, haha…). The other day I gave your address to my Libyan teacher, who is the only Libyan in Taiwan. yes, I am Taiwanese.
I just like to encourage you that keeping on writing. I enjoy your stories !!
Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it. And I hope your teacher enjoys reading too. You know, I’ve never been to Taiwan, but I love your shows. One of my favorite things to do is watch your drama’s. So it’s nice to hear from someone there. Thanks again!
Hello! I just now stumbled across your blog via Expat+HAREM. I’m happy to discover it! I recently became interested in the topic of diplo wives after I interviewed one, a Frenchwoman living in Chicago, for my blog, called Seen the Elephant: French Expat: Chicago, Her Kind of Town. I’d be curious to get your comments on the post.
In any event, let’s keep in touch!
p.s. My blog covers the adventures of repeat expats, or rex-pats, as well as the challenges of going home again… Perhaps you can be an interviewee one day? (I hope…)
Hi,
Thanks for your comment. I really enjoy your blog, and really love its concept. Anyway, yes, it would be great for us to keep in touch. Like I said in my comment on your blog, I have to say that to me, I have not seen the elephant yet. A lot of my posts are usually stories of my firsts and adjustments to a lot of things from mingling at parties to cleaning the house, so I guess I’m somewhat really new to all of this and think that I don’t have much to share yet. But I look forward to your insights to my posts. And like I said, you have a follower in me. Thanks again.
Diplowife
Dear Diplowife, Love your blog. In my day blogs didn’t exist so I used to write funny bulletins to friends and send them by snai mail. However, the fruit of all those years in AFrican and Caribbean posts is now my first book – ‘Culture Shock and Canapes’ due out on 5th April. Take a look on Amazon. We all have our adventures and these are mine. I think anyone who enjoys your blog will enjoy it.
Make the most of every moment. There will be days when you are tearing your hair out, but the worst experiences always make the best stories. We are retired now and I am so grateful for the richness of experience that the Diplomatic life gave me!
Thanks very much, my blog is actually inspired by another book written by Trailing spouse like us, have you read it? Brrigid Keenan’s Diplomatic Baggage, I found it when JG was new in the foreign service. I also started this blog in the hopes of finding others like you and be able to share stories of life as a Diplowife, and you contacting me is a great thing to read. I can’t wait to read your book, saw it on Amazon and I think it is really promising, especially about the fact that you are a psychologist? That would be an interesting perspective to see. Anyway I hope you continue following my blog! Happy New Year!
Sorry, my webpage is http//cultureshock.ocuneen.com. Take a look. Pamela
Hi Diplowife, Yes I read ‘Diplomatic Baggage’ some years ago and found it very funny, though I was a bit irritated that Bridget Keenan, who is obviously a highly intelligent woman, painted herself as a bit of a hysteric who spend half her time weeping.
We all have those moments but if we give into them the way she describes, we wouldn’t get much done, and we’d hardly survive the challenges of our lives. It’s so difficult to describe the way we live to those who have never experienced it, in my research on travelling families I focused on wives because we have to go through all the changes and disruption with very little support, whereas our husbands go from one interchangeable office setup to the next with a great deal of cushioning. Pamela