By collecting the social history of expatriate life we show the real life of the expat family like ENJOYING having a big house, domestic staff, high living standard, lots of travelling, a busy social life (parties, sports) but also THE PRICE TO PAY like trying to adjust to new cultures (homesick), third world living conditions (cockroaches, snakes, food shortages, poor medical conditions), the heartache of leaving family behind (children, parents, siblings), raising children without ‘roots’, dealing with natural disasters (earthquakes, floodings, huricanes), political unrest (riots, curfews, discrimination), repatriation, etc.
By sending any item related to your expat life i.e. personal correspondence, (news)letters, postcards, official documents (bureaucracy), diaries, invitations, (boarding)school related things, children’s drawings, short stories, photo(books) with text; in fact anything that gives an impression of your life abroad and the way you have coped and settled. Language is not an issue. Every non-English document will be translated in English.Click here for some examples of contributions.
Privacy is one of our highest priorities and biggest concern. The contributor decides what kind, when and how contributions will be made public for research. See here our Depositor’s Declaration.
We can store it for you or you allow us to make scans before returning the originals. To have a more visual impression of the archival process click here.
Researches/historians who are interested in the impact of expat life:
. social, emotional: culture shock, school life, life style, family relations, rerepatriation.
. geographical, political: changes in countries and/or places over the years.
. genealogical: searching for family members to make a family tree.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)