About Miss Footloose
I hail from the Netherlands and grew up eating lots of Gouda cheese, riding a bike to school, and not wearing wooden shoes. Having adventurous Dutch genes, I married an American Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya, East Africa, in a bizarre humorous 10-minute ceremony that fortunately has stuck so far.
My man is a development economist and I follow him around the world and watch him toil running projects that assist business and agricultural enterprises in developing countries. I have cooked, shopped, mothered, traveled and written stories in Africa, Asia, Europe, the US and the Middle East.
Writing as Karen van der Zee I’ve dreamed up over 30 romance novels published by Harlequin Books. My non-fiction stories have appeared in the The Washington Post, in the travel-humor story collection I Should Have Just Stayed Home published by RDR Books and in The Female Nomad and Friends by Rita Golden Gelman published by Three Rivers Press. My tales of (mis)adventure have also appeared in various e-zines.
I’m an expat writer not living in paradise (like Peter Mayle or Frances Mayes). I do not drink wine from my own grapes or tend my own olive groves. I have, however, visited my butcher’s bedroom in Palestine, eaten fertility sausage in Kenya, and almost landed in prison in Uganda.
For a few years my tent was pitched in wild and wonderful West Virginia, USA, but I am now living in Moldova in Eastern Europe. Allow me to entertain you with my stories of expat life around the world and do tell me your own tales!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m glad to have found you through your nice comment on my blog. I’m pleased to add you to my own blogroll!
Best regards,
Mary of Expat Abroad in Morocco
expat21.wordpress.com
Hi there! I enjoyed your pictures of touring your own town, and loved the stories of people stopping to tell you all about it. Thank you for stopping by my blog and sharing the link– I have enjoyed browsing the rest of your blog as well!
Greetings from your home country! I just came across your blog and I very much enjoy your colorful and entertaining posts! I’m an American girl, moved to Spain to study, expecting to return home to the sunny West Coast, but have now found myself in snowy Amsterdam due to the unexpected graces of love.
I also keep an expat blog, about my foreign/awkward/humorous experiences as a California girl just trying to fit in Europe
http://www.GlocalGirl.com
I’m Laura’s mother and we met in Accra in 1999. I was told you had used me in one of your tales (about Laura’s wedding) and wonder what became of it. Nice to find your blog!
Hi “Miss Footloose”,
Thank you for all your insightful comments on my blog, not sure why I haven’t checked out yours before. It is wonderful! I enjoy your writing and the topics you choose. I can relate to that so much, but then again every other expat can. I’ll be sure to follow it from now on!
Sine (Joburg Expat)
Stumbled through here after commenting on Rambles with Reese and had to comment, because it’s not everyday I find someone that actually lived in WV! I was born and raised there, and after college and adventures near and far, I am back for good! It’s my home…..and I’m proud
Where did you live?
And you can find my own tales at http://www.travelfunnytravellight.blogspot.com
I stumbled through here after commenting on Rambles with Reese and had to comment here-I’ve never actually encountered a fellow blogger who lived in WV! I was born and raised here and after college and adventures near and far, I am back. It’s my home and I love it. Where did you live while in WV?
(sorry if this comment posted twice-it didn’t appear to take the first time!)
Hi Claire,
West Virginia is a beautiful state, for sure. We lived not far from Charles Town for a few years, about 1.5 hours from DC. Glad you enjoy WV and happy travels now and then.
Well I just so happen to live not far from Charles Town, about 1.5 hours from DC. Shepherdstown area!
Hello
I found you from the A List Bloggers! I am looking at moving to Romania soon so I am keen to read about your experiences in the area.
Sarah
I love your Dutch name – mine is similar as all four grandparents are off the boat from the Netherlands! Plus, I have an ag economist in the family. She speaks Portuguese too so I always thought she’d end up in an exotic place, so far, not yet. I’m enjoying your blog and congrats on Expat Blog of the Year 2011!
What fun to discover your blog! I’m looking forward to reading more about your zany adventures around the globe ~
Hi there – stumbled across your blog today, searching for ex pat stories. Going to love catching up on your past exploits, you’ve had some great adventures!
I’m a Brit living in Bosnia just now, having lived in the Cayman Islands previously. This lifestyle is addictive, I am always wondering where out next home will be. We have a young daughter too and she adapts amazingly well. Her Bosnian puts me to shame too
Best, Clare
Wow, not everyone can say they almost got arrested in Uganda. You must have lots of stories!
Ciao,
It’s nice to meet other expat writers, your blog is fantastic and I will be back often to learn more about your adventures. Thank you for taking the time to comment and read my expat adventures.
Jennifer Avventura
Hi, I stumbled on your blog courtesy of Annabel Candy’s list. Love what you are writing about, and my oh my so prolific. I am also a trailing spouse to a geologist. I’m sure we probably have a few expat tales in common. Keep up the good work.
Hi Johanna! I read you’ve lived in 11 countries! I’d love to hear your stories
Thanks! I’m just beginning to write them up under a category called “Memoir”. Stumbling a bit at the moment wondering how close to the bone (so to speak) it’s ok to go in a blog. Erring on caution. Any advice? Loving your tales of expat life by the way
I can tell you what I do, but I don’t know if that is “advice” so to speak. My expat life was and is in developing countries (except for the USA). I decided to write about the positive and the fun stuff rather than about the negative things that find plenty of press already and make it seem that there is nothing but famine, genocide and AIDS in Africa and other poor places.
My stories are true, but they are lighthearted tales and I don’t deal with heavy subjects and personal traumas or crises because they don’t fit my writing purpose and I have no need to share them with the world. I write to entertain. Period.
I’m not considering my blog a memoir, just a collection of stories.
Hope this helps you to think about how you want to deal with your subject material. Good luck!
Thank you again. Your words are indeed ones of wisdom and I think I shall pin them up above my computer as I write. To entertain via a collection of lighthearted stories shall be my mantra.
I’ll look forward to reading them! Have fun writing!
Geweldige site, vermaak me erg. We zijn wel verwante geesten denk ik zo. Ik groeide op in Midden en Verre Oosten maar mijn iets minder avontuurlijke echtgenoot kreeg ik voorlopig niet verder gesleept dan Engeland (maar daar wordt aan gewerkt…)
Ik kom nog vaak langs voor inspiratie, dat beloof ik!
Karien, wat gezellig even een Nederlands bericht te krijgen! Ja, ik heb heel wat verhalen, maar jij ook natuurlijk. Ik kom zo even langs bij je blog voor een virtual kopje koffie!
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