This is an invaluable book for everyone in the family to read if they have family members living overseas. The author Helen Ellis is a researcher, anthropologist and founder of DistanceFamilies.com, and in this book, she shares stories, ideas and resources to help families who are separated by geographical distance. Being a Distance Son or Daughter provides insight into what it is really like for your loved one living in an ex-pat/migrant setting far from home.
The book brings to life the different points of view of families living at a distance and provides practical and inspirational solutions for common problems. The book is written with the intention of encouraging knowledge in families who are separated, and with knowledge comes understanding and empathy.
Being a Distance Son or Daughter is very comprehensive, it looks at everything from guilt and homesickness, the push and pull of families, settling in, cultural immersion, navigating the distance with your family and navigating all the ups and downs of communicating with family from afar. There is advice for visits, if family members are in ill health, the covid effect, and if a loved one dies. There are reading lists and numerous resources listed.
This is the second book with another book in the series to follow, each written from a different perspective, but with the intention of reading from every perspective – grandparent, parents and grandchildren. These must-have books are for anyone with family members living overseas, books that will make a massive difference to any distance families, enriching the lives of every generation.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
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