36 is feeling great! I had one of the most memorable birthday weeks thus far – memorable in both good ways and bad. Sadly, I lost someone very close to me – basically my second mother – three days before my 36th birthday. This is a day that will stay in my memory for life. If you remember a couple of issues back, I mentioned someone who was in hospital and had been going undiagnosed for...
September is a major transitional month in my life. It’s the start of a new school term for all three of my kids, which marks another emotional parental milestone. It’s also my birthday month. 36 years around the sun feels both significant and insignificant. I had an idea to write 36 life lessons I’ve learnt, but I reached 10 and my head hurt, so I chose to abandon that very boring idea. A...
Congratulations on making it to the seventh month of the year! We are now officially halfway through 2026, and the remaining months will shape the way we begin 2027. From an informed real estate perspective, these final six months are crucial if you're on the hunt for a home. A six-month window is ideal for starting your research, obtaining mortgage pre-approval, choosing an agent, scheduling...
Nearly six years ago, when my husband and I bought our home, I said something strange: “I’m happy to buy this house for now—but only if it’s not our forever home.” The idea of “forever” felt heavy. Final. What if we outgrow it? What if we need to migrate? What if something better comes along? The “what ifs” were endless. But where do they end? In a world wracked with...
This wouldn’t be Zoë’s Newsletter if I didn’t bare my soul and express my feelings. Today, I find myself contemplating a plethora of deep emotions, among them the meaning of life, ageing, purpose, and how we cultivate healthy relationships with family living abroad. April 1st, 2026, marks a significant and emotional day for our little family. It is the day we transition my husband’s...
It’s a tale as old as time: “Keep friendship and business separate” or “Family and business do not mix.” There’s always caution when crossing that invisible line between personal relationships and professional dealings. I’ve been burned my fair share of times. I’ve experienced the bone-crushing awkwardness and anxiety that can follow a failed real estate transaction...
2025 has been the longest year of my life and the shortest year of my life. It has been the smoothest and the most turbulent, the brightest and the darkest – all at the same time. Staying true to its name, The Year of the Snake comprised of shedding and transitioning. These changes were not subtle and slow, in most cases they were sudden and definite and the decision to change came fast and furious over...
Hello from the comfort of my bed! I have been lying here for exactly one week, punctuated by short bursts of movement, exhausting episodes of chair showering and home visits from my friends and physiotherapist. I finally decided to pull the trigger on my much-needed ACL reconstructive surgery, and I went in completely clueless to the magnitude of what I was embarking on. I suffered from terrible...