BOOK: "GenXpat: The Young Professional's Guide to Making a Successful Life Abroad," by Margaret Malewski (Intercultural Press, $24.95)
TARGET AUDIENCE: Generation X-ers contemplating working overseas.
The life of a GenXpat -- a person born between 1964 and 1981 who has a career abroad -- sounds nice, right? Not so fast. Malewski has been through the expat routine herself, and while there's much to recommend it, she offers cautionary tales and practical sense. She demystifies the corporate relocation contract, for example, letting you know what employers are thinking and what you ought to be demanding.
As to social life, Malewski has realistic advice on dealing with homesickness, culture shock and intercultural dating. Long-distance relationships are difficult, she says, but consider what your sweetie likely would give up by accompanying you. Finally, anticipate "reverse culture shock" when you return home -- you can't "get back to normal" if "normal" doesn't feel right anymore.
Although generally this is an easy read, at times you feel like you're in a PowerPoint presentation, with a lot of HR-speak. But there will be no rose color left in your glasses by the end of the book.
-- Jerry V. Haines
