What will you learn from this book
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Adaptability: Keenan showcases the adaptability required to thrive as a diplomat's wife, navigating unfamiliar cultures, languages, and social customs with grace and humor.
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Cross-Cultural Experiences: The memoir highlights the rich tapestry of cross-cultural experiences Keenan encounters as she travels to various diplomatic postings around the world, from Central Asia to the Middle East.
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Ups and Downs of Diplomatic Life: Keenan candidly discusses the ups and downs of diplomatic life, including the excitement of new adventures, the loneliness of being far from home, and the challenges of balancing family and career.
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Social Etiquette: The book offers amusing anecdotes about navigating diplomatic social events and adhering to protocol, from formal dinners with dignitaries to diplomatic receptions and cultural exchanges.
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Friendships and Networks: Keenan reflects on the importance of building friendships and networks within the diplomatic community, finding support and camaraderie among fellow expatriates facing similar challenges.
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Cultural Insights: Through her experiences living in different countries, Keenan provides insights into the unique cultures, traditions, and idiosyncrasies of each place, shedding light on the complexities of global diversity.
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Travel Adventures: The memoir is filled with entertaining travel adventures, from exploring exotic bazaars to navigating chaotic traffic in foreign cities, offering readers a glimpse into the excitement and unpredictability of life on the move.
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Sense of Humor: Keenan's irreverent sense of humor shines through in her observations and anecdotes, providing comic relief amidst the sometimes stressful and surreal situations encountered in diplomatic circles.
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Family Dynamics: The book explores the impact of diplomatic life on Keenan's family, including her relationship with her husband, their children, and the challenges of raising a family in a nomadic lifestyle.
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Reflections on Home: Ultimately, "Diplomatic Baggage" is a reflection on the meaning of home, belonging, and identity, as Keenan grapples with the transient nature of diplomatic life and the search for a sense of rootedness and belonging amidst constant change.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 0719568072 |
| ISBN-13 | 9780719568077 |
| No of pages | 289 |
| Font Size | Medium |
| Book Publisher | John Murray |
| Published Date | 30 Jan 2006 |
About Author
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When Sunday Times fashion journalist Brigid Keenan married the love of her life in the late Sixties, little idea did she have of the rollercoaster journey they would make around the world together - with most things going horribly awry while being obliged to keep the straightest face and put their best feet forward.
For he was a diplomat - and Brigid found herself the smiling face of the European Union in locales ranging from Kazakhstan to Trinidad. Finding herself miserable for the first time in a career into which many would have long ago thrown the towel, she found herself asking (during a farewell party for the Papal Nuncio): was it worth it?
As this stream of it-really-happened-to-me stories shows, it most certainly was - if only for our vicarious bewilderment at how exactly you throw a buffet dinner during a public mourning period in Syria, remain viable as a fashion journalist when taste-wise you are three seasons out of it and geographically a world away, make people believe that there are actually terrible things going on in paradise, be a good mother AND save some of the finest architecture in Damascus and Brussels from demolition - seemingly all simultaneously.