FLORIDA, USA: Interview with Nicole from “By Word of Mouth Musings”

Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?

I am currently living in the grand metropolis of Boca Raton, FL. Originally born in England, my parents traveled extensively until moving out to South Africa on a 2 year contract. They quickly acclimated to the life there and I remained there until one week after the ‘big election’ which I was fortunate to be a part of – a day one could never forget.

We arrived in the States in 1994, and fell in love with Washington DC and the Chesapeake Bay. We have since lived in Pennsylvania, Oregon and now the sunny state of Florida.

I drive a very big truck, with a lot of height, because in case you did not know this … people retire to FL. Yes, many retirees = scared to drive.

What language(s) do you speak?

English is my first language, and having grown up in South Africa – I also speak Afrikaans. For those that have not heard of it, it originated from Dutch. Even though I took Latin in school, I remain clueless. My accent is certainly a brand of my own, until I spend more than five minutes with someone from pretty much anywhere in England – and immediately clone their dialect.

When did you first become a mother?

After completing college, traveling the world, owning my own home, having a great job, and meeting my destined other half (who insists on being more, hence his name MR51% on my blog www.bywordofmouthmusings.com) I am so glad that I had these accomplishments, I feel as tho it gives me a little more authority when teaching my girls how important it is for them to get an education, consider their careers and plan their future. I have one child who was born of my body and one who was born of my heart. Thanks to them, my greatest achievement to date is being called Mom.

Are you a stay-at-home mom or do you work?

I stay home with my girls, although as home-schoolers, we travel a great deal. As a writer, even though I do not leave our house to put my words into my screen (unless the local book store or library counts as a satellite office), I am more of a work at home kind of Mom. But then, any Mom who runs a home and raises a family is truly a work at home Mom. Those silly ‘Mom Wars’ – as women, we know we ALL do too much 😉

Why do you blog/write?

Because I have a narcissistic belief that people need to hear my words … no, not really. I have always loved to write. The annual Christmas letter or We Moved Again letter would have friends tell me that I should be a writer – and I believed them (sure they are living with regret now) After a c-section in ’98 and then struggling with infertility, our family was completed through adoption. In sharing our stories on parenting, infertility, adoption, even trans racial parenting and living as an expat – I always hope to reach someone who needs to hear they are not alone.

How would you say that you are different from other mothers?

Well, first, I live in Boca Raton, which is so very different from so many places that you could be. I home school, I do not play tennis, I do not have a full time maid and I am not a trophy wife. I actually like my husband and plastic surgery is not on the cards … on a more serious note, like all mom’s I am trying to do the right thing in raising two girls in a world that has changed. Home-schooling, although becoming way more mainstream, is still not the norm and that sets us apart. It also allows us to pursue a different lifestyle including travel, which affords my kids the opportunity to learn more of the world around them. I hope that this helps them become more in tune with the needs of so many.

What do you view as the challenges of raising a child in today’s world?

A different part of how we parent where we live, is that we really want our children to grow and be aware that they are indeed very blessed. They want for nothing and are very privileged in this world. I want them to be grateful and recognize that they need to give back in today’s society. They need to make a difference, this generation of theirs, and as their parents we need to guide them and educate them on those responsibilities.

How did you find World Moms Blog?

World Moms Blog fell into my lap like one giant blessing when I had the privilege of sitting at a table with the lovely Jennifer Burden. She talked about her site, her hopes and her vision, I just knew that I wanted to be a part of her dream. And as you see, dreams do come true …

This is an original, first-time post to World Moms Blog from our South African, ex-pat mother of two in Florida, Nicole. You can find more of Nicole’s writing and musings on her personal blog: By Word of Mouth Musings.

Photo credit to the author.