August Newsletter

Welcome to the newsletter from Distance Families

DISTANCE FAMILIES NEWS

Two significant #globalmobility birthdays were celebrated in July

​First, friends and followers of Families in Global Transition (#FIGT) gathered in Chicago to celebrate Ruth Van Reken’s 80th birthday. Ruth is the co-author of Third Culture Kids, a landmark book in the global mobility space, and a tireless advocate for families navigating international lives. She kindly reviewed my Distance Grandparent book and is already lined up as an official reviewer for the Distance Grandchild edition. To mark this special milestone, some of us from the Australia/New Zealand FIGT affiliate recorded a pre-birthday Zoom greeting for Ruth—lots of laughs and heartfelt messages included.

​The second celebration marked the 10th birthday of AidMamas, a thriving Facebook group with over 6,000 members. This community has become an essential resource for those working in the international aid and development sector, especially parents. As they put it:

​We're a place for frank and full conversation about being a parent and working in the international aid and development sector. We're here to support one another, share resources, make connections, celebrate the ups and tackle the downs.

​I’m especially proud of this one--AidMamas was founded by my daughter when she was living in Bangkok and immersed in the aid world. The group has grown organically and now serves as a vital support network for many around the globe.

BOOK SERIES NEWS

​This week, Being a Distance Grandchild moved into the next stage of production. Copies of the draft have been sent to Beta Readers. These aren’t professional editors, but rather everyday readers who are interested in the topic. Their role isn’t to correct punctuation or grammar, but to provide feedback on the writing voice and content from a reader’s perspective. It’s a truly global effort—my Beta Readers are based in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and Serbia.

​Over the years, I’ve done many international interviews and podcasts about Distance Families and my book series. But for various reasons ​(not least of which was COVID), in-person local events have been few and far between. That’s changing! I now have a couple of local events in the diary. I’m looking forward to connecting with nearby readers. One highlight coming up is the Indie Writers Festival at my local library.

You can find details of ongoing events website’s dedicated Events page.

ON THE HOME FRONT

July also brought a couple of firsts. 

​With all the travel and life happenings lately we been unable to commit to any public choir performance for two years. But we found our rhythm again—taking the stage at Voco2025 in the Auckland Town Hall, alongside 11 other choirs. It was a vibrant, multicultural event, with groups dressed in national costumes from Korea, China, and the Pacific Islands—a true celebration of diversity through choral singing. The photo is from a combined finale performance.

​Another first: I’ve joined a Tai Chi class. I really have no excuse—it’s just a five-minute walk from home, and four women from my apartment building go, along with a few familiar faces from the neighbourhood. I’ve always been drawn to Tai Chi. With New Zealand’s large Chinese community, it’s common to see people practising in parks, moving with such calm and grace. Now that I’ve started, I’m hooked on this gentle, flowing form of exercise.

​Take care until next time
Helen Ellis
 
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