Overview

"""Revealing account of the destruction of one woman's personal and professional identity amid Asia's cultural quicksand""​ Read the unvarnished truth about the expat lifestyle in Singapore Salvation. The ""extremely entertaining"" Jennifer Burge understands the challenges of life abroad. A professional trailblazer with a wanderlust affliction, she refused to give up after documenting the pitfalls of taking her career from the United States to Europe in her first memoir, The Devil Wears Clogs. Instead, the story continues where we left her--in the Netherlands on the eve of her move to Singapore. On arrival, she is confounded by the subtle complexity of Asian cultures, her understanding of local tradition is a mirage, appearing and disappearing with each new interaction. Moving to Southeast Asia when the rigidity of European life began to wear on her seemed to be the perfect solution. A sophisticated modern condo in the heart of a developing nation was the answer to her prayers--or so she thought. The entrance of the Global Financial Crisis compounded the already-challenging international job search to an unprecedented level. Living in her fourth country without her professional status or a peer network leaves Jennifer to question her identity. Solo travel across Asia allows her to create an authentic one. From the Back Cover: Singapore, shining example of modernity and development in Asia? Or ""Disneyland with the Death Penalty""? I was ready to leave Europe, but knew nothing about Asian culture. Landing in Singapore was a crash course. Learning the difference between North Americans and Europeans was kindergarten compared to East meeting West. I'd left my job just before the grand entrance of the Global Financial Crisis, and Singapore was fiercely protecting its own. I was no longer branded with a corporate identity and I wasn't anyone's mother. Not only did my external landscape undergo a radical transformation, my internal one was left in ashes. I had to go looking for it in Tokyo, Cambodia, Vietnam, and New Zealand-places I never expected to find myself. When I did, no one was more surprised than I."

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JENNIFER'S SECOND MEMOIR HAS LEFT READERS CLAMORING FOR A THIRD. - R.R. Marinelli (Melbourne) writes that Singapore Salvation puts a match to popular misconception: Singapore Salvation tells it as it is. From the outside the expat life may appear to be glamorous and oh so easy. It is far from it. The author shares her personal experiences to give an honest account of what lies beneath the surface of this much desired lifestyle. - H. Albrecht (Germany) writes: If you have been working abroad and lived amongst different cultures yourself - this is a must read. A truly gripping story. It is always fun to follow Jennifer's trips and her insightful travel tips. I wonder what she is writing about after Australia. - Alessandra (Brisbane) says this about Singapore Salvation: A stripped-back honest account of the many valleys, self-examinations, and mountain highs while living a modern day nomadic lifestyle in the Far East. Anticipating the pen of her Australian experience. - K. Stahl (Atlanta) comments: a wonderfully descriptive and insightful book. It is not only an insider guide to travel in Asia, but also a heartfelt narrative of a marriage tested by the strains of employment and international moves. A must read for any world traveler or stay at home dreamer.

JENNIFER'S SECOND MEMOIR HAS LEFT READERS CLAMORING FOR A THIRD. R.R. Marinelli (Melbourne) writes that Singapore Salvation puts a match to popular misconception: Singapore Salvation tells it as it is. From the outside the expat life may appear to be glamorous and oh so easy. It is far from it. The author shares her personal experiences to give an honest account of what lies beneath the surface of this much desired lifestyle. H. Albrecht (Germany) writes: If you have been working abroad and lived amongst different cultures yourself - this is a must read. A truly gripping story. It is always fun to follow Jennifer's trips and her insightful travel tips. I wonder what she is writing about after Australia. Alessandra (Brisbane) says this about Singapore Salvation: A stripped-back honest account of the many valleys, self-examinations, and mountain highs while living a modern day nomadic lifestyle in the Far East. Anticipating the pen of her Australian experience. K. Stahl (Atlanta) comments: a wonderfully descriptive and insightful book. It is not only an insider guide to travel in Asia, but also a heartfelt narrative of a marriage tested by the strains of employment and international moves. A must read for any world traveler or stay at home dreamer.

Author Information

Jennifer Burge grew up on the Lake Erie shore near Cleveland, Ohio. Graduating from the Ohio State University in 1994, she long dreamed of living and working in Europe. Her wish came true as her career in IT project management moved her to Germany in 2001 and then to the Netherlands in 2002. In 2007, Jennifer relocated to Singapore where she worked as an IT contractor. She traveled extensively throughout Asia and began writing destination pieces for The Guide magazine (Vietnam). Realizing that others who sought to work overseas could benefit from her first-hand experience and perhaps avoid painful lessons, Jennifer began writing her memoir, The Devil Wears Clogs, in 2009. Her next move took her to Australia in 2011 where she returned to consulting before taking the leap to full-time writing in 2012. In 2013 and she became a full member of the Australian Authors' Society and her first memoir was published in late 2014. Singapore Salvation, the Asian sequel will be released in December 2015. Jennifer lives in north Brisbane and works full-time writing and speaking in the importance of cultural understanding in a global society. She is a columnist for ExpatFocus.com and provides insight on world destinations and cultures on her website: WorldwisePublications.com.

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