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The Bizpat; Not a traveler. Not an expat. But never at home.
(By John Studd) John Studd is a Canadian businessman and journalist travelling throughout the world, writing down his experiences in corporate housing and extended stays and publishing it here at SuiteNet...read more
Looking for a Corporate Apartment?
(By John Demers) Whether you call it corporate housing, serviced apartments, temporary furnished housing, furnished corporate housing, temporary furnished apartments, corporate furnished apartments, corporate...read more
The Bizpat Part 3: Scheduling in the Family
(By John Studd) Being a bizpat means spending a lot of time away from your wife and family, extended or otherwise. Not only is it difficult to find enough time for everybody when your actually at home, but after...read more
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The Bizpat Part 3: Scheduling in the Family
By John Studd
Being a bizpat means spending a lot of time away from your wife and family, extended or otherwise. Not only is it difficult to find enough time for everybody when your actually at home, but after traveling for weeks on end the thought of getting into your car, or yet another airplane, in order to visit Aunt Bea for a weekend of tea and biscuits on the back porch can be truly taxing on your sanity.
I've found that it is much better to invite interested relatives to the town I'm doing business in, if only for a day or two. There's something more light-hearted about putting in some family time walking around a foreign town. Sometimes there's even reason for me to have them stay the night at my corporate flat!
But perhaps an explanation is called for here.
Most of us have the proverbial 'prodigal son' somewhere in the family, whether it's a close brother or distant cousin, and the reasons he wants to stay with you when you show up anywhere near the path of his wayward journey is obvious to anyone who knows the going rate for alcoholic philosophers on weed.
But a curious thing happens when you cross paths with Aunt Bea's tour bus. She is very likely to suggest that she prepare a nice home-cooked meal, once she happens to find out you have a kitchen, even while you and Uncle Burt wander off to the local pub to catch up on some football. I have learned that this can be an invaluable way to spend a Sunday afternoon when you are away from home - much healthier than Chinese and more delightful, really, than room service and the latest in soft-core porn.
As for the immediate family, having them in for the weekend allows you to see a side of the city you never get to see. Without the wife and kids around, I have rarely had an inkling to head down to the local zoo, spend a day at an amusement park or careen down a waterslide at the nearest aqua-park, all of which can be one hell of a good time, even at an advanced age. Plus, this kind of time together tends to keep the wife satisfied for awhile, allowing you to experience a few guilt-free afternoons on the couch when you finally do get back home.
It is precisely the ambiguous nature of hosting family in a temporary flat in a foreign city that makes it so enticing. It's neutral territory, but it's still your rules since you're the one responsible for it. Everyone is much more relaxed, but it's still up to you whether they are overstaying their welcome or not - especially since you've let it be known that you have that important business meeting in the morning. Cheers.
SuiteNet presents a series of articles by John Studd The Bizpat - Not a traveler. Not an expat. But never at home. John Studd is a Canadian businessman and journalist travelling throughout the world, writing down his experiences in corporate housing and extended stays and publishing it here at SuiteNet exclusively for you, our visitors.
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