Welcome to The Frustrated Nester.
I’m Catriona, a writer from Scotland, currently based in Denmark, who’s also lived in France (twice), Uganda, and Congo.
2019 saw the ten-year anniversary of the start of the expat journey I’ve been sharing with my husband and kids. In that time we’ve seen seven moves, eight homes, three languages and some incredible travel opportunities.
On these pages you’ll find my articles about travel and expat living, as well as what it’s like to get hyggelig as an international living in Esbjerg, Denmark. If that’s what you like to read, please find the follow button to make sure to never miss a post. There’s even more to see when you follow on Instagram: @thefrustratednester or Facebook: The Frustrated Nester.
In 2019 I joined the team of The International, a dynamic monthly newspaper for and about internationals living in Denmark. Follow the links below to read some of my favourite articles from my time on the paper.
- A Beautiful Blend – interviewing Sally Rasmussen, owner of Beauty Room in Hjerting
- The Darker Side of Ribe – witchhunts and beheadings in Denmark’s oldest town
- Designing the Good Life in Esbjerg – a chat with Yvonne Montrone, fashionable founder of Nobelz
- Celebrating Diverse International Esbjerg – a global perspective on Denmark’s ‘energy metropolis’
- From the Middle of the World to Esbjerg – meeting Elizabeth Onofre, entrepreneur behind Latitude Zero
- Looking Forward to a Second Spring – connecting with nature while we keep our distance
- Picturing the Family in Esbjerg – an interview with Esbjerg-based family and wedding photographer Juli Behrendt Bexkens
- Widen Your Horizons – retreating to the beach in winter
There’s lots more about Esbjerg and beyond in previous issues – click here.
The anthology of expat stories, Life on the Move, edited by Lisa Webb, features my essay ‘A Bag of What-If’, all about a very memorable weekend of Congo living. Click here to get your copy.
That book is a follow-up to Once Upon an Expat, where I wrote about ‘How Not to Say Goodbye’. Get your copy of that one here.
I’m currently working on a memoir of place and home. For exclusive extracts and essays, please join my journey beyond the blog! Sign up here, and as soon as you’ve joined, a preview of the book will arrive in your inbox, exclusively for you to read!
Keep in touch, and email catriona@thefrustratednester.com to let me know what you like!
The Frustrated Nester 
Hello! Lovely blog. Looking forward to reading more from you! Keep writing!
Hello,
I just saw your name on the Two Fat Expat facebook group next to Pau, France (just the two of us)… I also did a year in Pau… with my husband company and by the look of your other postings it might be the same company 😀
Now I’m off to read your different posts.
Hi! Yes, chances are it’s the same company…it’s a small expat world! Thanks for reading! 😁 Hope you enjoy!
In some ways, our blogs are quite similar! While you’ve clearly succeeded in those goals, I always intended my blog to be about travel and expat life, about teaching and language and all that jazz. Happy I’ve come across this, and will tune back in again!