Trailing Spouses - am I the only one to find this a bit strange?

[MmeLindt]

In DH's company the wives who accompany their staff on an overseas assignment are called Trailing Spouses.

As Finknottle put it "makes you sound drippy and needy, bleating behind your husbands in dishevelled floaty dresses"

Surely they could come up with something better?

I am a bit unsure what to do with my life now I am a Trailing Spouse.

I think it involves lots of coffee/wine drinking with other TSs.

[Enraha]

Ha ha, yes heard this phrase. I guess it means that the company officially feels sorry for you and provides some recompense though! Rather than Life Of Riley Spouse, Permanent Holiday Spouse etc. Well, if you're somewhere nice...

[dilbertina]

OOO, looking likely I'll be a trailing spouse next year. So are the dc "trailing children"? We also have a "trailing dog".

IMO lots of coffee/wine drinking sounds rather appealing right now...!

[ZZZen]

makes us sound very sad somehow, doesn't it?

Expat wives anonymous:
"Hi, I'm ZZZen and I'm a trailing spouse..."

makes you think of clinging vines and weeping willows somehow

[MmeLindt]

I do like Enraha's suggestions, perhaps I should put them to the HR dept. I particularly like Life of Riley Spouse

Dilbertina
Yes, you will be a whole trailing family

[eighteenstonesix]

just enjoy it...don't worry about the name

[Bink]

I quite like these image-creating labels because you can then explode them so satisfyingly. Dh has a mass of mates from business school and I really enjoy appearing at their get-togethers in the guise of an "accessory" and then demonstrably not being one.

[Lapsedrunner]

I've been one www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A262964

[Lapsedrunner]

opps www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A262964

[stitch]

ha, that makes my father a trailing spouse

[MmeLindt]

Lapsedrunner
LOL, at your link. That does sound rather familiar

[admylin]

Looks as if I'm a trailing spouse without the benefits of the big international company feeling sorry for me or looking after me!

Why do we do it? I'm seriously thinking it would be better for the family to have a base in UK and just have h home for holidays. I mean how many of us see our h's that often? Mine works all hours and weekends abit too so we don't see much of him. Maybe if he just booked his flights for set times over the year we would get quality-time visits and be able to relax and enjoy each others company more.

[dilbertina]

I will have to break it to the final members of our little clan that in fact it will not be practical for them to be "trailing chickens".

The whole expression does rather make me think of a snail or slug trail - not sure that reflects well on dh or the rest of us!

[MmeLindt]

Admylin
I have pretty much written off the first 6 months, I know that I will be on my own a lot. As long as he gets back one evening a week so I can go out, I don't care.

I am meeting with the other Trailing Spouses next week for a meal/drink. I shall keep a good look out for floaty dresses.

Lol at the Trailing Chicken, will they have to go to the big casserole in the sky then?

[Themasterandmargaritas]

I think I would rather be a trailing spouse than a dependent. That's all I am now, I've been demoted to the same level as the dc, so think yourself lucky. How i miss those trailing spouse days.

[ninedragons]

That's the standard term here in China. Xenia would love my group of friends - all the trailing spouses except me are the men.

I quite like Pyjamas-until-Noon Spouse or Cocktail with Lunch? Yes Please! Spouse

[Ozziegirly]

How about "I'm off to the beach while you go to the office Spouse"?

Sounds rather fab.

I picture a Trailing Spouse as Margot from My Family and Other Animals.

[slim22]

In singapore we are trailing yes BUT with rebonded hair & lasered body hair & fancy pedicures

[slim22]

Mind you lots of us have actually gone back to work because here we can afford reliable baby care

[MmeLindt]

at affordable childcare.

I can't see me going back to work anytime soon.

Today I am a Lounging-on-MN-Spouse and tonight I am going to a Ladies Night to meet the other trailing spouses.

[FourArms]

My mum was always a dependent (RAF). Not sure which phrase is worse!

[slim22]

enjoy the drinks!

at moving to switzerland. could do with a bit of fresh air!

[MmeLindt]

It is VERY fresh today, sunny but cold cold cold

[slim22]

ohhhhhhhhhh!
I would just love a walk in sunny crisp cold air.
Then of course I would want to come back to my sun lounger.

[MmeLindt]

at the sun lounger. Ours wont be out again for a good few months.

[Buda]

DH just calls me an overhead! Think I may prefer Trailing Spouse!