What do you think?
Rate this book
The Devil Wears Clogs
Have you contemplated what your life would have been like if you lived abroad? Have you dreamt of taking your career overseas? You are not alone. The victim of an extreme case of wanderlust, author Jennifer Burge, has been on a mission to see as much of the world as possible, beginning with Europe. At thirty, Jennifer began the journey in real-life, having one of the world’s largest tech consulting firms finance her plans.
Within days of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the “mission” comes in the form of an international assignment in Germany. As tomorrow is no longer guaranteed, Jennifer knows she must walk through the open door or risk losing the opportunity of a lifetime.
Armed with a heavy dose of wit and sarcasm, the author relies on her professional strength to navigate the alien European landscape. Jennifer’s faux pas are many before she learns to respect the true depth of the cultural divide, realizing that it is she that must change and not an entire continent.
What would your life look like if you rolled the dice and seized an opportunity to live and work overseas?
‘The Devil Wears Clogs', is the essential “How NOT live Abroad” guide for those interested in an honest look at what happens when you pursue your career in another country. Anyone already living outside their native country will identify with Jennifer’s mistakes as well as her triumphs. The Devil Wears Clogs is the first installment of a three part-series that spans four continents and helps you get prepared to live a global life.
Within days of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the “mission” comes in the form of an international assignment in Germany. As tomorrow is no longer guaranteed, Jennifer knows she must walk through the open door or risk losing the opportunity of a lifetime.
Armed with a heavy dose of wit and sarcasm, the author relies on her professional strength to navigate the alien European landscape. Jennifer’s faux pas are many before she learns to respect the true depth of the cultural divide, realizing that it is she that must change and not an entire continent.
What would your life look like if you rolled the dice and seized an opportunity to live and work overseas?
‘The Devil Wears Clogs', is the essential “How NOT live Abroad” guide for those interested in an honest look at what happens when you pursue your career in another country. Anyone already living outside their native country will identify with Jennifer’s mistakes as well as her triumphs. The Devil Wears Clogs is the first installment of a three part-series that spans four continents and helps you get prepared to live a global life.
- GenresTravelNonfictionHumor
276 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2014
7 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Burge
4 books68 followersJennifer 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: WorldwisePublications.com.
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: WorldwisePublications.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 11, 2016
A very readable book about an enthusiastic American girl bumping around Europe, changing jobs and looking for love.
Every American going to work in another country should read it.
Judging by the kind of work does, the author must be exceedingly bright, but she portrays herself as the archetypal American naïve – expecting the whole world to function like it does back home, and being amazed when it doesn’t. However, she does at least have the courage to say grudgingly of herself: ‘you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can never take Ohio out of the girl’.
I felt I wanted to mother her as she struggled through one situation after another. It was as if it was she who was wearing clogs, rather than her Dutch bosses, as she clumped around, always sticking out from the crowd – dressed in the wrong clothes – saying the wrong thing – not picking up the vibes( not even at home with her family). But she paints a very good picture of a peppy, vibrant, albeit insouciant girl who likes to drink a lot, who is doing her best to make her way in the world – and many can identify with that.
She is no Jan Morris, Tim Parks or Bill Bryson, so you get little insight into the character of the nations she’s living in, apart from the most obvious things, but the result is an entertaining read.
Her story is a cautionary tale, and at the same time an inspirational one, as even if at first she bridles at the environment she finds herself in, or refuses to learn the language, in the end she knuckles down and makes the effort. She’s clearly a gutsy girl who refuses to give up, and toils on.
The writing is exemplary. She writes with great verve and fluidity, and with good characterisation. She also never lingers too long on a situation. Above all the book is refreshingly honest, and the author doesn’t spare herself – even when she’s railing against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I found I quickly identified with her, and it wasn’t long before I was cheering for her to succeed.
Every American going to work in another country should read it.
Judging by the kind of work does, the author must be exceedingly bright, but she portrays herself as the archetypal American naïve – expecting the whole world to function like it does back home, and being amazed when it doesn’t. However, she does at least have the courage to say grudgingly of herself: ‘you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can never take Ohio out of the girl’.
I felt I wanted to mother her as she struggled through one situation after another. It was as if it was she who was wearing clogs, rather than her Dutch bosses, as she clumped around, always sticking out from the crowd – dressed in the wrong clothes – saying the wrong thing – not picking up the vibes( not even at home with her family). But she paints a very good picture of a peppy, vibrant, albeit insouciant girl who likes to drink a lot, who is doing her best to make her way in the world – and many can identify with that.
She is no Jan Morris, Tim Parks or Bill Bryson, so you get little insight into the character of the nations she’s living in, apart from the most obvious things, but the result is an entertaining read.
Her story is a cautionary tale, and at the same time an inspirational one, as even if at first she bridles at the environment she finds herself in, or refuses to learn the language, in the end she knuckles down and makes the effort. She’s clearly a gutsy girl who refuses to give up, and toils on.
The writing is exemplary. She writes with great verve and fluidity, and with good characterisation. She also never lingers too long on a situation. Above all the book is refreshingly honest, and the author doesn’t spare herself – even when she’s railing against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I found I quickly identified with her, and it wasn’t long before I was cheering for her to succeed.
January 12, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Having only traveled overseas, I can only daydream about what it must be like to make that jump and decide to live abroad. In The Devil Wears Clogs, Burge takes us through her experiences, the good, the bad, and the ugly, giving women across the states an idea of how that move might go down.
While reading this book invoked some frustration, some sad eyes, and more than a few "Oh no! Don't do that!" from me, there was plenty of humor to ease the moment. Her fun sense of humor really drives the moral of the book home for me. And that is that no matter what you go through in life, you have to keep your heart light and a smile on your face.
A very fun read that I highly recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Having only traveled overseas, I can only daydream about what it must be like to make that jump and decide to live abroad. In The Devil Wears Clogs, Burge takes us through her experiences, the good, the bad, and the ugly, giving women across the states an idea of how that move might go down.
While reading this book invoked some frustration, some sad eyes, and more than a few "Oh no! Don't do that!" from me, there was plenty of humor to ease the moment. Her fun sense of humor really drives the moral of the book home for me. And that is that no matter what you go through in life, you have to keep your heart light and a smile on your face.
A very fun read that I highly recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
September 20, 2017
As someone who lived as an expat in Amsterdam I was hoping to find some common ground with the author in this book, however I really couldn't. She moans a lot about Dutch people and attributes to them characteristics that I really couldn't identify with through my own experiences. She also talks a LOT about work and work-related conflict. It's not very interesting to read about. Also, there are a lot of typos - the book doesn't appear to have been properly proof read. On the plus side, I found it slightly interesting to hear an American expat's view of Europe, albeit quite a negative one. I would have liked to read a bit about the impact of living in a country where cycling is a way of life, but she barely even mentioned it.
September 12, 2016
As the author of this How Not To Live Abroad memoir on corporate travel and politics, I think I'd better love it! If you're interested in what it takes to move your career overseas and be successful, enter here and have some laughs at my expense.
If you need more convincing, check out what my fellow female corporate nomads are saying on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Wears-Clo...
If you need more convincing, check out what my fellow female corporate nomads are saying on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Wears-Clo...
January 28, 2016
What a FANTASTIC piece of nonfiction! I am recommending this book to all my friends and family. It is perfect for anyone (male or female) that is considering living and/or working outside of the United States. I had difficulty putting this book down and cannot wait until the next installment comes out in print. Great job Ms. Jennifer Burge and thank you for sharing your personal experiences, both positive and negative. You allow the reader to really get to know you while providing sage advice.
March 3, 2016
While it was interesting to read her views and experiences and I was glad she ended up happily with her Dutchman, I'm afraid the author reinforces European prejudices by not understanding the basics of European life. Sadly, a lot of the USA has been brought up isolated from the rest of the world so our differences scream out. This book underlines the dichotomy
Want to read
March 2, 2016I won this book in a giveaway. I plan on working abroad someday so I can't wait to read this!
July 17, 2018
Having also worked in multiple countries and continents, as well as an IT consultant working for a top global consulting company, I was happy to run into this book at the library. Finally, someone who had similar experience wrote a book about it. I wanted to hear her stories. But there weren’t much there except lots of complaints and finger pointing. The writing itself seems drones on with no emotional pull. But still worth commending for not being afraid of making changes in her life by writing her first book.
November 2, 2019
Not a bad read. Relatable enough from an expat POV. Needs a better proofreader. Was worried how shallow this would would be when the first words to describe her boyfriend, on 2 separate occasions, was "good looking", but that ended as the book moved along. I'm happy she got to live out her travel dreams, but she also comes across as a "typical American" in some instances, though she sure was dealt some craptacular cards as far as work goes. I'm interested in her second book, albeit hesitantly.
December 22, 2016
Pack your bags and go
Ohio to Holland and beyond.
I loved the book. Since we are in completely different areas of work, some of the technical descriptions were not so interesting to me, but in spite of that I was hooked till the end.
Will definitely read more books by this author.
Ohio to Holland and beyond.
I loved the book. Since we are in completely different areas of work, some of the technical descriptions were not so interesting to me, but in spite of that I was hooked till the end.
Will definitely read more books by this author.
November 22, 2018
Later that afternoon, I walked out the office doors and was hit full force with the smell of cow shit. Den Bosch is not a large city. The outskirts, where our office sat, is surrounded by farmland. As sun eliminated the barrier of frost covering the fields, the overwhelming odor permeated the air. It was the perfect metaphor for my experience thus far in this lovely country called the Netherlands. (180)Oof. I read this for the moving-abroad aspect, but it ends up being a lot of ranting about workplace drama that could happen anywhere, and then complaints about the Dutch doing things differently than the Americans. Which seems to be kind of...missing the point? I don't expect a memoirist to ignore the difficulties of an experience, but The Devil Wears Clogs could have benefitted from a) a lot more distance and b) the willingness to go through and strip some of the bitterness/judgement/cattiness out.
Here is where I made my career-limiting move without knowing it. First is the reason that I already mentioned, no Nederlander wants to be caught dead answering “I don’t know” to a question, ever. This is especially true when the questioner is a subordinate. I also learned later that in Dutch society it is considered a big deal when a person fails or makes a mistake. It’s the opposite in the United States, where we are taught that making a mistake is often how you learn to succeed the next time. (176)
David did most of the talking and was clearly pleased to introduce me, the tall blonde American, as his date. I scanned the room to see what other women wore. I already knew Dutch women do not love dressing up, and that just sitting down to attend to their hair and slight makeup was a chore they disdained, so I wasn’t terribly surprised to see that my dress was much more chic. When several of them openly stared at my fabulous dress, I smiled inside at my tiny victory. (183)
Celebrating Valentine’s Day isn’t common for Europeans. The no-nonsense thrifty Dutch are not whipped into a frenzy by any holiday that requires buying presents, unless it is for children at Sinterklaas. Even then, the celebrations are subdued. In comparison, Americans look materialistic. (165)I don't know, guys. I can take some negativity, but it has to be balanced with at least occasional positivity. Considering how determined she was to stay abroad, there must have been something about Europe (and the Netherlands more specifically) that she liked—certainly I hope so!—but you wouldn't really know it from this. Overall, very much a 'no' book for me.
February 1, 2018
A very readable book about an enthusiastic American girl bumping around Europe, changing jobs and looking for love.
Every American going to work in another country should read it.
Judging by the kind of work does, the author must be exceedingly bright, but she portrays herself as the archetypal American naïve – expecting the whole world to function like it does back home, and being amazed when it doesn’t. However, she does at least have the courage to say grudgingly of herself: ‘you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can never take Ohio out of the girl’.
I felt I wanted to mother her as she struggled through one situation after another. It was as if it was she who was wearing clogs, rather than her Dutch bosses, as she clumped around, always sticking out from the crowd – dressed in the wrong clothes – saying the wrong thing – not picking up the vibes( not even at home with her family). But she paints a very good picture of a peppy, vibrant, albeit insouciant girl who likes to drink a lot, who is doing her best to make her way in the world – and many can identify with that.
She is no Jan Morris, Tim Parks or Bill Bryson, so you get little insight into the character of the nations she’s living in, apart from the most obvious things, but the result is an entertaining read.
Her story is a cautionary tale, and at the same time an inspirational one, as even if at first she bridles at the environment she finds herself in, or refuses to learn the language, in the end she knuckles down and makes the effort. She’s clearly a gutsy girl who refuses to give up, and toils on.
The writing is exemplary. She writes with great verve and fluidity, and with good characterisation. She also never lingers too long on a situation. Above all the book is refreshingly honest, and the author doesn’t spare herself – even when she’s railing against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I found I quickly identified with her, and it wasn’t long before I was cheering for her to succeed.
Every American going to work in another country should read it.
Judging by the kind of work does, the author must be exceedingly bright, but she portrays herself as the archetypal American naïve – expecting the whole world to function like it does back home, and being amazed when it doesn’t. However, she does at least have the courage to say grudgingly of herself: ‘you can take the girl out of Ohio but you can never take Ohio out of the girl’.
I felt I wanted to mother her as she struggled through one situation after another. It was as if it was she who was wearing clogs, rather than her Dutch bosses, as she clumped around, always sticking out from the crowd – dressed in the wrong clothes – saying the wrong thing – not picking up the vibes( not even at home with her family). But she paints a very good picture of a peppy, vibrant, albeit insouciant girl who likes to drink a lot, who is doing her best to make her way in the world – and many can identify with that.
She is no Jan Morris, Tim Parks or Bill Bryson, so you get little insight into the character of the nations she’s living in, apart from the most obvious things, but the result is an entertaining read.
Her story is a cautionary tale, and at the same time an inspirational one, as even if at first she bridles at the environment she finds herself in, or refuses to learn the language, in the end she knuckles down and makes the effort. She’s clearly a gutsy girl who refuses to give up, and toils on.
The writing is exemplary. She writes with great verve and fluidity, and with good characterisation. She also never lingers too long on a situation. Above all the book is refreshingly honest, and the author doesn’t spare herself – even when she’s railing against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I found I quickly identified with her, and it wasn’t long before I was cheering for her to succeed.
July 12, 2016
As an American living in The Netherland for the last 18 years, I think this book was one big Pity Party for the author. There are not that much difference in living and working in the US than here. I have had VERY FEW of the problems she had and lived to smile about them. There were some very good parts of the book when she (the author) was traveling and not moaning....Please be considerate of other's feeling when casting all the whole nation of The Netherlands in one basket!!
August 3, 2016
I wanted to like this book, as a fellow expat American woman working abroad, and some aspects of the book were entertaining. However, I reported more typos and errant words than I could keep track of, which were distracting. I also felt like many observations and descriptions were surface level, without deeper explanation, and the ending felt rushed. As she says about herself in the book, perhaps she isn't used to opening up and it will take some practice.
June 22, 2016
The joys and frustrations of working in Europe and the societal games one must play to fit in. Reinforces that Americans think the world revolves around their mores and other cultures are lesser than. Won this book on Goodreads. http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1...
Read
June 16, 2016Great story but she needs to find a copy editor.
August 13, 2016
A Life I've Always Wanted
A great read and a reflection of the life I've dreamed of living. I loved the descriptions of the personalities and culture.
A great read and a reflection of the life I've dreamed of living. I loved the descriptions of the personalities and culture.
August 31, 2016
Uniquely compelling. The day to day account of living and working overseas is fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews