Of course it’s difficult to plan for every eventuality as we have no idea of the cards we’re going t

Every expat everywhere in the world must have been able to sympathise with football virtual tours of star princess cruise coach Diega Maradona this week as he made a frantic flight from Dubai to Argentina virtual tours of star princess cruise to see his dying mother. Sadly, he was too late, and she passed away without seeing her son.
While most people are uncomfortably aware of their parents' mortality, it's a topic that's of particular concern to expats. Many of us have left elderly parents in our home countries. I'm sure I'm not the only one who jumps in fright when the phone rings in the middle of the night, wondering if it's "that call" from overseas.
On top of the common concerns virtual tours of star princess cruise everyone has about losing a parent, expats have specific, extra worries. virtual tours of star princess cruise What if there's a terminal illness that requires us to return for months on end? And, in the case of a sudden illness or deterioration, virtual tours of star princess cruise will we get enough notice to fly home for our last goodbyes? virtual tours of star princess cruise Will we be able to get away from work, arrange care for children, and get onto a flight?
For how long will we have to be away? How guilty will we feel if our parents die alone because we chose to live overseas? How guilty will we feel if time and distance mean we can't get to the funeral? How selfish do we feel if we're secretly glad that we're not there for the funeral?
Of course it's difficult to plan for every eventuality virtual tours of star princess cruise as we have no idea of the cards we're going to be dealt. But there are ways we can prepare ourselves a little. virtual tours of star princess cruise Expats I've spoken to have said their regrets centre more on how they behaved before a parent's death than after.
They wish they'd virtual tours of star princess cruise phoned their parents more often; they wish they'd let the children get to know their grandparents more on Skype; they wish they'd made more spontaneous trips home; or they wish they'd virtual tours of star princess cruise gone home to nurse parents through a terminal illness. These things, for many, matter more than actually virtual tours of star princess cruise being physically present at a funeral.
In terms of practical help, you probably already know that airlines offer "bereavement fares". While these may not be the cheapest tickets on the market, they offer a discount from the full fare, guarantee you a seat on the flight, are fully flexible and can be booked right up until departure time.  There are different types depending on whether you're travelling for imminent death or for a funeral, and most airlines will insist on proof before granting the fare. For more on bereavement fares, click here .
Annabel Kantaria is a journalist who moved to Dubai long before most people knew where it was. She doesn't ride a camel to work; has never seen a gold-plated golf buggy and only rarely has pink champagne for breakfast. Follow her on Twitter: @BellaKay
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