With multiple moves came complex feelings of unexpressed loss and powerlessness, and a history that vanished. Our feelings were deemed insignificant, yet each move changed the trajectory of our lives.

The Newcomer’s Dictionary is an A to Z of words that explore aspects of relocating. Whether you have moved or are considering a move, this dictionary will help to identify and describe the experience of being a newcomer.

Filtered through Joyce Agee’s memories and illustrated by her sister, Ellen Agee, this book identifies the often hidden and complex feelings that can be experienced by newcomers – whether first-time, seasoned or expatriate – as they relocate to a new suburb, city or country.

Now an Australian citizen, in writing this book Joyce has brought together the experiences of a nomadic expat with those of a newcomer child. She reflects on how her life has been impacted by the family’s frequent moves while she was growing up. Books, television programs and films were to become an emotional lifeline for the two sisters, giving them a sense of stability and continuity when everything else around them was constantly changing.

The Newcomer’s Dictionary also explores how language, which evolves over time and across cultures, influences our perception of newcomers. It describes the newcomer identity, experiences and emotions – above all the feelings of being an outsider and the need to belong.