In 2025, after several friends encouraged me to read it, I finally bought On my Way by Mahvish Ahmed. I had already been following Mahvish Ahmed on Instagram, and I resonated deeply with her life as a Pakistani woman living in Europe.
There was something about her journey that felt familiar.
Like me, she had moved from Pakistan to Switzerland. At the time, she was living in Schaffhausen. I was in Zürich. Different cities, same country, similar emotions.
Experiencing expat motherhood in Switzerland, I often found myself relating to the small details she shared online about Swiss culture, Dutch influences, and raising children between identities.
So when my friends suggested Mahvish’s book On my Way, I knew it was time.
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You can find the book here if you’d like to read it yourself.
If you’ve read my reflection on Cycle Breaker by Maryam Munir, you’ll know how deeply stories of motherhood and healing resonate with me.
Reading It During My Prague Vacation
Reading On My Way by Mahvish Ahmed during our Prague vacation gave me a unique perspective on expat motherhood and navigating life between cultures.
What I expected to be a slow, contained read turned into something else entirely. I finished it in less than a week because I simply could not put it down.
It was an expat motherhood memoir. And it felt personal.
Expat Life in Switzerland: The Beauty and the Isolation
Moving to Switzerland as an expat mother can feel like stepping into a postcard. But beneath that beauty, many expat mothers quietly experience identity struggles, loneliness, and cultural displacement.
Her reflections on adjusting to life in Switzerland brought me back to my own early years here. The silence. The unfamiliar systems. The pressure to integrate while still holding onto who I was.
She described raising two children in what once felt like an alien country. I remembered my own struggles navigating motherhood abroad without the “village” many of us grew up with.
Postpartum Experiences Abroad
When she spoke about experiencing postpartum difficulties, I was immediately transported back to my own postpartum depression journey after my first child.
Postpartum depression as an expat mother feels different.
You are already far from home.
You are already navigating language, culture, and belonging.
And then motherhood reshapes you entirely.
She was in Schaffhausen.
I was in Zürich.
Different cities. Same emotional terrain.
Identity and Belonging in Multicultural Families
As someone married into a half Pakistani, half Dutch family, multicultural life is my everyday reality. Every year, we spend time in the Netherlands with my Dutch in-laws.
The cultural blending. The language shifts. The food. The traditions.
When Mahvish mentioned Dutch and Swiss nuances in her writing and online reflections, I almost always found myself nodding. That quiet recognition matters.
One of the most powerful themes in her story is identity. How do you build a home in Switzerland without losing your cultural roots? How do you raise children who feel secure in multiple identities?
This is something many multicultural and expat families wrestle with.
Reading her reflections reminded me that the tension between belonging and identity is not a weakness. It is part of the expat journey.
Rotterdam, Halal Food, and Shared Spaces
Mahvish now lives in Rotterdam. We often visit Rotterdam because of the incredible halal food options there.
And every time we go, I think of her.
Sometimes I wonder whether one day our paths will cross in a café or a grocery store.
But even if they do not, her story has already met me where I needed it to.
Why This Book Matters for Expat Mothers
If you are:
- A Pakistani expat in Switzerland
- A Muslim mother raising children abroad
- Navigating postpartum in a foreign country
- Part of a multicultural marriage
- Struggling with identity and belonging
This kind of story feels like a lifeline.
Some books educate you.
Some books entertain you.
And some books make you feel seen.
For me, this was the kind that held up a mirror.
And sometimes, feeling less alone is the beginning of healing. If this story resonates with you, you can read the memoir here.
You can explore more books that shaped my parenting and healing journey in my Parent Library.
Frequently Asked Questions About On my Way by Mahvish Ahmed
Is On My Way a true story?
Yes, it’s Mahvish Ahmed’s memoir about her experiences as a Pakistani mother living in Europe.
Does the book cover expat motherhood?
Yes, it explores identity, belonging, and raising children across cultures.
Are postpartum experiences discussed?
Yes, the memoir reflects the emotional realities of motherhood abroad, including postpartum challenges.
