"Do your family dinners happen in more than one language? Do you celebrate Christmas and Eid? Do you and your family feel at home in more than one country? If so, then you may be a MOLA Family and yes, this multicultural, multilingual, mobile life can get a little ‘messy.’"

These are the words that describe Pakistan-born Mariam Ottomofiore's brilliant book This Messy Mobile Life. Mariam is a writer, researcher and expatriate family specialist who grew up and lived in nine countries. Her husband is German/Italian and together they have raised their children in Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She's also a brilliant friend of mine.

Raw, honest, inspiring and uplifting, This Messy Mobile Life comprises personal reflection, expert advice and survey research to help you take your global family from an international mess to her concept of a 'mola'.

In this episode of the In Conversation with Jo Parfitt podcast, we talk about how she built an impressive international team of experts to lend her book authority – and thereby turn herself into an expert too.