One of the reasons to love traveling is the opportunity learn – about new cultures, languages and about yourself. You don’t even have to leave your country to be exposed to a different way of life. Moving successfully between cultures, whether locally or far away, requires one thing more than anything else – a desire […]
If our ability to communicate is what defines us as humans, then why aren’t we better at it? If you consider that something as simple as the “V-sign” hand gesture has completely different meanings depending on where you are – it’s a symbol for peace in the USA, while signaling contempt and rudeness in some […]
Any company doing business internationally knows the importance of being able to communicate effectively with its foreign counterparts. Likewise, a business with a multinational workforce needs to ensure that communication within the organization is as clear as can be. Miscommunication on any level can have a direct impact on the end product or result. From […]
Changing schools can be tricky in the best of circumstances and doing so because of an international relocation can complicate matters even more. It’s not just the kids who go to school who have to make adjustments and figure out the new lay of the land; parents do too. With a new school, you have […]
At about halfway through the summer each year, I start noticing newspaper articles discussing the strain vacation puts on couples. The gist of most of these articles is that heightened expectations (that are not well communicated), in combination with spending extended time together without the regular framework of everyday life, exposes communication deficiencies within a […]
As international interactions become ever more vital in the increasingly competitive global workplace, relocation trends are encouraging regarding the current and future growth of expatriate populations. Many of these expats have a family in tow; therefore, companies who invest in providing superior relocation support for entire families will not only have a competitive edge, but […]
This past month has been a month of moving for me. After completing a local move with all that that entails of planning, packing and getting settled in a new place, I turned around and did the same thing about a week later across the planet in Sweden. The second move was far more disorganized […]
As the end of the school year is rapidly approaching, it is time to start thinking about the summer holiday. Many expat families will be packing up and heading back to their native countries during the break. It can be an exciting time that you and your family have been looking forward to for months. […]
For many, the opportunity to live abroad is a dream come true. And really, who wouldn’t be excited about the chance to develop a deeper knowledge about a new culture, its people, traditions and foods. The possibility of exploration is one of the great draws for many expats — it was certainly one of the […]
While the globally mobile workforce tends to report higher rates of satisfaction with their work situation compared to the general population, they also report being less happy when it comes to personal health and wellbeing. In the long-term, employee concerns regarding health, mental health and general wellbeing can have a significant impact on creativity, productivity […]
As adults, so much of how we see ourselves is tied to our professional lives. “What do you do?” is one of the questions we ask when first getting to know someone. When we get that question we typically take it to mean: “what’s your job?” not “what are your interests?” Your profession gives you […]
Vacation time is, in my view, one of the biggest pieces in trying to make the expat life puzzle work. I wonder if it isn’t also one of the least discussed topics pre-departure. I know for a fact it was for me – I hadn’t given it a single thought before following my husband as […]