A brilliant, heartfelt little gem of a response by Ruth V. Reken to an article written on edexpat.com on who a TCK really is. Her response was in order to clear up some misperceptions regarding TCKs as adult “victims” of a global childhood. I’ve never felt like a victim, though I can truly say I identify with the TCK lifestyle and process, both as a child and now as an adult. I was thrilled to learn that Ruth only began journaling at my age (39) to try to discover why certain reactions and behaviors kept repeating themselves when she felt that she had lived such a great life. So I guess it’s never too late! Thanks in part to her work, though, I figured it out a lot sooner. This piece speaks for itself.
April 24, 2011
September 1, 2010
Great guide to interviewing across cultures
“Employment interviews are stressful whenever and wherever they occur. In your own country or culture, it is easier to know what to expect and how to establish credibility. Interviewing in a country other than your own can be an extremely challenging experience.”Pamela Leri, guest columnist to Going Global, lets us in on what you need to be aware of when interviewing in a new culture. Read the article here.
May 7, 2010
Finding happiness as an expat
I want to share a great blog from globalcoachcenter.com, called “7 Habits a Happy Expat”. I love to see a positive take on the expat experience, and here it is.
It’s easy to complain and be negative when things get tough, as they sometimes will. Expat life can be a struggle, but it’s a much richer experience if we can appreciate the rainbow on our way to the pot of gold.
The blog says it much better and in detail, but in one word each, here is what I took away from the 7 wise habits for expat happiness, also called THE WINNING SEVEN™ It has even been made into an online course.
1) Curiosity
2) Acceptance
3) Perspective
4) Opportunities
5) Realism
6) Sharing
7) Avoidance
May 5, 2010
PwC reports an increase in international assignments
An interesting article called “The Changing Needs of a Global Workforce” from www.takingupresidence.com looks at the recent PwC report findings that show international assignments have gone up 25% and will go up a further 50% by 2020. This guarantees that there will be a continued and growing need for an A to Z in relocation services.
An excerpt: “The global workforce will undergo a dramatic change in the way it is sourced, organised, and managed by 2020. Those are the findings presented in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWCs) Talent Mobility 2020 report, part of its Managing tomorrow’s people series. According to the report, an explosion of activity in emerging markets has contributed to the significant increase in the need for companies to move people and talent to various locations around the world.”
To read the report directly, click here.
April 30, 2010
Exploring “Expat Harem”
I just discovered a website called Expat+HAREM, which describes itself as “the global niche”. Well, just the name was intriguing enough to delve into further. It is a creative hub for female writers with cross-cultural experiences to share. Its contributors have some fresh perspectives on what it means to be an expat/traveler/immigrant. The female writers come from all over the world. The site is described as a “Multi-author blog of cultural entertainment inspired by expatriate literature collection Tales from the Expat Harem”. It’s an anthology of stories about the female expat experience in Turkey, edited by Anastasia M. Ashman and Jennifer Eaton Gökmen. If Turkey, expat life, writing or the female experience in foreign lands interests you, check it out!
April 20, 2010
Calculate your cost of living
Here is a great tool for expats. This report provides you with the rank of cost of living indexes as at April 2010 for 282 global locations. The indexes are calculated using the prices for specific quantities of the same goods and services in each location, based on expatriate spending patterns across 13 broad categories (Basket Groups). For more information, articles and tools, go to:
http://www.xpatulator.com/