A Thank You, A Holiday Wish, A Laptop-Free Vacation & Adieu Until 2010!

Hi Everyone, I am signing out for a much-needed, laptop-free (yes!) vacation until January and I would like to wholeheartedly thank all of you for your support and readership this year. I hope that whatever you do over this holiday season, you take time out for just you - to reflect on 2009 and to dream big for the year ahead. :-)

Don't think you can 'turn off' these holidays to give yourself time to relax and reflect? Well, that's normally how I think too... but my husband and I have bitten the bullet this year and decided that we will detox (yes, sad that it's come to this) completely and not take even one laptop on vacation with us this year... and if a family (of 2 adults and 2 small children) that usually has 7 (!) laptops in the house can do it... anyone can.

A side-effect of this brave experiment, is that I have proved to myself that achieving bold goals is possible if you commit to them. I never would have thought it would be possible to finish all of my critical, monthly tasks two weeks earlier than normal. But, I've done it - and it feels so fantastic that I'm starting to think about setting some wildly bold goals for next year as well.

Maybe you should join me and set (and commit to) some bold goals for 2010 too? It's going to be a new decade: a new chance to shine and achieve more than you ever did before. Think about it. :-)

Warmest wishes for the holidays.

I look forward to seeing you again in 2010!

Andrea. x

Registrations Now Open For Globe Women Summit in Beijing, China, May 20-22, 2010

Hi Everyone, A quick shout-out for the Globe Women Summit coming up in May 2010.

"The 2010 Summit theme 'Women at the Forefront of Change' illustrates our cause for celebration as the Summit enters the next decade of the leadership role that women are playing in addressing the critical issues that women—and men—face worldwide. The Summit will feature women who have led best practices and policies, which are improving women’s economic status worldwide.

Please note that we are limiting participants to 1,000 at the 2010 Summit and we expect to reach full capacity far in advance of the Summit opening so we encourage you to register early."

The Summit will take place at the Marriott City Wall Hotel in Beijing, China.

Registrations are now open and you can learn more online here.

2010 Families In Global Transition Conference Sessions Announced

Hi Everyone, What a fantastic Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conference the Board has lined up for March 4-6 in Houston next year! The conference sessions have just been announced and we've summarised them for you here:

Plenary Sessions

Encouraging the Courage of Children, Robert Ivany

Whether we serve in the corporate, non profit or military fields, relocating our families remains the largest single challenge for most professionals. With the hindsight of 24 moves in 34 years and the experience of school systems ranging from parochial to international, private to public, the Ivany family has benefitted from diverse communities. In order to reap the advantages on a global environment and a nomadic lifestyle, however, a significant amount of preparation is essential. Dr. Ivany and his lovely wife, Marianne, will share antidotes and insights into the joy and challenge of raising four children in unique surroundings. They believe that a positive attitude, love for each other and an appreciation of the national culture can combine to create mature, young adults ready to face the changes of the modern world.

ATCK: And Then Came Kate, Apple Gidley

Apple Gidley's closing keynote address will discuss the many transitions that have been a part of her life: from multiple school changes and finally boarding school; to segueing from expat brat to expat wife and expat mother; to finding fulfilling roles both in the voluntary and commercial sector. It will discuss how twenty-six relocations throughout twelve countries have intrinsically given her a deep awareness, and understanding, of many cultures. Apple will also talk briefly about the attitudes encountered along the way of expatriates, their sponsoring organizations, and the host countries. Recognition of expat terminology is becoming more widely accepted in the HR world, and with it a greater understanding of what a global upbringing can bring to the workforce. These and other relevant issues will be touched on, with Apple drawing on her many experiences to highlight certain points.

Cross Sector Panel: "Learning Across Sectors"
Three veteran FIGT participants will make up this panel that will share practices learned from their colleagues in different sectors. A lively interaction will take place among panel members as they share examples of adapting practices learned from the experiences of others' sector successes or failures. The audience will be challenged to continue the conversation at their own table and throughout the conference.

Teen/Parent Panel: "Relative Distance"Moderator: Lois J. Bushong
Teens and their parents will discuss in a lively and interactive manner some of the challenges of being internationally mobile. Our format will highlight the ways perceptions can vary between teens and parents and within families who have purportedly witnessed the same events. It will be entertaining to see how the perceptions vary between the teen and their parent, hence the distance - emotional as well as geographical.

Concurrent Sessions

• The Multicultural Self in the Intercultural World, Janet Bennett
• Transitions and Work: Your Relocation, Reinvention, and Resilience as an Accompanying Spouse or Partner, Jennifer Bradley
• Global Nomadic Leaders (ATCKs): Tomorrow's Leaders in a Global World, Katrina Burrus
• Emotional Intelligence: Key to Successful Cultural Adaptation, Laura Celis Black
• The Impact of Expatriation on Children, Simone Torres Costa Eriksson
• Global Mobility Programs & Trends, Sarah De Hayes
• Business Plan: "The Path Forward", Deniz Demirors
• Challenge to Fulfillment: Midlife Transition for Accompanying Spouses and Partners, Diane Endo
• Expat Finances: Considerations for an Overseas Assignment, Andrew Fisher
• Crossing Oceans and Borders: Take Your School With You, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier
• The Expat Experience through the Arts, Alaine Handa
• The Positive & Negative Impact of Technology & Social Networking on Expat Family Life, Anne-Claude Lambelet, Michelle Sandlin and Leslie Sjurseth
• Transition Saturation© Kids Struggling in Deep Waters: Too Many Changes/Too Few Adaptive Skills, Linda Maguire
• Helping People Through: The Gap…Between Two Worlds, Kevin McNulty
• Just Another Expat? Insights and Strategies of Female Minority Expatriates, Kendra Mirasol and Charisse Kosova
• Cross-Cultural Coaching: Tools for Successful Cultural Adjustment, Andrew L. Miser & Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse
• Coaching Expatriates/Repatriates for Improved Transitions, Colleen Mizuki
• Top 5 Uncommon International Job Search Strategies for Spouses/Partners, Susan Musich
• Out of the Boxes, Jo Parfitt
• Writing and Publishing a Book 101, Jo Parfitt
• Choosing a School for an Expat Child: A How-To Guide for Parents and Sending Agencies, Liz Perelstein and Laila Plamondon
• Supporting Spouses /Partners and Families: The Recipe for Success, Yvonne Quahe, Anne Folliet and Catherine Mathieu
• International Schools' Policies and Programs Supporting the International Student - 2009 Survey Results, Mary Rabbitt and Elizabeth Sawyer
• Keeping Our Children Bilingual, Virginie Raguenaud
• Exploring Multiculturalism and Identity in Children's Literature, Laura Sicola
• Re-occurring Cycle or Full Speed Ahead? - Should Families Return "Home" between Assignments?, Julia L. Simens
• Home is Where the Heart Is? Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse
• Purposeful Leadership: Using your Global Experience to Lead from Within, Sandy Thomas
• Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally: Helping School Educators Understand the Third Culture Kid Experience, Ruth Van Reken
• Military Families: Understanding and Bridging the Parent-Child Cultural Divide, Mary Edwards Wertsch

Cracker Barrels

• Outcomes of a Summer Program for Gifted Student, Tatiana Behrmann
• Global Mobility Talent Management - Expat Coaching, Sarah De Hayes
• 10 Things to Know Before Starting Your Own Business, Deniz Demirors
• Ensuring Educational Continuity: Tips for Families Who Experience Multiple International Relocations, Heather Dickmeyer
• Optimizing Repatriation - Positive Experiences of Going Home, Madeleine Dobson
• From Third Culture Kids to Geographical Itinerancy, Deniz Gyger Gaspoz
• 10 Things You Should Know Before Choosing A Distance Learning Program, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier
• A Short Screening of "I am a TCK", Alaine Handa
• Are Missionary Kids (MKs) Less Religious Than the American Public? Nancy Henderson-James
• Awesome Leadership Opportunities for Youth! Tonya Kay King
• How International Schools Can Support Students' Native-Language Needs, Andrew Kittell
• Using your MBTI Score to Help You Plan for a Successful Integration, Anne-Claude Lambelet
• 10 Considerations When Sending Minority Women Abroad, Kendra Mirasol and Charisse Kosova
• Learning, Changing and Growing…Inside The Gap Between Two Worlds, Kevin McNulty
• The Coaches Corner, Andrew L. Miser
• Social Networking Strategies for Spouses on an International Job Search, Susan Musich
• Building Beneficial TCK Communities, Darci Nealeigh and Candy Hart
• Choosing a School for an Expat Child: A How-To Guide for Parents and Sending Agencies, Liz Perelstein and Laila Plamondon
• Top 10 Issues of TCKs Repatriating for University, Tina Quick and Julia L. Simens
• Multicultural Children's Literature, Laura Sicola
• Moving for Love? Be Sure to Pack These Quick Tips, Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse
• Learn the ABC's of Resilience to Master the Hard Days, Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse
• Understanding our Attachment Needs: Tips to Boost Emotional Resilience, Laura Stephens
  Positioning your Corporation as a Leader in Expatriate Community Support, Thomas Speckhardt and Caitlin Morse
• Births Abroad: Practical Tips for Service Providers Working with Growing Global Families, Marian Valia
• Culturally Complicated Childhoods: A Bane or Blessing? Ruth E. Van Reken
• Belonging: Impossible Dream? Mary Edwards Wertsch
• Quiet Space and Reflection, Lois J. Bushong
• Researchers' Forum, Becky Powell and Ann Baker Cottrell
• Cost-Effective Approaches to Supporting the Expatriate FamilyPresented by a group of FIGT Leaders
• TCKs Repatriating for University:Confronting the Challenges and Building Communities, Tina Quick, Darci Nealeigh, and Candy Hart
• "Portable Stability"© for Families in Turbulent TimesLifeboats & Lifelines to Secure Families & Strengthen Organizations, Joyce Blake and Linda Maguire
• Cross-cultural Coaching: Tools for Successful Cultural Adjustment, Andrew Miser and Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse

Click Here to learn more about attending the 2010 Families in Global Transition conference in Houston, Texas. Conference fees range from only US$350 - US$750.

I'm a big supporter of FIGT, having loved the two conferences I have attended. The sessions are great, but it is the people that you meet that truly make the event memorable. If you have never gone, but would like to go... maybe 2010 is your year.... Think about it.

Enjoy your day/evening! Andrea.

Six Reasons Why Americans Living Abroad Need To Keep Their Investments Onshore And In The United States*

Hi Everyone, David Kuenzi, CFP® from Thun Financial Advisors has kindly contributed the following article for our American followers:

Six Reasons Why Americans Living Abroad Need To Keep Their Investments Onshore And In The United States*

If you are American and deciding about financial mattters, you might like to take a read of David's article, in which he talks about fees, commissions, the IRS, children's education, retirement accounts, financial planning, taxes, record-keeping, security and more.

We also have a range of other money articles for expats on our Money Matters section, so American or not, if you are concerned about your expat finances you might like to check out our Money Matters section. Thanks.

* This article was voluntarily contributed by David Kuenzi, CFP® for the interests of our audience. It does not necessarily reflect the views of ExpatWomen.com. Individuals should always seek their own financial counsel (tailored to their individual circumstances) before making decisions about their finances.

ExpatFinder.com & 3D Mirror World Twinity Create First Expat Virtual Relocation Service

Hi Everyone, Our friends at Expat Finder last week announced that they have partnered with Twinity to launch what they are calling the first supportive virtual world relocation service to help expats and relocating individuals prior to, or during, their relocation abroad.

They are starting out with Berlin, and free guided expat relocation tours of Berlin are being offered every Wednesday at 2pm GMT 1. (Berlin: 2pm; New York: 8am ; Singapore: 9pm)

"Those considering to move to real Berlin can now join free pre-arrival tours and expat meet ups organized in a designated area of its virtual counterpart. From a home or office computer, expats and their families can download a free guide, meet at a personal guided tour and get an idea of the layout of the city, the distances involved and the amenities in the new location before they arrive. With Twinity expats can become acquainted with local networking groups and community meet-ups prior to arrival.

Pre-arrival tours of host destinations are already an established relocation tool and popular with expats and their families as a means of familiarizing themselves with their new location, but the partnership offers the chance to get a feel for a city or neighborhood without leaving home. Expats, their employers, service providers and local companies all have something to gain from the true to scale virtual world experience. "

Visit now to download Twinity and join the virtual world and/or download your free (and very good, I might add) Berlin Expat City Guide. Best wishes, Andrea.

Expats: Will Your Kindle Work Abroad?

Hi Everyone, I visited Mary Mimouna's Expat Abroad blog last week and read her interesting post about which countries support Amazon's Kindle.

Now, I could go to Amazon and find the link with this information as well, but I always think that if a blogger is clever enough to construct a useful blog post, they should get a shout-out about it.

So if you are thinking of buying a Kindle, drop by Mary's site to see if an Amazon Kindle will work in your expat location. :-)

Expat Infidelity Support Group

Hi Everyone, An ex-expat wife has set up a Yahoo group to connect with (and encourage mutual support and encouragement to) those dealing with expat infidelity issues. If you would like to join, here is the link to the expat infidelity support group. Thanks.

Expat Women December Newsletter

Hi Everyone, If you are an Expat Women member and you did not receive this week our Newsletter for December 2009, please let us know here. If you have not signed up yet, please do so.

What's in the newsletter this month? Well, in addition to our December Expat Women Home Page features, our newsletter includes:

• The name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner;
• Our winning story by Expat Women member Serena in Mexico, Expat Paranoia Syndrome; and
• Our free E-Book of our site's winning readers' stories, from February 2007 to December 2009 inclusive.

Looking forward, we are always interested in receiving quality contributions to our newsletter. If you are interested in contributing, please send your article (or a detailed outline of your ideas) here.

Finally, if you still need to send holiday cards, please check out one of this month's newsletter advertisers, Silver Line Ink, who will print and mail them for you!

Many thanks and enjoy your day/evening! Andrea

Expat Women December Home Page

***** If you are on Twitter, please Tweet this for us. Thanks! *****

Hi Everyone, We have just uploaded our Expat Women December home page and we invite you to take a look at our new features:

Success Story
Michelle Greene
Johnson Controls
Michelle Greene is the IT Director at Johnson Controls. She has also been honored as one of the Most Important Blacks in Technology (MIBiT). Michelle shares with us her career advice and talks about how her assignment in Sweden helped to get her to where she is today...
Read more…

Business Idea
Events & Company
Rachel Kaplan
Rachel Kaplan is an expat woman in France who has tremendous energy and business nous. She oversees five successful businesses specializing in customized tours, events and concierge services. She has hosted Hollywood celebrities, a former US President and more...
Read more…

26 Travel Tips
Making Friends On The Road
Evelyn Hannon
Evelyn's travel website, JourneyWoman.com, connects 67,500 women in 128 countries around the world. Evelyn kindly shares with us her top 26 tips for traveling solo, so you can make plenty of friends on the open road...
Read more…

Career Help Abroad
Finding Professional Career Help Abroad (For Accompanying Spouses)
Jennifer Bradley
You have arrived in your new location and the whirlwind of moving is starting to settle. Now your thoughts can turn to some of the issues that you have had to shelve while you addressed other urgent issues, such as "What about my career?"...
Read more…

Global Nomads & College
A Global Nomad's Guide To College Applications
Kristina Dooley
Families whose children have spent their school-age years living abroad can often reach a state of frustration or panic when embarking on the college application process. Questions abound such as: "Will my child's transcripts make sense to the admissions committee?", "Will they understand why my son has not completed the full IB diploma?", or "Will the fact that my daughter has not been a club president be viewed negatively?"...
Read more…

Expat Women Confession
Special Needs Children
Expat Women Girlfriend
We are considering taking on an expatriate posting. My question is about special needs education. We have two young children: our 4 year old has dyslexia and the youngest, 2½, has just been diagnosed with autism. I am torn with guilt between wanting to go abroad and jeopardising our children’s education. Is it unrealistic for us to consider an expat posting...
Read more…

Not A Member Yet?
Just a reminder that our blog is separate from our main site, so if you are only subscribed to our blog, you will not automatically receive our ExpatWomen.com monthly newsletters.

To receive our newsletters and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing's Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site, ExpatWomen.com.

Note: In this month's newsletter, we will also be giving away our free, updated E-Book which compiles our winning stories from February 2007 to December 2009. So, join today. :-)

Thank you very much and we wish you a fabulous day/evening! Andrea

Julie & Julia: The Movie For Expat Women

Hi Everyone, If ever there was a movie that expat women could relate to, I think Julie & Julia might just be it. Aside from it being a delightful way to spend your afternoon, this movie has just the right ingredients (pardon the pun) for anyone who has ever:

* Trailled their partner abroad

* Come up with crazy ideas to keep active/fulfilled abroad

* Been in a boring day job

* Started a project that seemed impossible

* Considered themselves a wannabe-chef

* Started a blog and hoped people would read it

* Struggled to figure out their place and passion(s) in life

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here's the background from Wikipedia:

"Julie & Julia is a drama comedy film written and directed by Nora Ephron. The film depicts events in the life of chef Julia Child in the early years in her culinary career, contrasting her life with Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook during a single year.

Ephron's screenplay is adapted from two books: My Life in France, Child's autobiography, written with Alex Prud'homme, and a memoir by Julie Powell. In August 2002, Powell started documenting online her daily experiences cooking each of the 524 recipes in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she later began reworking that blog, The Julie/Julia Project.[2] Both of these books were written and published in the same time frame of 2004 to 2006. The film is the first major motion picture based on a blog.[3]

Ephron began filming Julie & Julia in March 2008. Meryl Streep portrays Julia Child, and Amy Adams appears as Julie Powell. The film officially premiered on July 30, 2009 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City and opened throughout North America on August 7, 2009.[4]"

Click here to watch the Julie & Julia trailer and/or click here to read Julie Powell's blog. I highly recommend it.

Enjoy the movie and enjoy your week! Andrea

Fifty Percent Of New Expats Leave China Early

Hi Everyone, There was an interesting article of this title by Lara Farrar in the China Daily/Asia News Network recently. It starts...

"Almost half of new expatriates leave China early because they have difficulty adjusting to the lifestyle, a consultancy firm said.

China Transition Institute (CTI) president David Israel-Rosen said most foreigners are unprepared for what life will be like when they arrive in China. "It is moving from the West to the East," he said. "It is not like moving from Chicago to Denver."

"If you look at the literature, between 30 percent and 50 percent of expats go home early. The failure rates are astonishing."

Alan Kahn, vice president of marketing and communications for United Family Healthcare, said identity loss and depression are more widespread than many people realize.

"These are very real issues and they do have a significant impact," Kahn said. "It is very hard to ever fit in fully and that can cause lots of serious problems," he said."

Click here to read more.

Deadline Reminder - 30 November: Scholarship Applications Due For IE Business School

Hi Everyone, If you have thought about enquiring and/or applying for the four half-scholarships that the IE Business School is offering to qualified women in our expat women network... you only have just over one week left to do so, as the deadline for applications is 30 November 2009.

To learn (or refresh your memory) about this fantastic opportunity, please read (or re-read) our previous blog post for further details.

Then if you are both interested and qualified, please contact Yvonne Sanchez, their Associate Director of Top Management Programs.

Thank you and good luck!

Researcher In The UK Looking For Expatriate Survey Participants

Hi Everyone, Another research request today... This time for Bruno Arba who is studying International Human Resources Management at the London South Bank University.

Bruno's dissertation is about the management of expatriates and expatriate family issues by MNCs. He is looking for expats who can spare 10-15 minutes to complete his 2-page (Microsoft Word document) questionnaire. If you can help, please kindly request the survey documents directly from Bruno here.

Completed surveys need to be submitted by 30 November. Thanks.

Expat Mini-Survey For Trailing Spouses

Hi Everyone, Job and Career Transition coach Jennifer Bradley, Ph.D. is seeking input for her presentation for the upcoming Families in Global Transition Conference in March 2010.

If you are a trailing spouse (accompanying partner), have 5-10 minutes to spare and would like to help Jennifer by completing her quick, online survey about your experiences abroad, please click here or email Jennifer directly if you have questions. Thanks.

2009 Winners: The Stevie Awards For Women In Business

Hi Everyone, If you are looking for a motivational kick-start to your week, check out the newly-announced winners of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Jump onto the websites of the women that spike your interest, and whallah... get inspired by some fantastic women.

Have a sensational week, Andrea.

Global Giving's "Give More - Get More Challenge"

Hi Everyone, It's our pleasure to give a shout-out again this year to Global Giving - a wonderful site making it relatively easy for needy projects to promote themselves to donors, and for donations (large and small) to reach needy projects around the world.

Right now, Global Giving have a "Give More - Get More Challenge" that runs through December 1. Donate to your favorite projects - the more they raise, the more matching funds they can earn. Projects that raise the most money, or get the most donations, can win bonus funding as well.

"GlobalGiving is changing the way people give, offering donors a transparent, high-impact giving experience. You choose where you want your money to go, and we get it there, quickly and efficiently. Locally-run projects with creative ideas that would never be funded through traditional structures also have access to new sources of funds. And finally, we make sure donors get feedback about how their contributions have been put to work and the results achieved - with satisfaction guaranteed through the GlobalGiving Guarantee."

And if you find it all a little overwhelming, Paula Lucas (a previous success story interviewee on our main Expat Women site) would gladly welcome any donation you could make to the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center via the Global Giving program.

Thanks and have a wonderful day/evening! Andrea

Expat Women November Newsletter

Hi Everyone, If you are a member of our main site, ExpatWomen.com, and you did not receive our newsletter for November 2009 this week, please let us know here. If you have not signed up to Expat Women yet, please do so now. Your support really does make a difference when we are trying to raise money from sponsors and advertisers to keep Expat Women growing strong.

November Newsletter

In addition to our home page features, our newsletter includes:

• The name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner;
• Our winning story Round and Round It Goes...Which Country Nobody Knows, from Liz - an American in Spain; as well as
• The names of our two lucky winners in Malaysia who signed up at the KL expo last month.

Article Contributions

If you would like to contribute an article for potential inclusion on our site and/or in our newsletter, please send us your new, original, 1000-word, quality article for us to review, anytime.

Story Submissions

Our Read The Stories section of ExpatWomen.com is one of the most-read sections of our site, but we are always in need of more quality stories from wonderful women like you. Please consider helping us by submitting a story. Story guidelines are available here.

Thank You

Thank you very, very much Everyone! Andrea

Goodhealth Worldwide is now Aetna Global Benefits

Hi Everyone, You may have noticed a new name on our site today: Aetna Global Benefits. This is in fact our loyal Gold Sponsor, Goodhealth Worldwide, but with a new name. Aetna Global Benefits took over Goodhealth Worldwide a little while ago and the rebranding has just taken place.

"Aetna Global Benefits (AGB) is a specialist provider of international health insurance for expatriates. We offer a full range of worldwide health insurance plans and whether you are looking for individual, family, group or company cover, we have an international medical insurance plan to suit your requirements. Aetna Global Benefits makes sure you have access to the finest medical facilities worldwide, enabling you to obtain the best possible treatment whenever and wherever you need it.

As experienced specialists in international health insurance, we understand that, living abroad, expatriates require comprehensive worldwide medical insurance. Our international travel medical insurance plans ensure you are not faced with large medical bills, and provide a valuable range of additional international healthcare services."

The good news is that Aetna Global Benefits is still proudly supporting Expat Women! So in return, if you need international health insurance, please consider supporting Aetna by making an enquiry and/or receiving a personal quote today.

Thank you muchly, Andrea.

Can You Help? Passport Career Is Still Looking For Short-Term Researchers

Hi Everyone, It's been a couple of months since we last updated you on PassportCareer's search for short-term researchers. If you can help in any of the following locations, please do so...

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Comoros Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, French Guiana, Georgia, Guyana, Honduras, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Montenegro, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, South Africa (Cape Town), Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay and Zimbabwe.

Or, if you are in the United States, they are looking for researchers in the following (old and new) locations:

Albuquerque, NM; Baltimore, MD; Buffalo, NY; Charlotte, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Detroit, MI; Fairfield, Stamford, Norwalk, CT; Hartford, CT; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Little Rock, AR; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Milwaukee, WI; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; Tulsa & Oklahoma City, OK; Orlando, FL; Palo Alto, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Richmond, VA; Rochester, NY; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; San Jose, CA; St. Louis, MO; and Wilmington, DE.

If you think you might be able to help by completing a short-term research project for one of the locations above, please read this previous blog post (important), then please urgently email Passport Career's founder Susan Musich

Please feel free to pass this around to any other contacts that you have who might (also) be able to help. Many thanks... and good luck!

Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities 2010

Hello once more, If you're looking for holiday destinations next year, take a look at Lonely Planet's list of their Top 10 Cities for 2010.

If you are too busy, you can scan the summary here, but the Lonely Planet list shows beautiful images and explanations that are much more enticing the humble list below...

1. Cuenca, Ecuador;
2. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
3. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates;
4. Kyoto, Japan;
5. Lecce, Italy;
6. Cork, Ireland;
7. Singapore;
8. Vancouver, Canada;
9. Istanbul, Turkey; and
10. Charleston, United States of America.

Happy vacation planning! Andrea

Hola Mexico Film Festival: Australia

Hello Everyone, A quick mention of the Hola Mexican Film Festival this year in Australia, which is supporting Misión México - which is the orphanage in Mexico that one of our previous Success Story women, Pamela Skuse, so selflessly runs with her husband, Alan.

Opening night in Australia is Wednesday 18 November in Sydney at Dendy Opera Quays. To find out the tour dates for other Australian cities and to see the program, please click here.

How To Be A Global Grandparent

Hello again, Many months ago I was sent a review copy of the new book How To Be A Global Grandparent: Living With The Separation, by Anne Huscroft and Peter Gosling.

Finally, I had a chance to read through this book last week and I would like to recommend it to any new grandparents out there who have not been expats themselves and who are simultaneously trying to understand both the world of grandparenting and the expat world that their children now live in.

For grandparents new to emails and the internet, this book also walks readers through how to use each of these online technologies, in an effort to encourage grandparents to keep up communication from afar, in a way that fits into their children's busy lives.

Permits Foundation Looking For More Company Support From CEOs in India

Hi Everyone, Last week I finally had the pleasure of meeting Kathleen Van Der Wilk and her colleague Francoise van Roosmalen from the Permits Foundation.

Kathleen and Francoise are currently in need of more CEOs and local MDs in India to co-sign the executive summary they wish to present to the Indian authorities, with regards to the issue of employment visas for accompanying spouses, to demonstrate a wide basis of support among companies operating in India.

Do you know someone who could help? If yes, please urgently email Kathleen and Francoise. Many thanks.

Expatriate Research Survey: Looking For UK Repatriates

Hi Everyone, Claire Hardy (Doctoral Researcher at the University of Nottingham) is looking to contact UK employees and their spouses who have returned from an expat assignment of 12 months or more (even if they have subsequently left UK shores again).

If you can help, or know someone who can, here are the 20 minute online anonymous survey links:
Survey link for assignees
Survey link for accompanying spouses/partners

If you have any questions, please email Claire or contact her via LinkedIn. Thanks.

W.I.N. Mobilizing Women Event, Istanbul, Turkey

Hi Everyone, The wonderful women at W.I.N. (Women's International Networking) invite you to come, be inspired and join influential thinkers and experts from business, entrepreneurship and academia meeting in Istanbul to address the future of women and business.

The program features presentations by:

• Prof. Dr. Sirin Tekinay, Vice Rector of Özyegin University
• Kristin Engvig, CEO of W.I.N.
• Selma Aliye Kavaf, Secretary of State for Women and Family Affairs

Plus a panel of exceptional women speaking on “The Role of Women in Global Economy and Competition”:

• Moderator – Prof. Dr. Erhan Erkut, Rector of Özyegin University
• Ümran Beba, President of South East Europe Region of PepsiCo
• Ebru Çerezci, Winner of "Woman Entrepreneur of the Year" Award by Garanti Bank and Ekonomist
• Arzu Kaprol, Fashion Designer
• Gülseren Onanç, President of Woman Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, KAGIDER

Date: Friday 11 December

Time: 13.00-17.30

Venue: Özyegin University, Auditorium 2, Kusbakisi Caddesi 2, Altunizade 34662, Istanbul, Turkey

Cost: Free, but registration essential.

More Information: Please email W.I.N. or call +41(0)21 6120354.

Chicago Residents: Job Opportunity at IOR Global Services

Hi Everyone, IOR Global Services is looking for a new Global Relocation Coordinator in the Greater Chicago Area.

"The Global Relocation Coordinator is responsible for serving IOR's client base by coordinating cultural training and destination services programs from authorization to completion, ensuring client satisfaction along the way. This client services professional interacts with destination services consultants, cultural and business consultants, cultural trainers, client human resource contacts, and IOR team members to deliver outstanding expatriate support programs. The individual provides excellent administrative support to all participants in IOR’s programs. This position reports directly to the Director of Client Services. (Local candidates only)"

"International experience living/working abroad and foreign language a plus."

If you are interested, go ahead and take a look at the skills required and good luck if you apply! Andrea

A Story About Never Giving Up

Hi Everyone, Whenever I talk to someone about not giving up, I tend to quote the Chicken Soup for the Soul guys (Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen) who I remember at a conference I attended once in the United States, (Mark) said that they had been rejected by 147 or 149 publishers, before finally they found a publisher to take a punt on their book idea. I always wonder how they kept up their stamina and I question if/when I would have given up.

Well, now I have a new story to share. Did you read about the lady in Korea today that finally passed her written driving test after 950 attempts?

I ask myself... is this story really true? How long is it going to take her to pass her physical driving test? And, dare I say it, is it safe for this woman to drive...?

Well, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe her story. This woman, who apparently needs a driving licence for her vegetable-selling business, never, never, never gave up.

Think about your own life: are you making excuses or giving up before you should...?

Andrea

Global Mobility Jobs In The UK And Beyond

Hi Everyone, If you are looking for a job in the Global Mobility / HR Management / Relocations field, do not forget to check Re:locate Magazine's online job pages from time to time.

Right now, they have more than 200 jobs listed - mostly based in the UK, but with a sprinkle of overseas positions as well.

Re:locate Awards Open For Nominations

Hi Everyone, Re:locate Magazine had their snazzy launch party this week to officially launch the opening of nominations for their 2009/2010 Re:locate Awards.

The Seven Award Categories

1. Best Relocation Strategy/Policy;
2. Technological Innovation in Relocation;
3. Inspirational HR Team of the Year;
4. Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year;
5. Best Property Provider or Solution;
6. Rising Star in Relocations; and/or
7. Relocation Personality of the Year.

If you think you could compete in one (or more) of these categories, go ahead and grab your entry form here. You can enter free of charge in up to two categories. Additional entries incur entry fees.

Entries close 15 February 2010.

Good luck!

Thanks To Some Wonderful People And Groups In The Netherlands

Hi Everyone, I am back home again in Malaysia after a fabulous trip to the Netherlands and London and I want to give a thank you and shout-out to some of the wonderful people and groups that I met along the way....

Firstly, to the groups who invited me to speak, Expatica, European Professional Women's Network - Amsterdam (special thanks to Katharina Pohl) and Connecting Women - I say thank you for your hospitality and warm reception. Plus to IWC Amsterdam, for allowing me to get up at their meeting and introduce Expat Women.

Secondly, congratulations to Expatica for the success of their 'I Am Not A Tourist Fair' on Sunday 25 October, which attracted nearly 4,000 people!

Thirdly, to these friends for welcoming me:
Toma Haines, The Antiques Diva
Shirley Agudo, Shirley Agudo Photography
Jacqueline van Haaften and Leo, Global Connection
Antoine van Veldhuizen, Expatica
Carolyn van Es-Vines, Black and Abroad
Melody Biringer, The Crave Company (more to come on Melody, later)
Kathleen van der Wilk and Francoise van Roosmalen, Permits Foundation

Fourthly, to two of our site's Sponsors, who I met with in London:
Goodhealth Worldwide (soon to be rebranded as Aetna), who have Gold Sponsored us since our launch in January 2007. We are indebted to Goodhealth Worldwide, for believing in us from day one, so if you need health insurance, please do try Goodhealth Worldwide.
Exchange4Free, one of our Bronze Sponsors, who offer a fantastic service for anyone wanting to send money abroad.

Last but not least, my trip would not have been possible had it not been for the generosity of my host and good friend Jo Parfitt. Jo has been on the expat rollercoaster for many years and is probably most renowned for her book, A Career In Your Suitcase, now in its third edition. She has written 26 (!) books in total, her latest being her collection of poetry about life as an expat, A Moving Landscape. Her passion at the moment is running workshops on Writing Your Life Stories, but she provides writing, publishing and consulting services as well, so if you need someone to help make your writing dreams come true, please get in touch with Jo.

Thanks and best wishes for your day/evening, Andrea.

Breaking News: IE Business School Scholarships Offered To Expat Women Network

Hi Everyone, We are very excited to announce that the prestigious IE Business School in Madrid, Spain, is offering four half-scholarships to qualified women in our Expat Women network, in their upcoming Advanced Management Programs.

"IE Business School is an international institution dedicated to educating business leaders through programs based on our core values of global focus, an entrepreneurial spirit and a humanistic approach. Our 500-strong, international faculty teaches a student body composed of more than 80 nationalities on their Undergraduate (IE University), Master, and Doctorate degrees, and Executive Education programs. Our alumni, now numbering over 37,000, holds management positions in some 100 countries worldwide. IE promotes an investigative, multidisciplinary and integrated form of education, always oriented towards the market where students use innovating methodologies of combined learning, in-class and online."

The Financial Times ranked the IE Business School as fourth best in the world this year for “Executive Education – Open Programs”, following only behind the Harvard Business School, University of Virginia (Darden) and IMD, Switzerland.

The three (English-speaking) program options where half-scholarship applications are invited from qualified women in our Expat Women network are as follows:

1. Advanced Management Program (AMP) Blended
This program is aimed at high-potential directors in transition towards the top executive level and at entrepreneurs who are currently launching a new project. Work focus should be clearly international.

First In-Class Module: 15 – 22 February 2010
Intersession Online Module: 29 February – 8 May 2010
Second In-Class Module: 17 – 25 May 2010

2. Advanced Management Program (AMP) Intensive
This program is aimed at managers and entrepreneurs who are preparing themselves to make the transition to general management or broader responsibilities. They would bring to the program over 10 years of experience in management.

In-Class Module: 1 – 23 July 2010

3. Global Senior Management Program (GSMP)
This is a joint program with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The program is aimed at members of the Managing Committee and Administrative Councils, presidents, company owners, managing directors, vice presidents, negotiations directors, country managers and other senior managers, whose responsibilities are strategic affairs within their companies, whose focus is clearly international and who each would bring to the program over 15 years of experience in senior management.

First In-Class Module: 16 – 21 May 2010 (Chicago)
Intersession Online Module: 24 May – 19 June 2010
Second In-Class Module: 20 – 25 June 2010 (Madrid)

Full tuition fees for these programs range from €16,900 - €18,900. So, half-scholarships range in value from €8,450 to €9,450.

This is a fantastic opportunity for professional women in our Expat Women network and we encourage all qualified applicants (expatriate and non-expatriate women) to apply.

The deadline for Expat Women network scholarship applications is: 30 November 2009.

All enquiries and applications should be directed please to Yvonne Sanchez, Associate Director of Top Management Programs at IE Business School.

Warmest regards and good luck to applicants! Andrea

Expat Women November Home Page

Hi Everyone, We have just uploaded our Expat Women November home page and we invite you to take a look at our new features:

Success Story
Nathalie Brotchi
Net Expat
In 2000, Nathalie joined Net Expat as a partner. Today Nathalie manages a team of 300 HR consultants around the globe and ensures a smooth delivery of Net Expat services together with the Operations Team. She is also participating regularly at international conferences as an expert on Dual Career issues.
Read more…

Business Idea
RNG International Educational Consultants
Rebecca Grappo
Rebecca Grappo is a professional educator who has successfully combined her advocacy and teaching experience with her need to develop a portable career abroad. After living, working and teaching overseas, Rebecca started her business in 2006 in Oman...
Read more…

Writers & Publishers
The Wealthy Author
Debbie Jenkins
Debbie Jenkins is a British expat living in Spain, famous for publishing a book that made £30,000 in one day. Debbie talks to us about her newest book, which walks us through everything we need to know to become wealthy authors...
Read more…

Best iPod Applications?
Top 10 iPod Applications For Travelers And Expats
Sarah Novak
We all know that having the right tools is critical for success in any endeavor. Sarah shares with us how to leverage up-and-coming iPod technology to smooth out those rough points in your overseas adventures…
Read more…

Expat Confession
My Job Was A Mistake
Expat Women Girlfriend
I am a professional who is currently a trailing spouse. I finally found a job and had started doing something that I felt would be meaningful to me and beneficial for my career path. However, my job is not all that I had dreamed it would...
Read more…

Didn't Go Your Way?
How Do You Deal With Disappointment?
Margie Warrell
Life doesn't always go to plan. Sometimes things don't work out as we want. Sometimes people let us down. Sometimes our hopes, dreams and expectations crash to the ground with a thud...
Read more…

Not A Member Yet?
Just a reminder that our blog is separate from our main site, so if you are only subscribed to our blog, you will not automatically receive our ExpatWomen.com monthly newsletters.

To receive our newsletters and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing's Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site, ExpatWomen.com.

Thank you very much and we wish you a sensational November! Andrea

10 Of The Best Social Media Tools For Entrepreneurs

Hi Everyone, We came across this good article today on Mashable that we wanted to share, that talked about 10 of the best social media tools for entrepreneurs.

In brief, their top ten were:

1. Google Apps for Domains
2. LinkedIn
3. Basecamp
4. Facebook
5. Twitter
6. Get Satisfaction
7. Mail Chimp
8. User Voice
9. You Tube
10. Monitter

If this interests you, enjoy the full article here. Best wishes.

Survey Participants Needed: Women With Life Lessons To Share

Hi Everyone, Stacie Berdan, a former expat and co-author of the award-winning book, Get Ahead By Going Abroad, and a former Success Story interviewee on our site, is working on another book about women and needs your help...

Stacie is currently conducting research designed to inform a book she is writing for women coming of age today. Stacie's objective is to collect information from women of all walks of life - professional leaders and stay-at-home mothers, single or married, kids or not, and women of all nationalities. She intends to use the information to showcase the various choices women have made - and the lessons they have learned - in the past two decades with the explicit intent of sharing it with the generation of women coming of age (18-30) in the form of colorful, insightful women's stories.

If you can help Stacie by completing her anonymous survey (which takes about 15-20 minutes, as I just completed it myself), please click here: Lessons From Wise Women.

In addition to the online survey, Stacie is also looking for women to share their stories in greater detail for the book; if you are interested, please email Stacie.

On behalf of Stacie, thanks for your support!

Finalists Announced: Stevie Awards - Women In Business

Hi Everyone, The finalists were announced recently for the 6th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, an international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding women executives, business owners, and the organizations they run.

"More than 1,100 nominations were submitted this year for consideration in 54 categories by organizations in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.A.

Among the leading contenders with multiple Finalists are The Bioengineering Group, Salem, Massachusetts; Eulogy! Public Relations, London, UK; PetRays Veterinary Telemedicine Consultants, The Woodlands, Texas; and Wipro Technologies, Bangalore, India and East Brunswick, New Jersey.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards. The Stevies are widely considered to be the world’s premier business awards.

The final results of the 6th annual competition will be announced at an awards dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Friday, November 13. Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased at www.stevieawards.com/women."

Click here to see the list of finalists. Get inspired. Maybe enter your own business next year!

Scholarships Available To The Families In Global Transition (FIGT) Conference 2010

Hi Everyone, If you are a student or a self-sponsored non-profit representative, you are invited to apply for a full or partial David C. Pollock Scholarship to the upcoming 2010 Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Conference in Houston, Texas, March 4-10.

The deadline for applications is 15 December 2009. Please click here for more information. The FIGT conference is always a wonderful chance to learn and network with others in this arena. Good luck to any Expat Women member who applies for the scholarships! Andrea

Inspiring Your Success Abroad: Talks In The Netherlands

Photo: Stephanie Ward and Andrea Martins

Hi Everyone, My apologies for not writing for so long. It's funny - sometimes you have to travel half way around the world, just to find time to do things that you have not found time to do at home. Anyway...

A big thanks to everyone who attended my Inspiring Your Success Abroad: A Presentation For Expatriate Women talk yesterday at Expatica's 'I Am Not A Tourist Fair' in Amsterdam. And a very special welcome and thank you to all of our new members that signed up at our Expat Women stand yesterday!

If you are in The Netherlands and would like to hear my Inspiring Your Success Abroad presentation, please come along this Thursday night, 29th October, to the EPWN Amsterdam meeting (click here for details) or the Connecting Women meeting in The Hague next Monday night, 2 November. Thanks for your support! Andrea

Baby Survives Fall Under Train In Pram

Hi Everyone, This is not expat-related, but I had to share it anyway. They say Oprah wants the first interview with the mother, so Oprah/her team must be fascinated by it as well...

Baby Survives Fall Under Train In Pram

Have you seen the YouTube videos (here's one of them, on a news site today in Australia) about the baby in Melbourne, Australia, whose pram accidentally rolled onto the train tracks (when the mother was doing something normal like adjusting her trousers)? The baby's pram was hit by the oncoming train (which carried the baby under the train for 30 metres), but the baby boy survived and apparently only received a small bump on the head. Astonishing!

I am sure the mother is counting her blessings. Thank goodness the baby is okay. Not sure the mother will recover for a while, but I hope she does soon, so she can enjoy every day she's been given as a second-chance with her son.

Andrea




ps. Here is another news site's version:
Baby In Tram Hit By Train, Then Goes Home
.

Congratulations Angela Draskovic & The Zoë Alliance

Hello Everyone, Recently I saw in a Silver Lining Limited newsletter that Angela Draskovic won an entrepreneurial award for the Zoë Alliance. I wrote to Angela to ask if she was an expat or had spent any significant time abroad as an expat, so we could interview her as a Success Story for our site. Unfortunately she's not nor has she ever been an expat, but I wanted to give her/the Zoë Alliance a quick congratulatory shout-out here anyway...

Zoë Alliance

"ZOË is the Greek word for abundant and flourishing LIFE. ZOË Alliance Inc. is a social enterprise established with one aim – to Empower People for Life. Specifically ZOË Alliance helps people and companies transform impoverished villages with their regular purchases.

We believe that people in developing nations are no different than we are in that they desire dignity, the opportunity to work, provide for their families, and invest in their communities. They are different in that they face significant challenges socially, economically, geographically, and politically that make it impossible for them to break the cycle of poverty without strategic and respectful support and intervention.

We stretch each dollar spent on gifts 3 ways to:

1. Purchase a gift or source a product that tells the story of hope;
2. Create jobs with dignity in villages; and
3. Donate funds toward a school or village project.

Our model harnesses the power of the over $849.7 billion dollars we spend and donate each year and turns it into a new way to approach international development. A respectful, market driven, and sustainable way to alleviate poverty that gives much more than a donation."

Congratulations Angela and the Zoë Alliance. Thanks for helping to redirect our spending power - and in turn - helping to make our world a better place.

English Language Jobs In Europe

Hi Everyone, I was reminded tonight of a website that might be useful to any of you seeking English-language jobs in Europe: EnglishLanguageJobs.com.

We already had their link on our Jobs and Careers page, but thought we would give it a quick shout-out anyway... and if anyone has used this site, please do share your experiences.

Many thanks - enjoy your day/evening! Andrea

Expat Expo, Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday November 15

Hi Everyone, The Expat Expo group, who held last weekend their expo in Geneva, are hosting their next expo in Lucerne (for the first time), at the Museum of Transport, Lidostrasse 5, on Sunday November 15, 11am-5pm.

They will have 85 exhibitors, so if you are in/near Lucerne, you might like to drop in and take a look.

Living in Belgium? Visit Expatica's 'I Am Not A Tourist Fair', Brussels, October 18

Hi Everyone, If you are in/around/moving to Belgium, you might like to rearrange this weekend's plans to be at the Espace53 (Autoworld Museum), Cinquantenaire, Brussels, this coming Sunday, October 18, between 11am and 6pm...

"The "i am not a tourist" Fair [in Brussels] will have a range of valuable resources from previous European fairs, but with extra attention given to lifestyle and community related resources for the experienced expat. Those of you who already have your bearings in Belgium can therefore enjoy as many of the features as the newcomers, including food, entertainment and networking fixtures. A number of artists and photographers, Belgian and international, will also be exhibiting their work.

So even if you have lived in Belgium for some time already, do come to our fair to discover what's going on in the rest of the expat community and learn more about your adopted country. Our fair is all about enriching your life abroad, whether you are new to the expat lifestyle or an experienced hand!"

Download your free ticket(s) here.

Reminder: I Am Not A Tourist Fair, October 25, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hi Everyone, A reminder that if you are living in (or considering living in) The Netherlands, Expatica's sixth annual I Am Not A Tourist Fair is the place for you to be on October 25.

I am actually going to be at the Fair this year, so mark your calendars and come and say 'hi' to me at our Expat Women stand. Andrea :-)

"Don’t miss the “i am not a tourist” Fair on Sunday, 25 October. It’s all an expat needs to make the most of life in the Netherlands.Whether you have lived here for 10 days or 10 years, make sure you keep Sunday the 25 October free on your calendars for this once-a-year opportunity.

“i am not a tourist” 2009 will be an interactive extravaganza of experts and companies specialising in expatriate life, workshops, networking, and entertainment.We’ve invited 90 exhibitors to offer you a helping hand. Have a chat with a recruitment agent, get a word of advice on house hunting, compare universities for your master’s degree, join a group or club and mix with thousands of other internationals.

Get invaluable information about surviving abroad, attend seminars on meditation, landing that perfect job or pubic speaking, and enjoy superb entertainment and networking opportunities.

The programme includes workshops on whiskey tasting, salsa, improv comedy, and chocolate and sushi making as well as on-stage performances by standup comedians and salsa dancers. Bring the family along, as we have a dedicated kids corner!

Tickets are FREE when ordered online at: www.expatica.com/iamnotatourist."

Reminder: 12th Annual Talent Mgt Summit, Chicago, US, October 26-28, 2009

Hi Everyone, A reminder that if your job is HR/talent management/ recruitment, do not forget to check out the annual (US) Talent Management Summit is coming up in two weeks in Chicago.

From October 26-28, you can join in the action at the Wyndham Lisle-Chicago Hotel, Chicago, IL. Here are some official words from the organizers:

"The largest industry gathering of talent management professionals returns to exciting Chicago! Guaranteed to invigorate and improve your talent management strategy, The 12th Annual Talent Management Summit will bring together Fortune 500 leaders to share their recession-proof talent strategies.

The war for talent has completely changed. It's more important than ever to retain and develop your current employees. The 12th Annual Talent Management Summit provides strategies to:

• Assess which leadership skills matter most;
• Develop different types of people;
• Upgrade your talent pools;
• Sharpen your talent;
• Be smarter about how to approach talent issues; and
• Prepare for the turnaround.

View the final agenda here."

Other links of interest:
Confirmed conference speakers
Pricing and discounts
Workshops

Best And Worst Cell Phones For Radiation

Hi Everyone, Almost every expat I know uses a cell phone, so here's an interesting article from the Environmental Working Group which spells out which are the best and worst, in terms of radiation.

It also includes a link where you can see the full list of cell phones and their ratings, plus the ability to search for your particular phone in the search box down the right of the page. Andrea

Looking For An Expat Woman In Eastern Europe For A French TV Documentary

Hi Everyone, Marie Laure Pelosse is a French journalist and director working in Paris with the producer Murielle Levy on a documentary series (10 movies of 26 minutes each) for the French TV channel called 'Voyage'. They have already made eight of these films and they are currently searching for the last person to be part of the series...

"The series is about people who live outside their native land and particularly (but not exclusively) about people who have decided to achieve a personal project in one of these fields: ecology, sustainable development, fair trade and so on.

We follow each of these ten persons (French and foreigners) by slipping into their footsteps and focusing the camera on what they see, what they do and where they live, to discover their far-off horizons.

We would like to find a woman (ideally, other than French) living in an East-European country or in Croatia, Ukraine, Armenia... if possible a woman who has planned to stay in this country for a long time.

If you can help us, please email myself (before Sunday) or Murielle, as soon as possible. Many thanks, Marie Laure."
+33 (0) 1 43 47 30 53, +33 (0) 6 87 23 58 62."

Would Your Company Like To Participate In The Global Relocation Trends Survey?

Hi Everyone, If you are in the global mobility industry, you would probably already be aware of this very well-respected survey. If your company does not already participate, here is their chance...

"Woodridge, Ill., Oct. 7, 2009 - Brookfield Global Relocation Services today invited companies worldwide to participate in its acclaimed annual "Global Relocation Trends Survey."

Now in its 15th year, the survey has become the definitive study of companies' global employee-relocation practices, mobility policies and trends. The survey's longevity and deep reservoir of data enable Brookfield Global Relocation Services to compare each year's results with historical averages, which help gauge the relative importance of annual variations. Brookfield Global Relocation Services will release the results of the annual survey, along with its analysis, in early 2010. The questionnaire for the upcoming survey is available here. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the survey results.

...Brookfield Global Relocation Services is a leading, full-service outsourcing partner of end-to-end employee relocation, assignment management and mobility consulting services for multinational organizations worldwide. The company serves corporations throughout the world and manages more than $2 billion in relocation-related transactions."

Research Participants Needed: International Assignment Management In Asia (Western Females)

Hi Everyone, Researcher Scott A. Wilson (GPHR, SPHR, PhD Candidate) is looking for some willing research participants please...

"Welcome to the launch point for a study into trends in the management of international assignments. This link provides access to the web page introduction to the study, delivers the informed consent process, and offers instructions for participation.

The title of the study is, International Assignment Management in Asia: A Study of the Relation between Social Support Mechanisms and Assignment Success among Western Females.

The objective of this study is to measure the affect of social support mechanisms on the success of Western females on Asian expatriate assignments. At the request of a participant upon completion of the research, a copy of the study’s executive summary will be sent forward to reveal the findings; however, participants are considered volunteers.

Your participation will involve the completion of 70 survey questions accessed through the link located at the bottom of this page. Survey completion time will take approximately 20 minutes.

...participation in the study is voluntary; you may discontinue study participation at any time for any reason should you feel uncomfortable with or fail to understand a question.

To gain access to the survey, please click on the following link:
https://survey.careermapping.com/CCAI/Wilson/2009IAM.htm [and then click "Next" at the very bottom of the page]"

Thank you!

WIN Conference kicks off in Prague, Czech Republic, October 8-10

Hi Everyone, If you are in or around Prague, you can still make it to the WIN Conference today, if you high-tail it down to the venue:

Hilton Prague Hotel
Pobrežní 1, 18600 Prague 8, Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 841 111 +420 224 841 111

The main part of the conference starts on Thursday morning, October 8. Here is the WIN Conference agenda for this year. The WIN team are always lovely and I'm pretty sure they would love to welcome any latecomers.

Here are some of the confirmed attendees:

Alison Smale, Executive Editor, International Herald Tribune.
Lyly Rojas, Humanitarian, University Professor, Consultant, Speaker, Writer.
Umran Beba, SEE Region President, PepsiCo.
Sally Khallash Bengtsen, Futurist, Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies.
George Kohlrieser, Professor, IMD.
Elin Hurvenes, Founder and Chairman, Professional Boards Forum.
Bridget van Kralingen, GM, Global Business Services Northeast Europe, IBM.
Nigel Nicholson, Professor, London Business School.
Lorella Zanardo, Founder and General Manager, Sportgate.
Susanne Heis, VP and GM Imaging & Printing Group MEMA, Hewlett-Packard.
Michael Kimmel, Sociologist and Author, State University of New York.
Amany Asfour, President, Egyptian Business Women Association.
Marguerite ’Maggy’ Barankitse, Humanitarian Worker and Founder Maison Shalom, Burundi (House of Peace).
Danica Purg, President, IEDC-Bled School of Management.
Ina Praetorius, Postpatriarchal thinker.
Silvia Badgadli – Professor, SDA Bocconi School of Business.
Jane Gilson, General Manager, Microsoft Czech Republic.
Josefine van Zanten, Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, Shell International.
Diana Baker, pianist and composer.
Hassina Sherjan, Founder and President, Boumi Company.
Angela Nelissen, Sales Director HPC, Unilever Germany.
Rebecca Shambaugh, President and CEO, Shambaugh Leadership.
Syble Solomon, Founder, LIfeWise & Money Habitudes.
Miha Pogacnik, Violinist, Entrepreneur, Founder IDRIART, Cultural Ambassador.

Go and enjoy meeting a great bunch of wonderful women, like yourself!

5 Steps To Launching An International Job Search

Hello Everyone, Here's a quick link to Susan Musich's recent Passport Career blog post entitled 5 Steps To Launching An International Job Search. Here are her main headings (aka pieces of advice):

1. Access local resources;
2. Find out the restrictions and permissions for working in the destination country;
3. Identify organizations to research for possible job leads and make contacts there;
4. Learn the business etiquette and communication culture for your new country; and
5. Create a networking resume and organize important career-related papers that may be requested.

If you are interested, please take a look at Susan's blog to see the details under each heading. Thanks.

Military Brats Research

Hello Everyone, Following on from a recent interview we did with Donna Musil, producer of the Kris Kristofferson-narrated DVD Brats: Our Journey Home...

We wanted to share with you the news that last week, researcher Codi Schale (University of Missouri, Kansas City) released her (159-page) dissertation entitled Military Brats: Predictors of Adult Relationship Attachments and is inviting any interested parties to request a copy by emailing Codi directly here. Thanks.

Reminder: Expat Eco Expo, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 17-18

Hi Everyone, Just a reminder if you are in (or moving to KL) that if you have not registered for the upcoming Expat Eco Expo '09, you can do so here today!

The event will take place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October 2009, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The Expo is being run by Tri-Concepts Sdn Bhd - the group that publishes The Expat Magazine (Malaysia's leading monthly magazine for expats, that offers free subscriptions here) and numerous other publications, as well as maintains a host of websites (including ExpatKL.com, MM2H.com, and DineMalaysia.com) and memberships that cater to the needs of resident expats and promote Malaysia internationally.

If you go to the Expo, please call in and say hi at the Expat Women stand. :-)

Americans Suffering Domestic Violence Abroad: Information Sessions in Europe

Hi Everyone, If you are suffering, think you know someone who is suffering, or if you just want to volunteer to help, read on to find out more about an upcoming round of informational talks in Europe by the AODVC...

"The Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC), an American-based nonprofit that provides services to Americans experiencing domestic violence while residing in foreign countries, in collaboration with the Ending Violence Against Women Task Force of the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO), would like to extend a warm welcome and invite you to join us for one of our 2009 informational sessions on the issues that face Americans overseas experiencing domestic violence.

These sessions will be held as the first part of a program to train volunteer outreach ambassadors; locations and dates of these meetings are as follows:
London, October 17
Amsterdam, October 20
Frankfurt, October 24
Copenhagen, October 27
Paris, October 30
Geneva, November 2

The sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will end at 11:45 a.m. Networking with coffee and pastries will begin at 9am. There will be a lunch to follow until 1:00 pm, after which the volunteer ambassador training sessions will begin.

The informational session will consist of a welcome, an introduction to AODVC, a discussion of issues facing the population served, and a briefing from a representative of the local US Embassy or Consulate.

These sessions are part of our Global Campaign to Empower Americans Experiencing Domestic Violence Abroad. We are committed to giving voice to this unheard population of American overseas domestic violence survivors and are excited to embark on this informational program.
Please click here to register for the informational session. For further questions, please contact Brooke Galloway. To see this information online, click here."

**

To read our Success Story interview last year with the remarkable Paula Lucas (aka founder of the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Centre - formerly known as the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line), please click here.

Global Workforce Symposium, Chicago, October 7-9

Hi Everyone, If you are in or around Chicago and have not already registered for Worldwide ERC's Global Workforce Symposium, their main sessions start Thursday morning, October 8, so it's not too late to change your mind...

2009 Expat Youth Scholarship Winners

Hi Everyone, You may recall that one of our Expat Women Silver Sponsors, Clements International, was running a fantastic scholarship competition for expat youth. Well, for those who are curious, recently they announced the winners (my apologies for not posting this earlier)...

"Clements International's 2009 Expat Youth Scholarship awarded $10,000 to students age 12-18 of any nationality who have spent at least two years living outside their home country. The theme, Life in a Flying House, is inspired by the idea that students who spend their childhoods moving between different countries and cultures acquire unique life experiences.

The scholarship contest asked expat students to share their experiences of living in a foreign country through an essay (500 words or more) and creative media (photographs, illustrations, paintings, or video). Three winners in each of two age categories (12-15 and 16-18) were selected by a panel of judges from the expatriate community.

Scholarship Winners:
Age 12-15
First Place ($3,000): Julia Goldsby, 12, American Expat in Germany
Second Place ($1,500): Kate Telma, 14, American Expat in Kazakhstan
Third Place ($500): Athena Pierquet, 15, American Expat in France

Age 16-18
First Place ($3,000): Yichen Zhang, 18, Chinese Expat in the U.S.
Second Place ($1,500): Bethany Turley, 17, American Expat in Belgium
Third Place ($500): Natalia Aponte, 18, Peruvian Expat in the U.S.

To view the winning entries and honorable mentions, along with other information about the scholarship, visit here. Download the official (September) press release here.

Since 1947, Clements International has specialized in the insurance needs of expatriates and their families. Visit clements.com for more information."

Congratulations to all of the winners this year!