New Expat Book This Week: At Home In Dubai

Hello Everyone, We do not normally give shout-outs to books that are specific to any one location (given that our members are based in 190 countries), but given that around 25-30% (true!) of our members are based in the United Arab Emirates, we thought you (or your friends in the UAE) might like to know about this new book...

"@ Home in Dubai: Getting Connected - Online and On the Ground"
Author: Anne O'Connell (Released 12 December 2011)
Publisher: Summertime Publishing

Anne kindly sent us an e-review copy and after a quick scan of the rich content, it seems she has done a great job at putting together some very useful information about moving to Dubai - well done!

If you are interested, I invite you to take a look on Amazon.com here (affiliate link) or on Amazon.co.uk here (affiliate link).

Thanks Everyone - and have a great day/night!  Andrea

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (December 14-15 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are enjoying a great week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

New: Results From 2011 HSBC Expat Explorer (Expat) Survey
http://bit.ly/sRfJKs

BBC Video: The Life Of The Trailing Spouse Who Wants To Work Abroad, But Cannot
http://bbc.in/uDfvnC

Top 10 Global Topics Most Discussed On Facebook In 2011
http://bit.ly/rYnNr1

Which U.S. Companies Import The Most Talent From Abroad?
http://read.bi/vHIT0s

Best of 2011: Books For, By & About Expats
http://bit.ly/t89EfP

25 Australian Travel Blogs & Bloggers To Watch In 2012
http://bit.ly/rt7sih

How To Live Safely Abroad
http://bit.ly/sycBbR

I Miss The Food & The Massages, But There's Life After China
http://tgr.ph/vMfPB5

More Americans Go Abroad For Economic Opportunities
http://bit.ly/uasXI7

The True Cost Of Expat Living In Australia
http://fb.me/tsv7DedJ

And finally... my personal news of the week via Twitter...

"It's official... Our family's moving again! Kuala Lumpur-to-Sydney-to-Sunshine Coast (Australia) in 4 months... Can't keep up? Neither can I sometimes..." Andrea :)

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a sensational day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Barclays Wealth International: Press Release from an Expat Women Sponsor

Hi Everyone, One of our Expat Women Gold Sponsors, Barclays Wealth International, recently issued a press release  about how new clients could save on international payments. If you need to make payments across borders, you might be interested...

Barclays Wealth International: Press Release (Extract Only)
International payments savings for new clients of Barclays Wealth International
* New clients save a minimum of £25 on each international payment1
* Savings also available on a range of other online payments

Barclays Wealth International has introduced an exclusive offer for new clients, which provides significant savings on a range of online payments. Clients who apply for an international bank account with Barclays Wealth International before 6 January 2012 will enjoy the following savings until 14 January 2013:

* Reduced fees on international payments – standard payment charge is waived
* No fees on cross-currency transfers between Barclays accounts
* No fees on euro payments within Europe2
* Free same-day sterling payments (CHAPS payments)

The potential savings for new clients are significant. International clients make on average three international payments each month. By taking advantage of this exclusive offer, an international client making 3 international payments a month could save £900 in one year. For full details of the offer and conditions can be found here: www.barclayswealth.com/paymentsoffer. Thanks.

About Barclays Wealth
Barclays Wealth is a leading global wealth manager, and the UK’s largest, with total client assets of £170bn, as at 30 June 2011. Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, corporate and investment banking and wealth management with an extensive international presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 145,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide.

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (December 11-12 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you just enjoyed a fabulous weekend! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

How To Be An Expat Inspiration: Diana Baur Interviews Michelle Fabio
http://bit.ly/ttW44l

Companies Unhappy With Expat Strategies: A Survey Of 140+ Companies Has Found Many Not Satisfied
http://tgr.ph/vTQnfH

A Look At The Difference Between The TIME Magazine Cover In The U.S. Versus Abroad
http://ti.me/v8if27

Beware: The Love Trap [Video] on 60 Minutes
(Andrea's Note: I know an expat in Malaysia who fell for this - Don't be a victim...)
http://bit.ly/rGtezt

An Expat’s Guide To Surviving A Tax Audit
http://bit.ly/tahheT

Volvo Executive Elisabet Wenzlaff Tells Of How studying Abroad Helped Her Career
http://on.ft.com/vqVNNk

Is The Grass Really Always Greener On The Other Side?
by Expat Anne Egros (who moved from Belgium to the United States)
http://bit.ly/tDjRjL

Understanding & Overcoming The Challenges Of Pursuing An Expat Career, By Megan Fitzgerald
http://bit.ly/vzMYZQ

Wondering If Traveling Abroad Is For You?
http://bit.ly/sNWsVF

Adventurous Expat Lawyer Cycles 17,000km home from China to Norfolk
http://tgr.ph/sYWzHz

Uncertainty in Expat Life
http://ow.ly/7G67K

Expats: Starting a Franchise Career Abroad? Learn from Fay Jones & Fiona Butler
http://bit.ly/ugS8b8

Expats: Interested In Starting A Business Abroad In France?
http://bit.ly/s8BjaN

American Expats: Can You Still Get Tax Benefits If You Live In A Foreign Restricted Country
http://bit.ly/w0lmoE

...And finally, this one is not expat-related, but I loved it, so am including it just for fun...
[Video]
"100 years of style in 100 seconds."
http://bit.ly/uSKqJQ

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a sensational day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Expat Partners: Do You Really Want To Work, Or Are You Just Paying Lip-Service To Your Lack Of A Career Abroad? (Survey)

Hi Everyone, Evelyn Simpson and her colleague Louise Wiles have put together a survey with regards to how relocation abroad has affected the career choices of accompanying expat partners.

If you can help by completing the survey, please do so here. They estimate it to take about 15 minutes.

Here are some words from Evelyn Simpson...

"When I contemplate the dynamic and successful careers that my husband and I had when our expat days were just beginning, I wonder how, after nearly 12 years of moving over three continents and with two children, our lives would be if we were still trying to maintain both of those careers. Here are just some of the problems for which I could not envision solutions:

* How would we manage to engineer moves with different companies to the same countries without one or other of us stepping back?

* Would we both be able to get working visas if one of us had to look for a new job with a move?

* Would we both be able to progress our careers with multiple moves or would disruption, language issues, salary issues, recognition of qualifications and experience have derailed one or both careers?

* How would we have managed childcare issues - day to day, days when kids were sick, holidays - without all our familiar systems in place?

* How would we have managed the practicalities of our six moves if both of us had to start work straight away?

For us, it was a moot point. I wanted to be able to see my daughter in the mornings and the evenings but the intensity and unpredictability of investment banking would make that a rare occurrence. So I resigned. But for other couples, these are just some of the dilemmas they face when one is offered the opportunity to move internationally and both want to continue with their careers.

Unfortunately the numbers show that few couples manage to pull it off successfully. The Permits Foundation's 2008 International Survey of Expatriate Spouses and Partners showed that while 90% of spouses and partners were either in paid employment or self employed prior to relocation, only 28% remained so after relocation.

In my own case, the decision was carefully thought out and driven by my desire for a change as well as the needs of our family. However, after two more international moves and another baby, a return to work in a new country, and with limited support seemed like a long shot. And that’s before I considered that, before long, we would be on the move again. Luckily for me, in coaching I found my vocation, which I can conveniently practice from wherever I find myself and which gives me the flexibility to accommodate our family logistics. However, you can see that although my initial decision was purposeful, the unintended consequence of our choices was that my options to return to a traditional workplace were limited, regardless of my legal entitlement.

Earlier this summer, Louise Wiles, founder of Success Abroad Coaching and I responded to a question on LinkedIn which asked if accompanying partners really want to work or whether we just pay lip service to the idea of working, safe in the knowledge that legally, most of us are prevented from doing so. Inspired by the question and our interest in the lives of accompanying partners, we decided to launch a survey, which explores this topic and also considers the factors which influence the choice to work or not and how that choice affects life satisfaction.

If you would like to support our work, please complete the survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/partnerscareerchoices

Many, many thanks! Evelyn."

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (November 24-25 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you have been enjoying a great week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Hotels Around The World With Amazing Views
http://tgr.ph/rEHj1a

My Father, the Expat Codebreaker, by Alison Ripley
http://tgr.ph/rT4I9L

43 Reasons An Expat Might Love Living In Sweden
http://bit.ly/uvN3sp

6 Tips To Save On International Currency Transfers
http://bit.ly/rQgLv0

Another Work-From-Home Scam - Expat Women Freelancing Abroad Should Beware
http://bit.ly/vlc0oh

Goodbye to Singapore's Mr Chips - 32-year Expat Honored on His Retirement
http://tgr.ph/tDJV20

Interesting Websites If You Are Raising Kids Abroad
http://bit.ly/vsu4zq

2011 Expat of the Year in the Philippines - Named at Asia CEO Awards
http://bit.ly/vaHYZ1

Expats in the Netherlands? Expatica's Expat Education Fair is on 1 December in Amsterdam
http://bit.ly/tu2o7A

Man Watches Home Being Robbed Through His iPad While On Holidays 8,000km Away
http://bit.ly/tErErE

Repatriate Blogger for The Telegraph UK, Ex-Expat Chelsea Girl Says She's Looking At The UK Through Chinese Eyes Now
http://tgr.ph/ufTSvx

Black Women in Europe - PowerList 2011
http://bit.ly/w5a4ww

And the quote for the week...

"You only have one privacy setting: public... use social media wisely." from @coolcatteacher

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a sensational day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (November 15-16 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are enjoying a fabulous week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Is Your Accent Ruining Your Career?
bit.ly/rq3nav

10 Tips for Landing a PR Job Abroad
bit.ly/sVGxOk

3 Traps Facing New Global Leaders (Harvard Biz)
bit.ly/tkWzso

UK Expats and Wills: Why, Where, How and Other FAQs
bit.ly/tqKkKh

Life's a Beach: Living as an Expat on Sydney's Northern Beaches & Sharing My Life Less Ordinary, (Russell Ward)
http://bit.ly/v1dDXm

3 Ways To Raise Bilingual Children
tinyurl.com/cfwmvzu

17 Adventure Trips To Take Right Now
bit.ly/rKDGe9

20 of the World's Weirdest Natural Sights
bit.ly/ta1wh5

13 Insanely Cool Resumes That Landed Interviews At Google and Other Top Jobs
read.bi/tPg8Ci

Feature: 3 Inventive Businesses Set Up To Make Expat Life Easier (Telegraph Expat)
fb.me/1iLOAUlUh

The True Cost of Commuting: You Could Buy a House $15k More for Each Mile You Move Closer to Work
lifehac.kr/uoP7mj

And finally... a big congrats to the Gold Coast (QLD, Australia) for securing the 2018 Commonwealth Games!

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (November 8-9 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope your week has started with some nice surprises! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Top 10 Best Value Destinations for 2012 (Lonely Planet)
ow.ly/7iCkn

iPad2s Up For Grabs! Simply Vote For Your Favourite British Place Abroad (Telegraph Expat)
bit.ly/p54uCE

Expat in the Netherlands? Win 2 @CRAVEcompany The Hague copies - Featuring Women Entrepreneurs
bit.ly/shkpcs

Experts Discount Expat Fears About Recent Landmark Ruling On UK Tax Affairs
tgr.ph/tyS8Tc

20 Most Recent Blogs In Our Expat Women Blog Directory
bit.ly/igeWXc

Strategies For A UN Job Search (Part 3): Review Recruitment Options
bit.ly/s51nJA

Shanghai Launches Expat Recruitment Drive
tgr.ph/rrU1yX

Should Travel And Living Abroad Be All About You? What About Helping Others?"
bit.ly/sanuu5

Expat Josephine McDermott Tells The Story Of Her Unforgettable 4 years in China (Telegraph Expat)
tgr.ph/sf0ZzX

Locations Are Like Lovers... New Blog Post by Expat @shamozal
bit.ly/tnpbFs

New "Gutsy Living" Interview With Karen Van Der Zee - About Life Abroad & Her Gutsy Decision To Go Marry A Foreigner In Africa
bit.ly/sJIbwK

...ps. If You Missed Our Expat Women Interview With Karen About Her Success As A Writer Abroad, With 35 Novels Published by Harlequin, Here It Is Again...
bit.ly/rBfYk5

My Favourite Quote This Week:
"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." - Erin Majors
(found via @GreatestQuotes)

And Finally, A Warning...
80% of Burglars Use Social Networks To Find Their Next Target [Infographic]
bit.ly/tBxxUQ

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (October 30-31 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you enjoyed a wonderful fun-filled weekend! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Registration Now Open For FIGT (Families in Global Transition) Conference, March 2012, Washington
http://www.figt.org/

Expat Entrepreneur Interview:
Expat Life Coach John Falchetto talks to Mara Vaughan (Egypt)
http://bit.ly/slgfUc

Expat Life: What’s a Nice Protestant Girl Doing in this Place?
http://bit.ly/vEYSUL

How Air Pollution Impacts Expat Kids
http://bit.ly/tTLl9i

Feeling Negative Abroad?
Read Our Expat Women October Confession
http://bit.ly/ohAty9

British Expats Refusing To Go Home:
15% Call Off Repatriation Plans
http://bit.ly/t0AUwp

Strategies for a UN Job Search (Part 2):
Research the Duty Stations (Passport Career Blog)
http://bit.ly/rVKunE

Luxury Clinic Sued After Australian Expat Left Blinded in One Eye (Moscow Times)
http://bit.ly/se8VTM

Can You Relate To This 1955 Philip Larkin Poem Title?
"The Importance of Being Elsewhere"
http://bit.ly/uim9nw

British Expat Sets Up A Theater Studio In Moscow (Video)
http://bit.ly/u8ZjfR

Plus, a quote that I liked this past week:
"If you're OK out of your comfort zone... you're not out of your comfort zone." by @lesmckeown (thanks @JohnFalchetto for sharing)

And finally, news from @LonelyPlanet's Twitter feed:
"Iceland is the top country destination as voted by Lonely Planet travellers for 2012!"

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (October 25-26 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Excellent Article About Moving Abroad and/or Moving Back Home - on Matador Network
http://bit.ly/ods96E

"Hired in Shanghai: How I Did It"
Great Post For Expats (or Anyone) Looking for Work
http://bit.ly/noRP7P

Challenges Faced By Expat Women - via Escape From America Magazine
http://bit.ly/nYBlzu

Expat Divorce A Tricky Affair
http://bit.ly/qeIspv

Career Break Travel Myths - via Lonely Planet
http://bit.ly/qwNeZQ

Expat Coach Directory
http://bit.ly/oBXwGS

Expats: Want To Win an IPAD2? Tell The UK Telegraph Expat Your Favourite British Place Abroad
http://bit.ly/p54uCE

Digging Deep: 'Earthscraper' Building To Plunge 300m Underground In Mexico City
http://bit.ly/uyDBq9

Strategies For a UN Job Search - on Passport Career
http://bit.ly/qXsb3Y

Reminder: David Pollock Scholarship Applications for Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Conference (March 2012) Due December
http://bit.ly/pWB3N3

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Missed Some Great Expat Twitter Links? (October 12-13 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are having a sensational week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Love it! Expat Creative Solution For When Locals Stare At Foreigners
"'You Lookin' At Me? Fake Book"
http://bit.ly/o10wZn

Expat Entrepreneurs Sowing Seeds of Success Abroad
bit.ly/raazI2

27 Tips For First Time Expats
http://bit.ly/oEqfqb

Thailand Overtakes Bahrain As "Best Expat Destination" In HSBC Explorer Survey Results
http://bit.ly/r3L7YX

Want To See A Preview Of HSBC 2011 Expat Explorer Survey Results?
(Full Report Available November)
http://bit.ly/mRDqWG

10 Tips for Successful Expat Living: Flashback
http://bit.ly/n4g6Vo

"Why Aren’t Gulf Expats Saving Any Money?"
http://tgr.ph/rcuWxR

Hats Off To Becky! “From Career Breaker to Expat”
http://bit.ly/qL0zkG

5 Expat Types You May Meet When Living Overseas
http://bit.ly/pvZiY3

"Julia Child's Curiosity About French Cuisine Led To A Displaced Life"
http://bit.ly/r0ylvp

7 Deadly Sins of Expats and Social Media
http://bit.ly/mToamS

…And finally, a great reminder for repatriates! "Never let your memories be greater than your dreams." Doug Ivester (quoted on Twitter by @GreatestQuotes)

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Domestic Violence in Expat Communities

Hi Everyone, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we wanted to make sure you are aware of an important resource, should you find yourself in need of help. While leaving an abusive relationship is challenging for any woman, for women living abroad, the challenges may seem insurmountable.

The Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center works with abused American women and their children in foreign countries to provide domestic violence and child abuse advocacy, resources and tools so that they can navigate the complicated jurisdictional, legal and social international landscapes, to be able to live their lives free of abuse either in the foreign country or back in the United States. Both civilian and military populations are served. (Unfortunately they are only resourced to serve Americans, but non-American expats are being abused can refer to this website and/or call to ask the AODVCC if there are any other possible resources in their current local area.)

Advocates and case managers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week internationally toll free. First dial the AT&T USADirect access number for the country you are in. You can find the access number for the country you are in here. After dialing the access code please enter our phone number: 866-USWOMEN (879-6636) after the prompt. For more information please visit www.866uswomen.org.

Warning: Please remember that your emails and website searches can be tracked from your computer. If you fear for your safety, you might prefer to use a computer other than your own to visit sites like this.

By the way, if you missed our Expat Women interview with the founder of the AODVCC, Paula Lucas,  you can read about this inspirational woman, and she escaped domestic violence, here.

Stay safe, and thanks in advance for spreading the word, Andrea.

The 11ElevenProject - Creating a Snapshot of Life Around the World on 11/11/11

Hi Everyone, I heard today about a very interesting project planned for 11 November 2011. It is called the 11 Eleven Project and it is an international not-for-profit film project that aims to use the arts to create global good. The email came from the Women's Partnership Diversity Coordinator for the project, because she wants to ensure that the story of womanhood, motherhood and sisterhood is captured in the global narrative. To find out more, and to leave a snapshot of your life on 11/11/11, please visit the official website here. If you like, you can follow them on Twitter at @11elevenproject.

All proceeds from the 2 hour documentary feature film, photographic book and world music album produced by Grammy Award Winner Imogen Heap will be donated to charities supporting the 8 UN developmental Goals including WWF, The Hunger Project, Save The Children and Hamlin Fistula.

Many thanks for your support, and good luck to the 11ElevenProject team! Andrea

Worldwide ERC's October 2011 Mobility Magazine

Hi Everyone, If you are in the expat, global mobility and/or relocation industries, you may be interested in the October edition of Worldwide ERC®'s Mobility Magazine, which features the following:

The Road Less Traveled: Employee Assignments in Emerging Economies
By Ali Kursun and Steven P. Nurney

International Assignments: Leader-Led Action Learning
By Ernest Gundling, Ph.D., and Terry Hogan

The Challenge of International Pensions
By Nino Nelissen, SGMS

Destination Profile: Denver, Colorado
By Jessica Petzel, GMS

Stress and Mental Health: Expatriates at Risk
By Sean D. Truman, Ph.D., LP, David A. Sharar, Ph.D., and John C. Pompe, Psy.D., LP, SPHR

Putting Down Roots: How Localization Can Help Reduce Expatriate Program Costs
By Julian Yates

Blue Cards and the Employer Sanctions Directive: ‘Desirable’ and ‘Undesirable’ Migrants to the EU
By Sophy King

In the Spotlight: Managing Foreign Employees at U.S. Client Sites
By Diana Bauerle and Lynden Melmed

Emerging Trends: ‘Best and Brightest’ Schemes Impact Recruitment and Immigration Compliance
By Glenn Faulk and Katherine Salem, GMS

Cultural Challenges of Working in Africa
By Geremie Sawadogo, Ph.D., GMS

Human Capital Development: Best Practices for a Winning Team
By Robert F. Burch, SCRP

Expatriate Parents: Localization With Children?
By Elizabeth Perelstein

The Realities of Global Relocation: The Business Value of Transition Assistance
By Lauren Herring, CRP, SGMS

L-1s: Destination Services Support Assignment Success
By Phillip A. Kosanovich, SCRP

A Day in the Life of a Household Goods Driver
By Eric Reed, CRP, GMS

Happy reading! Andrea

Expats: Do You Struggle With Your Global Identity?

Hi Everyone, If you ever struggle with your global and/or creative identity, today's post about Anastasia Ashman and Tara Agacayak's new website, Global Niche, might interest you. Anastasia's name might already be familiar to some/many of you, as we interviewed Anastasia back in 2007 about her book Expat Harem, and many of you might also see her regularly tweeting expat links as @AnastasiaAshman. Anastasia tells us more...

Get Creative About Your Place in the World: 
How To Operate On A Micro-Yet-Global Level With A Global Niche

"Do you ever feel suspended between multiple worlds – challenged in your pursuits and interests by culture, geography, language or time zone?

Welcome to the club. The Global Niche club, that is. Here we take advantage of our situation mismatches.

In fact, after fourteen years of expatriatism and through my cultural identity work as a writer/producer I’ve come to see this psychic limbo state about who we are and where we belong – familiar to people with trans global lives and culturally hybrid lifestyles – as our secret weapon.

To start at the beginning, we’re all born global citizens even if that knowledge gets trained out of us. As we mature, a global identity seems nebulous, and ungrounded. Better to bond with the more concrete: family, culture, nation. Our schoolmates, colleagues, neighbors.

There’s a problem with concrete, though. It cracks over time and in quickly changing conditions, and sometimes even under its own weight.

I’d even venture to say that ‘our people’ today are not who they used to be. We’re unbounded by the communities in our physical midst. Now we can find inspiring new kinship in interest and outlook.

Expats and international types have more reasons than most to find a way to operate independently of where we happen to be physically. But with today's economic uncertainties no matter who or where we are, we all have to embrace an enterprising view of ourselves – a way to operate unlimited by the options around us. With recent advances in virtual technologies like mobile devices and the social web, we have tools at our disposal to help us live a globally unbounded life.

Now we don’t have to be a tech expert or social media guru to build a micro-yet-global base of operations with a professional web platform and virtual network for continuing education, professional development, and a close-knit but world-flung set of friends. We can be digital world citizens and achieve a cutting-edge state of being – that is, what I call ‘psychic location independence’.

I coined the concept of a global niche – defined as a ‘psychic solution to your global identity crisis’-- at expat+HAREM, the online community of global citizens, identity adventurers and intentional travelers I founded in 2009. The group blog was inspired by the global community that gathered around Tales from the Expat Harem, an anthology by foreign women about their lives in modern Turkey that I co-edited in 2005 with fellow Istanbul resident Jennifer Gokmen.

Expatharem.com was also informed by the idea of an ‘expat harem’ itself, where all the writers in the book and the readers drawn to them are cultural peers in a virtual realm. 

Along with my partner Tara Agacayak, a creative enterprise consultant from Silicon Valley in America who’s spent the past 10 years in Turkey, this fall I launched a new work-life initiative at GlobalNiche.net.

In this hands-on venture we'll be practicing creative self enterprise for the global soul, based on the philosophies evolved from 175 incisive neoculture discussions and 2,800 comments at the expat+HAREM site.

Besides the expat+HAREM revelations, we’re also applying life-work innovations Tara and I have been exploring in the past few years in our professional communities of creative entrepreneurs and social media proponents. Combining our expat and entrepreneurship experiences has led us to the conclusion that networked reality is the most important independent survival skill of international people.

If you are interested to receive email about the life-work journeys of mobile progressives and cultural creatives in situation mismatches, please sign up at GlobalNiche.net. Thank you!"

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (October 4 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope your weekend was fantastic! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Clearing Up Common Myths About What It Means to Be Bilingual
owl.li/6ISNx

New Site For Expats (And Others) Who Love To Travel!
Trippy: It Lets Your Friends Help You Plan Your Trips.
Watch the Video to Understand How Cool This New Site Will Be.
on.mash.to/pA6L9a

Looking For A Job? Think Globally: New Post and Book by Stacie Nevadomski Berdan
huff.to/qV64Js

Writers Abroad Radio Show 19 – Suzanne Kamata – A Prolific Expat Author in Japan
bit.ly/osJcit

5 Lessons Expats Can Learn From Modern Day Vikings
http://bit.ly/oCfEU5

Expat Spouses and Partners: Can You Help Regula With Her Masters Thesis By Completing This Survey?
bit.ly/qx2l0B

Expat Entrepreneurs Enjoying Success Overseas
bit.ly/nM8JYO

Can You Teach Cultural Intelligence Or Is It Acquired Through International Assignments (Forbes)
onforb.es/nAd18K

My Heart Goes Out To Julie: Here Is Her Marriage Visa Disaster Story
http://bit.ly/nlVkdW

26 Things You Can Learn By Living Abroad For A Year
slidesha.re/np9bOK

Busting the Location Independent and Designer Lifestyle Myth
bit.ly/otIB2n

Free Corporate VIP Passes: European Global Mobility Summit, London, 4 November
bit.ly/oA50XW

The Beatles George Harrison Kept as Time Capsules Fully Packed Suitcases From Trips Abroad
nyti.ms/nQPg5J

Response by Kirsty Rice to... "In my next life I'm coming back as an expat wife!"
bit.ly/o2dmEi

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Expat Women Home Page October 2011

Hi Everyone, Please take a few minutes to read, enjoy, share and tweet about our new October home page features below. Thanks so very much – and I wish you a sensational weekend! Andrea.

Success Story
Kerry Bannigan
Co-Founder and CEO, Nolcha
Inspired by the buzz of NYC, British born Kerry Bannigan left her corporate job to establish a business in the independent fashion industry. She applied her business know-how to co-found Nolcha, a company that helps designers market and expand their brands. She also developed Nolcha Fashion Week, The Ethical Fashion Preview, and more...
Read More

Business Idea
Lilac Lingerie
Emilia Kutrovska
In 2001, Bulgarian Emilia Kutrovska and her husband moved to Ottawa, Canada, to pursue more opportunities for education and success. They planned to stay only a few years, but fate stepped in when Emilia decided to complete a communications degree and her husband later landed his ideal job. In August 2010, Emilia became an entrepreneur by opening Lilac Lingerie in trendy Westboro. We talked to Emilia about her new and satisfying career abroad...
Read More

Meet the Author
One White Face
Hilary Corna
Ohio-born Hilary Corna had always dreamt of living in Asia. So after graduating from college, and against everyone’s advice, Hilary sold her prized Jeep and purchased a one-way ticket to Singapore, with no job to go to, and just one suitcase to start her new life. What could have ended in failure turned into her greatest adventure yet. We talked to Hilary about her new memoir One White Face – which has been described as the Generation Y version of "Eat, Pray, Love!...
Read more

Expat Confession
Overcoming Negativity
Extract from Expat Women: Confessions
This is my second posting overseas with my husband, and I know I am becoming more and more impossible to be around. I find myself uncontrollably ranting negatively about everything here in Israel. I used to be such a relaxed and pleasant person to be around, but now I am spiraling out of control and I have no idea how to return to my usual self...
Read More

Surviving Repatriation
Adapting Back Home
Andrea Martins
In our first week back in Australia, it hit me: repatriation for me was probably going to be more like switching hats – back to what I had known before, but life in Australia was going to be a whole new learning experience for our Australian-born children who had never known what it was like to really live in Australia. How wrong I was...
Read More

Not a Member Yet?

Just a reminder that our blog is separate from our main site, so if you are reading this blog post online or you are only subscribed to our blog, you will not automatically receive our Expat Women monthly newsletters.

To receive our monthly newsletters and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site, ExpatWomen.com. When you join, you will also receive a link to download our free e-book of Winning Stories. Thanks for your support!

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (September 27-28 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope your week has started fabulously! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Beautiful Video: Brazilian Expat in Australia: "Would you give 30 gifts to 30 strangers on your birthday?"
http://bit.ly/phOnsQ

How to Find the Right International School for Your Expat Children
bit.ly/oCiEpA

Interesting Expat News from Singapore... More Expatriates Opting for Local Schools Over International Ones
http://bit.ly/qJIfqX

Expat Executive Dilemma: Multiple Bosses from Different Cultures
nblo.gs/nfCKo

Teenage Trauma on Repatriation
bit.ly/p6nKuP

Bizarre Items Confiscated by Customs (14 pictures)
tgr.ph/ofW6Q5

Expat Twitter Round-Up by EasyExpat.com.
bit.ly/pqQPRf

Why Are Some Expats So Unhappy?
http://tgr.ph/oy1Hw6

Made Some Bumbling Social Mistakes in Your New Expat Posting, Like These Expats Have
bit.ly/oZoEww

Coming Soon: Live Call-In Talk Shows From Your Favorite Countries, Focusing on All Areas of Interest, from the Expat Broadcasting Group.
http://www.overseasradio.com

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Heard About The New Cross Cultural Symposium? Oct 13-14 - Indianapolis, Indiana

Hi Everyone, From one of the founders of the Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conference (Ruth Van Reken), comes a new get-together (the Cross Cultural Symposium) next month, that might just become a successful annual event like the first...

Cross Cultural Symposium:
Growing Up Cross-Culturally: 
Broadening Horizons for Academic Research
October 13 – 14, 2011
Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

"What do children of refugees, immigrants, minorities, career expatriates, mixed race, and bi-cultural families have in common? 

These young people are part of the “new normal” in today’s globalizing world. Unlike those of past generations who grew up in monocultural environments, these young people meaningfully interact with two or more different cultural worlds during their developmental years.

Sociologists, anthropologists, educators, psychologists, and other academicians often study these groups as distinct entities. Today’s changing world brings up new questions. Are there common themes researchers are finding among children who have been raised cross-culturally for any reason? What remains distinctive to each type of experience? What about those growing up in multiple cross-cultural categories at the same time? How does this growing cultural complexity factor into today’s research and practice? What are the practical implications for those, such as educators, who work with this population? How can we help today’s children maximize the potential of a cross-cultural childhood while dealing constructively with the challenges?

This interdisciplinary symposium will offer an opportunity for academicians and practitioners to explore the question of whether it is possible to identify common themes that develop for those who are, or were, raised cross-culturally for any reason - even when the reasons differ greatly. As we compare the experience of those growing up cross-culturally with those raised in the more traditional mono-cultural communities and families of the past, we will consider potential research needed to further identify common themes as well as what is, in fact, distinctive to specific experiences. This symposium will be highly interactive using well qualified presenters, a short film, panels, research posters, and small group discussions. Our keynote speaker on October 14 is Professor Gary Weaver, Founder and Executive Director, Intercultural Management Institute, American University.

We invite all interested people to come, particularly academicians and practitioners in the fields of sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, child and adolescent development, and intercultural studies. Also those involved with immigrants, refugees, minorities, ethnicities, expatriates, international adoptees and other related areas, are welcome. Only $75.00 per person (includes two breakfasts, two lunches, registration)

Facilitators: Ruth E. Van Reken, co-founder of Families in Global Transition, co-author, Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds; Fran Colley, Education Chair – Association of International Women (Indianapolis), Research Co-chair – Indiana Multiethnic Committee; and Christine Dowdeswell – Co-founder, Association of International Women (Indianapolis), co-founder FIGT, Alumni Board IU School of Liberal Arts, Indiana University, Purdue University, Indianapolis."

Potential participants are invited to click here for more details.

Congrats to the organizers! Enjoy! Andrea

Women's International Networking (W.I.N) Conference - Oct 5 - 7 (8) - Rome, Italy

Hi Everyone, It's W.I.N Conference time again, and this year the "Creating History" themed event for 800-1,000 participants will be held in Rome, Italy. If you have not registered yet, but you have time to attend, I highly recommend it. I attended in 2007 in Oslo and only have great things to say about the event, the humble founder Kristin Engvig, and the wonderful women that attend.

The speakers this year include:

• Mikael Ohlsson, Swedish, President and CEO, IKEA Group
• Jeanette Horan, British, VP and CIO, IBM
• Dr. Debra Clary Gmelin, American, Corporate Director, The Leadership Institute, Humana, Inc.
• Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, French/Canadian, CEO, 20-first
• Alison Smale, British, Executive Editor, International Herald Tribune
• Nuria Chinchilla, Spanish, Professor, IESE Business School
• Zoë A. Yujnovich, Australian, President and CEO, The Iron Ore Company of Canada
• Dr Yolanda Nokuri Hegngi, American/Cameroonian, Founder, Stimulus, LLC
• Gabi Zedlmayer, German, Vice President Global Social Innovation, HP
• Poonam Ahluwalia, American, President, Youth Entrepreneurship and Sustainability
• Fabrizio Castlelucci, Italian, Professor, SDABocconi
• Binna Kandola OBE, British, Senior Partner, Pearn Kandola
• Dominique Turcq, French, Founder/ President, Boostzone Institute
• Marguerite Barankitse, Burundian, Founder, Maison Shalom
• Nancy Fina, American, Fashion/Advertising photographer
• Umran Beba, Turkish, President Asia Pacific Region, PepsiCo
• Lorella Zanardo, Italian, Author and Director, Il Corpo delle Donne (Women’s Bodies)
• Karen Tse, American, Founder and CEO, International Bridges to Justice
• Dr Kumkum Pareek Malik, American, Founder, Dr Malik and Associates
• Dr Amany Asfour, Egyptian, President, Egyptian Business Women Association
• Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Malaysian, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Humanitarian Futures Programme Kings College London
• Barbara Shipka, American, Owner, Barbara Shipka Designs
• Dr Graeme Codrington, South African/British, Founder and Senior Partner, TomorrowToday
• Emma Bonino, Italian, Vice President, Senate of the Italian Republic

Plus friends of mine/ExpatWomen that will be speaking at W.I.N.:

• Melody Biringer, American, Founder, The CRAVE Company
• Jo Parfitt, British, Publisher, Summertime Publishing
• Mary Farmer, Canadian/Dutch, Lecturer, Les Roches Gruyere University/Glion
• Tracy Ann Curtis, American, Founder, TAC Global Organizational and Talent Development Consulting
• Dana Frost, American, Master Certified Life Coach, Dana Frost Life Coaching Services
• Jeanne A. Heinzer, German/Swiss, Director, Heinzer Consulting
• Heidi Forbes Oste, Swedish/American, Global Social Strategist

And many, many more great speakers. To see the full, impressive list of confirmed speakers, please click here. To register for the conference, you are invited to click here. (Make sure you ask for your 100 Euro discount for mentioning "ExpatWomen.com". And no, we receive no commissions for promoting this great event).

Everyone going to W.I.N. this year, enjoy! Andrea

Expat Women: Confessions - What Do Men Think?

Hi Everyone, Two weeks ago we gave a big shout-out to the (forty or so) fantastic women who had written blog posts about our new book Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad. Today, we want to thank the men. There may only be four (not forty), but that just makes these four men extra special. Here are excerpts from their blog posts...

5 Lessons Expat Women Confessions Will Teach You About Life Abroad by John Falchetto

"...This isn’t a book about shortcuts or a simple motivational e-book telling you to just think positive thoughts. The Expat Women Confessions deals with real issues (from teen suicide to marriage breakdown) and gives real advice. I am not a woman but most advice the book gives can easily be used by men. This is my take on these powerful questions as an expat, a coach and a man...

1. Why Should I Move?

I left Canada in 1996, right after college, my motivation was simple, endless possibilities. Although I wasn’t a trailing spouse, I looked at the move in the same way an artist approaches a blank canvas. I have always been a big believer in change, but not mindless and unfocused change. Andrea [and Victoria] understand[s] the decision isn’t easy and her case-study of someone pondering whether or not to leave an aging mother back home is meaningful. For most future expatriates, an assignment abroad has far reaching implications which shouldn’t be taken lightly.

2. Will Culture Shock Happen to Me?

I still remember falling out of my bed in June ’97 during my first night in Amman, Jordan. The morning prayer was calling from the minarets across the city and this set the tone for the next few years. There were often uncomfortable moments, from which I learned a lot and often laugh about it later. From drinking tea with tribal elders to working through the red tape of setting up a company in Dubai, the challenges were always there and boiled down to two important factors, clearly explained by Andrea [and Victoria]. Personality and attitude: A positive attitude will go a long way. Develop an expat mindset. Managing expectations: I saw many expats look at everything through the prism of their home-country. Yes this isn’t home anymore, things are different.

3. Lack of Respect at Work

The book’s case study looks at gender discrimination in the workplace. I believe as expats there is often a lack of understanding about local culture and social norms. Beyond culture shocks, [my wife] Ameena wrote a great piece about learning how to play in a boy’s sandpit. Although she was born and raised there, it wasn’t always fun. I also think women have a hard job in the corporate world anywhere in the world. My friend and favorite CEO, Gini Dietrich, recently discussed women and achieving workplace equality.

4. Starting a Business Abroad

Undoubtedly I have a bias for expat entrepreneurs, I started my first expat business in 2003 in Dubai and 8 years later I am helping others become successful abroad. [...] From looking into your personality, your lifestyle and basic business questions, [the book] provides the best framework of questions for setting up a business abroad. If you are thinking of becoming an entrepreneur, the book is worth its price for this chapter [Starting a Business] alone. Again your gender doesn’t matter here.

5. Reverse Culture Shock

When I go back to Montreal I feel like a stranger. Although I know the city inside out, and speak both official languages, living abroad changes your outlook on life. Expats often focus on the change while abroad but it’s important not to forget that this change will stay with you when you head home. Once again Andrea [and Victoria] pinpoint[s] this weird feeling to dashed expectations. Going home often brings me to ask myself, is this home?"

John Falchetto is an expat (entrepreneur and) life coach who has lived in Canada, Egypt, Dubai and now lives in France. You can read more about John on his blog Expat Life Coach. Thanks John! 

***

Things an Expat Man Should Hear by Norman Viss

"Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. Never more so than when living abroad. During the pre-publication publicity for this book someone tweeted with the question whether husbands would purchase this book. I immediately replied that I believed they should. Which got me a free copy from Andrea. Thanks, Andrea!

[When] I sat down and read it, I did my best to put my ‘husband is listening’ ears on. ‘What are our women saying that we men should listen to?’ [and} here is what I heard:

(1) She wants to be reassured that the medical care here is good, and that there is enough emotional support during the treatment.

(2) I am dressing and acting differently now that we are settled in. In fact, she feels like I don’t love and respect her like I did before.

(3) Because she is no longer earning an income, she feels financially dependant on me. That makes her uncomfortable.

(4) We have repatriated to our passport country. I thought it would be easy for her to adjust. But it is not. She feels alone and is having trouble making friends.

(5) She is very concerned about who will care for her aging parents.

(6) Now that the situation here is completely different than what we expected, she needs a safe place to express her frustrations.

(7) I travel a lot for my work. That means she is the primary caregiver for the children. She wonders if she is doing a good job.

(8) My wife hears stories from other expats about emotional and physical infidelity, by both men and women. She sometimes worries about us, and desires that we be proactive in preventing relationship betrayal.

(9) Our term abroad is almost over. She senses that I would like to stay abroad, even though we agreed to just one term. She doesn’t know what my thoughts are about the future.

How did I do? If I didn’t hear you well, it’s not the fault of this book, which gives us men a wonderful window into the concerns of our wives. The advice given by Andrea and Victoria is clear, well balanced, comprehensive and sometimes quite direct and provocative, without any claim to be a substitute for professional help.

It’s a book we men need to listen to. No, let me put it another way. We need to listen to our wives, and this book can help give us ears."

Norman Viss spent 10 years as an expat in Nigeria, West Africa, before moving to the Netherlands, 21 years ago. You can read more about Norman on his blog Isolated Internationals. Thanks Norman! 

***

Reading 'Expat Women: Confessions' and Making Some of My Own by Russell Ward

"I have a confession to make. In fact, I have several. I didn't realise that large numbers of expat women struggle when assigned overseas. I didn't realise expat women made confessions about these struggles. And I didn't realise they made them at Expat Women, an online resource for helping expatriate women living overseas."

"...As I started to make my way through the book, I felt a sense of deja vu as I learned about the daily struggles suffered by everyday women in adjusting to a home away from home. From concerns about transitioning into a foreign environment to struggles with unhealthy work-life balances, from suffering regular bouts of homesickness and wanting to go home to experiencing visa difficulties, Expat Women: Confessions covers it all. The range and depth of issues raised, and advice given in return, is staggering yet always approached in a sensitive and honest way.


"...The strength of Expat Women: Confessions is not just the provision of sensible answers and practical advice for any international mover, past or present, but for bringing to light the many issues, frustrations and questions that arise when embarking on a life lived abroad..."

"...If you're an expat-to-be or a current expat, you really should be reading this book. It is a significant support tool for your journey ahead."

Russell Ward is a British expat who has lived in Canada (Vancouver and Ottawa), and now lives in Australia (Sydney - his wife's home city). You can read more about Russell on his blog, In Search Of A Life Less Ordinary. Thanks Russell!

***

Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad by Eric Anders

"I met Andrea in 2010 when I asked if I could republish a timely article she wrote for the August edition of the Worldwide ERC's issue of MOBILITY Magazine entitled 10 Ways to Boost Your (Relocation) Brand Online."

"...Expat Women: Confessions is an easy read. It's quite evident both ladies have walked the talk! They're able to express their ideas in a clear, concise, meaningful manner... Although the primary focus of 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad is geared toward women, most of the 'answers' and advice really applies to anyone living the expat life or relocating anywhere. That includes men, gay and straight trailing partners; school kids, young adults, and fun-loving seniors!"

"...It's a pleasant distraction to enjoy over a morning cup of coffee or après-dinner glass of wine. It's like having a conversation with a very close friend – female or male – about personal concerns and adjustment problems you never knew they had."

[And I swear I did not ask Eric to write this next promo part in his blog's post... but if you are reading this blog and you work in corporate HR or for a relocation company, by all means, read on!]

"Expat Women is now offering their loyal readers, members, corporate clients, mobility service companies and relocating employees the opportunity to purchase bulk orders of their motivational book that features a customized front-cover logo. Those making volume purchases can include a personalized messages or their own unique promotions inside. Be [one of] the first to take advantage of this helpful new offer! Just be sure to tell 'em that a guy recommended their book."

Eric Anders is a relocation industry professional who created his blog RELO Roundtable as an online gathering place for consumers and the moving professionals that help them. Thanks Eric!

***

If you like freebies and you have not already downloaded a free sample from our book, you are invited to please do so here.

Thanks for your support Everyone - and I wish you a sensational weekend! Andrea

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (September 21-22 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Cartus Client Survey Names 44 Key Emerging Market Destinations for Corporate Transferees
bit.ly/nIVN5N

World's Weirdest Hotel Rooms (In Pictures)
bit.ly/r23R4s

Want a Full Copy of The Economist's Liveability Report? (Released August 2011)
bit.ly/pk4HZ3

Nice interview: WSJ Deputy Managing Editor Rebecca Blumenstein, wife of Big In China author Alan Paul
bit.ly/onvt0v

New post by Expat Life Coach John Falchetto
"How Can Leo Babauta Be Wrong? Stop Following Your Passion"
bit.ly/qMIxQg

Gorgeous Italian Vogue cover by chameleon supermodel Gail Elliott!
twitpic.com/6h6wee
PS. Missed Gail's Expat Women Interview?
bit.ly/it4xkA

US Expats: What Happens if the IRS Freezes Your Bank Accounts?
bit.ly/o0BiLJ

12 Rules for Expat Life in Korea
bit.ly/q8GT3u

Expats: Pampered 'Cry Babies,' or Misunderstood?
Business 360 - CNN.com Blogs
bit.ly/qp8bqA

Expats: Cross-Cultural Symposium, Indianapolis, October 13-14
bit.ly/qfmbZB

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Barclays Wealth International Launches An Online Tool Which Monitors Your Foreign Exchange Rates

Hi Everyone, One of our Gold Sponsors, Barclays Wealth International, has launched a wonderful new online tool, for anyone interested in foreign exchange rates. Here are some excerpts from their press release of 14 September 2011...

Barclays Wealth International Launches iAlert FX Service

"Barclays Wealth, a leading global wealth management firm and the UK’s largest, has announced the launch of Barclays Wealth iAlert - a free online tool which monitors foreign exchange rates - as part of an enhanced foreign exchange offering for clients of Barclays Wealth International.

Barclays Wealth iAlert allows clients to monitor up to 75 currency pairs, with subscribers to the FX service receiving email alerts to inform them when their pre-selected currency pairs reach the upper and/or lower levels identified. In addition, through the iAlert website, clients can now access real-time foreign exchange data including:

• Current and historical currency rates
• Extensive Barclays Wealth research and market commentary
• FX tutorials including videos on the basics of FX and buying a property in a foreign currency

Barclays Wealth iAlert is available to all existing clients and individuals who are not clients are invited to sign up to a free 60 day trial. The trial period will be extended to any individual who opens an international bank account with Barclays Wealth International.

For more information on Barclays Wealth iAlert please visit www.barclayswealth.com/ialert-press or call +44 (0)1624 684 080."

Welcome to Taxes for Expats: Our New Expat Women Bronze Sponsor

Hi Everyone, We are excited today to introduce you to Taxes for Expats - another company that has come on board to sponsor us because they value what we do and want to support us!

Thank you Taxes for Expats - a New York City-based, women-owned tax preparation firm specializing in American taxpayers living abroad.  

Granted, many of us are not American, but one-third of our members are, so if you are American, you need to pay taxes, and you are interested in a company that supports great websites (smile), please read on... Thanks so much, Andrea.

Taxes for Expats

"With over 20 years experience, Taxes for Expats have helped hundreds of Americans living abroad stay on the good side of the IRS. With a 100 percent focus on the American expatriate community, they would make an ideal partner for your U.S. tax filing needs. To contact the founder, IJ Zemelman (an IRS-authorized Enrolled Agent), please email questions@taxesforexpats.com, phone +1-646-EXPAT-US (+1-646-3972887), or visit their website at http://www.taxesforexpats.com.

Given the current fiscal state of the U.S. government, the IRS is bringing ever more resources to bear on making sure that American expats file their U.S. tax returns. Every year brings more laws and regulations that make non-filing a very expensive proposition (potentially including criminal prosecution). Taxes for Expats have helped many Americans catch up with their U.S. tax filing obligations and get current with the IRS. They intimately know the process and the best ways to approach this seemingly daunting task. Most of their clients did not have to pay any penalties - but for this you have to be proactive rather than wait for the IRS to find you. So please do get in touch with them. They would like to help."

Educational Articles by Tax Expert, IJ Zemelman

Finally, if you are looking for some educational articles, Taxes for Expats' founder, IJ Zemelman, has also kindly contributed some very useful articles to our Expat Women site. Just click on the titles below if you are interested. Thanks.

American Expatriate Tax Obligations - The Simple Guide

To File, or Not to File: That is the Question

Should You Hire An Expat Tax Professional For Your U.S. Tax Return?

Filing Back Taxes As An Expat

State Taxes And The American Expat - Can You Ever Set Yourself Free?

Expat Youth Scholarship 2011 Winners Announced!

Hi Everyone, If you would like to see the talented winning videos of the Clements Worldwide Expat Youth Scholarship this year, please go to this Expat Youth Facebook page, give it a 'like', and click the "2011 Winners" tab. Thanks - and enjoy! Andrea

Missed Some Great Expat Links on Twitter? (September 15-16 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all enjoying September! Here are some expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

7 Ways Hurricane Irene Taught Me Not To Lose My Head As An Expat
bit.ly/rsySgT

5 Lessons Wonderland Taught Me About Expat Life, by Lewis Carroll's Alice
bit.ly/oJ8St0

Do Expat Child Custody Laws Need Changing?
bit.ly/oME2bi

10 Most Liveable Cities in 2011?
bbc.in/nfie0w

How to Turn Study Abroad Regret into a Positive
bit.ly/pJIN3w

10 Most Expensive Cities for Hotel Stopovers
tgr.ph/qrCQ5t

How Does an Expat Define 'Home'?
bit.ly/p1HSlp

10 Things I Miss From Home by Suzanne in Bermuda
bit.ly/qKAXZ4

Expat Taxes on Forbes: "Can Moving From Japan to NY Make You a Rhode Island Resident?" onforb.es/qMpRkP

Expat Life isn't as Peachy as You Might Think - The Uncertainty of Expat Life
bit.ly/nId1dz

Please Support Expat Writing Mentor Jo Parfitt and Her New Upcoming Novel - Interview Her or Ask Her to Write for You!
aweber.com/t/FHz6o

Preserve Your Expat Memories & Help Expat Archive Center to Document the Social History of Expat Life

bit.ly/ng1WeJ

***

To follow me in 'real time' and keep up with even more great expat links on Twitter, please click here.

If you reading this blog post online and you are not already an Expat Women member, please support us and sign up here to receive our monthly, motivational newsletters.

Thanks for your support and I wish you a fantastic day/evening! Andrea @andreaexpat

Thank You For Your Blog Posts & Amazon Reviews!

Hi Everyone, It has been four months now since we launched our first book (my how time flies!) Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad.

To celebrate this milestone, we want to give a shout-out to the fantastic women who have kindly written blog posts about our book (adding their own valuable insights as well), and/or left reviews on other sites. A huge thank you to all of you!

PS. To download a free sample from our book, please just click here.

Thank You to These Bloggers:

I Was an Expat Wife
by Maria @IWasAnExpatWife
Even though Maria's expat days are over for now, she still has lots to say about expat life!
Read the review on her blog here.

Where in the World Am I
by Stephanie @StephanieSD
Notes from the streets of Hyderabad, India.
Her blog review is here.

United We Stand
by Tatiana von Tauber @TatianaBoudoir
Czech American expat living in Germany. Blog centers around writing, the arts, philosophy of love and sex, motherhood and the influences living abroad has brought to my work as a writer, photographer and artist.
Her blog review is here.
Plus, her "Expat Women: Confessions - I Paint In The Nude" guest post on the expat+ harem site is here.

Career By Choice

by Megan Fitzgerald @ExpatCoachMegan

Megan's excellent and insightful blog shares success tips to expats interested in being highly visible, sought-after and successful experts and leaders abroad. 

Her blog review is here.

The Female Expat Project
by Joelle
The Female Expat Project is a collection of writing, art, and audio that archives and reflects the lives of female expatriates (define expat) living throughout the world. The site depends on submissions by women who are or have been female expats and feel a connection to the content of the site.
Her blog review is here.

Finding My Way
by Jeanne @collageoflife
I am a woman living life with four kids, a sweet husband and devoted springer spaniel. We hail from the USA, became Australian citizens along the way, called New Zealand home and now live in Surrey, England. My kids are here, there and everywhere and I spend most of my time trying to figure out where.
Her blog review is here.

Writing…Just Because
by Anne @annethewriter
After 20 years in PR I decided it was time to...just write. Now, I am a freelance writer and aspiring author. In this Blog I post thoughts and unfettered contemplation on issues that I come across every day and the highs and lows of being a freelancer. I love to read (what writer doesn't?) so, once a month I also do a book review focusing on expat/ adventure travel, social media or small business resources.
Her blog review is here.

Authentic Journeys
by Jennifer Kumar
Cross-Cultural and Expat Coaching Services. Helping you live the best life... anywhere you are in the world!
Her blog review is here.

Bell'Avventura
by Scintilla
The ups and downs of tripping through life between Positano on the Amalfi Coast and Luxembourg (not in Belgium!).
Her blog review is here.

Abroad in Belgium
by Kimberley @kimberleylovato
Monthly (maybe more often) musings from a broad living abroad in Belgium.
Her blog review is here.

Delhi Bound
by Naomi @gemgem76
A family of five moves from the midwest to Delhi.
Read the review on her blog here.

Empty Nest Expat
by Karen @EmptyNestExpat
I'm a soon-to-be American expatriate bursting with enthusiasm to get out there.
Her blog review is here.

Expat Forever
by Véronique Martin-Place
An expat blog in French.
Réflexions et témoignages sur l'expatriation au quotidien.
Her blog review is here.

Expat Mum
by Toni @ToniHargis
Mutterings from a Brit wife, mother and sometime writer, living in a strange land, ie. the US of A.
Her blog review is here.

Firenze Moms 4 Moms Network
by Firenze Mom
English-Speaking Expat Group for Moms in Tuscany Italy
Her blog review is here.

The German Way Expat Blog
by HF @hflippo
Discussing expat life in German-speaking Europe
Their blog review is here.

[Insert suitably snappy title here...]
by Kath @kathmeista
A blog about all things literary with a bit of expatriate life thrown in for fun!
Her blog review is here.

Kayni's Corner Café
by Kayni @kayni100
A blog on travel and photography
Her blog review is here.

What Kate Did
by Kate
An expat Brit, I've lived in Brisbane, Brussels and am currently residing with my Aussie husband and 2 daughters amidst the heat and dust of Bahrain. For our next move, I'm hoping for a location that doesn't begin with "B".
Her blog review is here.

A Quick Succession of Busy Nothings
by Kris
The blog of a trailing spouse, uprooted from American suburbia and now trying to find her niche in rural England.
Her blog review is here.

Lao Ren Cha
by Jenna
A travel blog focusing on female expat life in Taiwan - taking trips, dating and marriage, women's issues in Taiwan and more
Her blog review is here.

Lovely in Lux
by Libby
Learning to love life in Luxembourg - and anywhere - with positive thinking!
Her blog review is here.

Emm in London
by Missus Emm @missus_emm
The adventure of an eternal tourist living in London
Her blog review is here.

X-pat Files From Overseas
by Pat @pattymackz
Inspiring courage, breaking barriers, creating connections
Her blog review is here.

Clog Blog
by Pomo Mama
Back to rain-sodden central Scotland.
Her blog review is here.

Czech Off the Beaten Path
by Sher
Adventures living in the Czech Republic and finding tourist sites off the beaten path.
Her blog review is here.

The Little Travelers
by Angelina @littletravelers
The Little Travelers - travel diaries and musing on raising global children.
Her blog review is here.

Tales from Windmill Fields
by Rosalind @windmilltales
A blog, relating my experiences here in Holland, a place to share my everyday thoughts, trials and tribulations. Cooking, baking and crafts, product reviews and websites.
Her blog review is here.

Irish Nomad in Malaysia
by Johanna C @Osloscribe
Irish serial-expat returning to South East Asia after almost six years in Norway. The Irish Nomad has cast aside her skiis, snow boots and purple wellies, to start over yet again, armed with sun screen, mosquito spray, three kids, her beloved Mac and, more often than not, a sense of humour.
Her blog review is here.

An American in Malta
by Ilene
Website/blog describing what it's like to move abroad to Malta. Includes information on residency, banking, health insurance, informing family and friends, bringing pets to Malta – everything of concern to an expatriate in Malta.
Her blog review is here.

Blog in France
by Stephanie @llamamum
Life, love and llamas in Limousin
Her blog review is here.

Durian Days
by Flexi Girl
Durian stinks. It really, really reeks. In some cities, it’s even banned from mass transit and taxis. Yet there are a lot of people who love it, seek it out, and enjoy every bit of it. Durian is like expat life. We are
spouses. We are moms. We are friends. We’ve followed our husbands
literally around the globe, and redefined what we need to be happy numerous times, in numerous countries. It’s been a journey. Join us for some of it.
Her blog review is here.

Hop on the Gravy Train
by Ann K
My better half and I moved in August 2009 from Washington, DC to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Away from my life as a lawyer back home, I'm an international lady of leisure for now and using my appetite to eat, cook, and laugh my way through Southeast Asia.
Her blog review is here.

Little Colombia Observationist
by Stephanie @cafedereves
American girl travels to Colombia to find out if the only risk really is wanting to stay…
Her blog review is here.

Mother Jungle
by Susan L @MotherJungle
Chopping coconuts,peeling bananas flow right along side raising two children in Costa Rica, one with Down Syndrome and making my way as a single mom who tries to write between loads of laundry.
Her blog review is here.

No Ordinary Homestead
by Tiffany @txblond
A Texan getting used to life in Germany, living in an 1830's farmhouse, learning to be a mom and trying to become more self-sufficient.
Her blog review is here.

Practically Perfect
by Jenny
Thoughts and experiences of a Midwestern Girl who's moving around the map!
Her blog review is here.

The American Resident
by Michelle Garrett @Michelloui
Parenting. Homemaking. Living. Overseas!
Her blog review is here.

Vegemite Vix
by Vegemite Vix @vegemitevix
Vegemite Vix blogs on her adventures moving three kids, dog, cat and all their earthly possessions from Auckland New Zealand to a little town in North Hampshire UK. Use Before Leaving offers handy hints for expats, on raising teenagers, on blended families and step parenting, and also on travel, life and life's journeys.
Her blog review is here.

Wordgeyser
by Jane @wordgeyser
Observations and absurdities of international life with a family of global nomads and world wide friends. Currently living in The Netherlands.
Her blog review is here.

LindyLouMac's Book Reviews
by Linda @LindyLouMac
Linda and her husband have been living in and loving Italy as 'empty nesters' since March 2004. This blog indulges her love of good books.
Her blog review is here.

TexPatFaith
by Shirley Ralston
Expatriate adventures through the eyes of faith.
Her blog review is here.

This Australian Life
by Rosangela Silva
A Brazilian living Down Under.
Her blog review is here.
(Editor: Yes, this is a late inclusion, added after this original post was written. But still worthy!)

And thanks also to the following women who posted reviews on an Amazon site and/or on another website:

American Expat; Angelina Hart; Caitlin; Cat Bauer; E. Vennekens-Kelly; Frogger; Jacqueline van Gent; Jeanette Teh; Jennifer Kumar; Jenny; Jo Parfitt; Judy Rickatson; Katrina; Kimberley Lovato; Kristy; Loulou; Lovely in Lux; Maria Foley; Michelle Fabio; Miss Footloose; Missus Emm; Shelley Antscherl; Regula Sindemann; S J Dagg; Sandie Mirfield; Stephanie; Susan Lutz; Tamara Furey; Tina Tinde; TLP; Vegemite Vix; Véronique Martin-Place.

Next week, we will thank the men (honest).

Have a fabulous weekend, Everyone! Andrea