Excellent Expat Books Worth A Shout Out

Hi Everyone! I can't believe it's been six months since my last update. Whilst Expat Women is still 'on a break' (I'll tell you about my new venture very soon), there are a few fantastic books that have crossed my desk in that time that really deserve a shout out.

Small Biz Abroad: 
Finding a Small Business That Fits You and Works Well Overseas
by William Beaver

William Beaver is the epitome of a lifelong expat entrepreneur. He has had the openness and courage to pursue lots of business ideas, he has willingly mentored others, he has never given up, and he constantly sees opportunities instead of obstacles. 

The great news is that rather than keep all of his learnings to himself, William has put together the most impressive free expat e-book I have ever read. He shares links to 385 expat businesses, he reveals his Top 20 Mistakes with this overseas small businesses, and much, much more. 

If you're an expat (or soon-to-be expat) contemplating starting a business abroad, William's free e-book (available for download from his home page) is an excellent read and I highly recommend it. 

The Suitcase Entrepreneur:
Create Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life
by Natalie Sisson

If you remember our Expat Women interview with Natalie last year, you'll recall that this former body sculpting champion is an absolute dynamo. Originally from New Zealand, Natalie has citizenship in the United Kingdom, permanent residence in Canada, has travelled to 63 countries, lived on 5 continents, broken a world record, won a gold medal in Ultimate Frisbee and has now grown her laptop business to six figures annually. Amazing.

Having written multiple e-books for her website, Natalie has now stepped it up a level and released her very first book on Amazon. And it's brilliant. Why? Because not only does it share motivational messages, anecdotes, lessons and stories, but it gives the best list I've ever seen of products and resources that you can use to build your business, each with Natalie's explanation of what the product does and how it worked for her. 

In my humble opinion, that list alone is worth the price of her book. I wish I'd had this list when we set up Expat Women. I'm so glad I had this list when I just set up my new venture (details soon). 

Harvesting Stones:
An American Woman's International Journey of Survival
by Paula Lucas

This book I have not read yet, but we interviewed Paula Lucas on Expat Women some years ago, I've met Paula in person a few times, and I'm totally in awe of everything she does, so I have a feeling her book will impress also. 

In short, this book shares the story of how for 14 years, Paula lived what looked like an ideal life overseas in the UAE: A Newsweek photojournalist husband, worldwide travel, a successful advertising, marketing and PR business, and three beautiful sons.

But she also hid a terrible secret: the children suffered severe child abuse and Paula, horrific domestic violence, at the hands of her husband. Her husband threatened to kill her and the children during increasingly violent rages. Her pleas to the American Embassy and the State Department were futile. Finally her chance to escape materialized, thanks to a thief. 

Paula went on to set up the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line in 1999 and has been proactively helping American expats suffering domestic violence ever since. Paula's dedication is phenomenal.

Want More?

Unfortunately I don't have the capacity to let you know about every great new expat book released anymore. (Huge apologies to everyone who's emailed me information about their new book this year).

But if you do want more, I invite you to head over to my friend Jo Parfitt's Expat Bookshop. Lots of great resources there (including Expat Women: Confessions).

Thanks Everyone and I wish you a sensational week!

Andrea

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? (September 7-8 edition)

Hi Everyone, I hope your week is going really well! Here are some more expat links I have tweeted recently, that might interest you...

Excellent read! “A Totally Impractical Expat Interview #16: Camden Luxford of The Brink of Something Else”
http://bit.ly/ndrK0I

11 Tips for Mining Expat Families Living and Working Overseas
http://bit.ly/mTOX6N

Catch Me If You Can: Top 10 Expat Con Artists
tgr.ph/qwT00i

Adapt, Move Again, Adapt Again: One Tip to Ease the Process of Constant Adaptation for Expats"
http://bit.ly/qmVII1

10 Things People Need to Know About China
http://tgr.ph/pHj8Md

Story of the Expat Doctor Mom - How Do You Define Success?
bit.ly/oqQHH9

Expat Pensioner Exodus: Would the Last Person to Leave Britain Please Switch Off the Lights?
tgr.ph/q2dmcr

The Global Differences of Baby-Making
bit.ly/pLakJu

Go to a UK University? I'd Rather Study Abroad
http://tgr.ph/nL4AWh

"Dubai is a soap opera in the making”, says Annabel Kantaria
fb.me/SCOcQwow

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