Robin Pascoe's Survey Summary Is Up!

Hi Everyone, Followers of this blog will know that Robin Pascoe (aka The Expat Expert) conducted a large international relocation survey earlier this year, sponsored by Canadian movers AMJ Campbell International, entitled "Family Matters!"

The survey returned an amazing 655 workable responses from expats and their family members (14 years of age and above). In addition to 30% of the respondents being male, one of the other notable aspects of the survey was its array of open-ended questions - which in turn resulted in a wealth of very open, honest, heartwarming and heartbreaking responses.

To be one of the first to see the results (as Robin has literally only put it up an hour ago), just click here. Happy reading! And well done Robin and associates!

Best wishes for your weekend, Andrea.

Worldwide ERC's 2008 Global Workforce Symposium, October

Hi Everyone, If you are involved in the workforce mobility field, or servicing those that are, you might like to consider a Worldwide ERC© (Employee Relocation Council) conference.

This year's Global Workforce Symposium will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park, Washington DC, October 29-31. More details available here.

To see Jill's account from her attendance last year at the same conference in Denver, Colorado, just click here.

FYI, Worldwide ERC© is also running the following events:

2009 Global Workforce Summit
March 4-5, 2009: Singapore

2009 National Relocation Conference
May 13-15, 2009: San Diego, California

2009 Global Workforce Symposium
October 7-9, 2009: Chicago, Illinois

2010 National Relocation Conference
May 19-21, 2010: Orlando, Florida

2010 Global Workforce Symposium
October 27-29, 2010: Seattle, Washington

SIETAR 2008 Conference - Granada, Spain October 22-25, 2008

Hi Everyone, If you haven't heard of SIETAR, it is the Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research ...and if you haven't heard of their 2008 World Congress, it is in beautiful Granada, Spain this year, October 22-25.

"This year's theme is How Globalization Affects Cultures & Cultures Shape Globalization ...and will address key issues faced by: All interculturalists and other professionals working in education, corporate training, communication and expatriation; and Professionals working in human resources, marketing, politics, diplomacy, conflict resolution and international finance."

To find out more, just click here.

WebAwards 2008

Hello again, If you are interested in web site best practice, you might like to take a look at the newly-released winners database from the US-based Web Marketing Association's WebAwards 2008.

The WebAwards roll call is long, as they give multiple awards across 96(!) industries. We even scored an award last year, in our first year online, in their "Online Community" category. :-)

The winners' list includes lots of big names like Disney, British Airways, National Geographic, GE, Harry Potter, Microsoft and the like, but also lots of smaller-site names too. To see the best-of-the-best, jump quickly onto their Best of Show award winners page.

Change Of Web Host

Hi Everyone, In case you have been wondering why we have been quiet for several days, it is because we have been busy behind-the-scenes organising the changeover to a new web host, which will hopefully take place this coming weekend.

So, if our main site is down this weekend for a few hours, while the old company switches to the new company, that will be why. Thanks for your understanding and have a wonderful day! :-)

Have You Told Your Friends?

Hi Everyone, Just a friendly reminder to please support our 'Tell A Friend' Promotion this month. All you have to do is tell your expat women friends to join ExpatWomen.com.

If they join and win our US$100 prize, we'll ask them who referred them, and if it was you, we'll give you US$100 also. So you both win! See conditions and details here.

The more members we have = The easier it is for us to gain/retain Sponsors and Advertisers = The more money we have to invest back into ExpatWomen.com = The better we can make our site for you.

Thank you very much in advance for your support! Andrea.

Got Books On Your Expat Blog?

Hi Everyone, When approving a new blog submission today for our Expat Women Blog Directory, we noticed a very cool way to display books down the side of your expat blog: it's the Shelfari bookshelf.

We've seen many books on many blogs, but the Shelfari widget today on Cat Bauer's Venetian Cat blog was very effective. Take a look if you are interested.

The Girl Effect

Hi Everyone, There are many worthy movements out there. This one struck our eyes yesterday on expat Dish's Hooked in Amsterdam blog: The Girl Effect - which is a movement to empower (particularly adolescent) girls in the developing world.

Interesting facts:

"An extra year of primary school boosts girls' eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent."

"When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man."

"Research in developing countries has shown a consistent relationship between better infant and child health and higher levels of schooling among mothers."

See the Girl Effect Fact Sheet Here to find the sources of these quotes and to find out more.

Watch the 2 minute video because it is very clever and worth watching just to see the ad's clever use of text. Best wishes, Andrea.

Expatica's "I Am Not A Tourist Fair", Holland, Sunday 12 October 2008

Hello again, If you are an international living in or moving to The Netherlands, looking for opportunities and information to make the most of life abroad, then this might be the event for you. Enjoy!

"I Am Not A Tourist Fair" (Expatica)
Place: Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam
Date: Sunday, 12 October 2008
Time: 10am – 5pm
Tickets: Free tickets available now. Tickets ordered online are free, while tickets purchased at the door will be EUR 10 each. Sign up here.

"The "i am not a tourist" Fair is a unique opportunity to get all the information and contacts you need in one place. Within a single day, you'll have the chance to meet groups and clubs, service providers, experts, and other expats. If you’re looking for a house or a job, starting a business, or just want to meet other internationals, the “i am not a tourist” Fair is for you! This year being the fair’s 5th anniversary, it will include numerous lifestyle surprises as a special bonus."

Leman Expat Fair, Sunday 9 November, Morges, Switzerland

Hello Everyone, If you are living in Switzerland and in the Canton of Vaud, you might like to mark your calendar to visit the Léman Expat Fair on Sunday 9 November 2008 at the Théâtre de Beausobre in Morges.

The producers of the Fair are experienced expatriates themselves and have promised to put together an event where you can "meet the businesses that can help you and your family integrate into your new Swiss lifestyle".

WIN Conference 2008, there is still time...

...to register and attend. This is a fabulous conference. I went to last year's conference in Norway. A sure way to inspire your spirit, meet some wonderful women and kick-start your goals into action post-Summer.

W.I.N. Global Leadership Forum
Sitges (Barcelona Coast), Spain
Vision and Vitality: Moving into the Future
(17) 18-20 (21) September 2008

Go for it! Andrea

Expat Women September Newsletter

Hello Everyone, We have just finished sending out our Expat Women Members' Newsletter for September. If you have not signed up yet, you can read the newsletter online here.

If you are signed up and you did not receive the newsletter, please let us know here. Thanks and best wishes, Andrea.

Dual-Career Academic Couples

Hello Everyone, I received an email yesterday from Stanford University’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research. (Perhaps because of the post earlier this week on Dual Career Households.)

They wanted to share their latest US-based research on the topic: Dual-Career Academic Couples: What Universities Need to Know.

The research report does not have any expat focus, but it is still interesting, particularly if you are part of an expat dual career couple in academia, you are a HR Manager in academia and/or if you are doing complementary research in this area. Here is their blurb:

"Announcing New Research on Dual-Career Academic Couples – exploring hiring and retention of top talent, increasing diversity, and workplace culture.

Dual-career issues are increasingly important in higher education today. Over 70 percent of faculty are in dual-career relationships; more than a third are partnered with another academic. This trend is particularly strong among women scientists and people in more junior positions. As the number of women receiving Ph.D.s continues to rise, U.S. universities will see an increasing number of high quality candidates for faculty positions partnered with another academic. This presents universities with a challenge, but also a great opportunity to access new candidates and diversify their faculty.

Based on a major survey of full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty at thirteen leading US universities, plus interviews with administrators at eighteen universities, Dual-Career Academic Couples explores the impact of dual-career partnering on hiring, retention, professional attitudes, and work culture in the U.S. university sector. It also makes recommendations for improving the way universities work with dual-career candidates and strengthen overall communication with their faculty on hiring and retention issues. It is vital reading for anyone interested in the continuing strength and competitiveness of US universities.

Lead author Londa Schiebinger, Director of the Clayman Institute and Professor of the History of Science, welcomes questions and comments on the research."

Here is the link to their Executive Summary. Happy reading, Andrea

Challenges Of Dual Career Households In A Global Economy (For Americans Abroad)

Hello Everyone, If the topic of expat dual careers interests you, we invite you to read Leila Heron's article that we uploaded this week.

Leila's research and focus concentrates on US expats, but there might just be something in the article for you, even if you are not American. (The data table itself is very interesting.) :-)

Here is Leila's Executive Summary:

"The global economy, growing numbers of dual income households, and the increase of international assignments are producing pressure on American multinationals and the Federal Government to provide career transition assistance to spouses/partners worldwide. New support programs emphasizing entrepreneurial skills training and internet savvy show promise to boost employment opportunities abroad."

Have a great day/evening! Andrea

Expat Women - September Home Page

Hi Everyone, While you were enjoying your weekend, we uploaded our new September Home Page and features for you. Please take a look and/or visit the specific article(s) of interest below.

We also launched our 'Tell A Friend' Promotion. Please encourage all of your expat women friends to join, because if their membership number is randomly chosen at the end of September, they will win US$100 and if they nominate you as the person who referred them, you win US$100 too!

Our Expat Women Members' Newsletter will come out later this week. If you have not joined up yet, please join here (and remember to verify your membership when you get the auto-email) before our Newsletter goes out, so you don't miss out.

Thank you very much and best wishes for your September, Andrea.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

September Home Page Features:

Herta Von Stiegel
Finance Leader
Born in Transylvania, Herta has spent her adult life in the US and the UK. She has an impressive track record in the finance industry and together with her partners, has just launched Ariya Capital Group, a fund management firm focusing on sustainable investments in Africa...

Vardit Kohn
For Goodness Sake
Vardit Kohn has been interested in food for as long as she can remember. But it was not until after her linguistics studies in Israel, and her MBA studies in London, that she found her true calling and she now thrives as a Natural Nutritionist in The Netherlands…

Managing Global Talent: What Do Expatriate Spouses Need?
Report to Participants, Dr. Nina Cole
Surveys demonstrate that problems with spousal adjustment are the leading cause of early return home from expatriate assignments, which is costly in terms of repatriation and replacement of the expatriate, and in terms of company performance...

Finding The Right Boarding School
Rebecca Grappo, M.Ed
Young people in internationally mobile families often face many disruptions in their education as their families move from one country to the next. Many times their educational needs cannot be met at the location of the new international assignment...

Expat Confession
Beware Your Friends
Ciao! I just moved to Italy a year ago and have started to meet people. I am married to an Italian citizen and am getting over my culture shock, my rollercoaster emotions and I am finally settling in. I met a woman (also married to an Italian) at a common expat meet up as...

Guanxi: The Art Of Building Relationships In China
Sheida Hodge
In literal terms, Guanxi means "the art of building relationships". But for [foreigners] seeking to
do business in China, this translation is somewhat misleading. The idea of forced socialization...

Expat Assignments: Are You Addicted?

Hello Everyone, We had this article published online yesterday in The Telegraph UK: Expat Assignments: Are You Addicted?

Here's how it starts:

"If you love living abroad, you see your passport more than your home country, you enjoy a much-envied lifestyle and you hate the thought of repatriating, there is a good chance that you, like many expats before you, have been seduced by the addictive nature of international assignments.

So what exactly is it that makes such assignments so addictive? The answers are many and varied, but here are six of the big ones..."

It is aimed at expats (and their partners/families) sent abroad by their employer on international assignments.

If you would like to read more, just click here. Feedback and constructive criticism always welcome.

Best wishes for your weekend! Andrea

World's 100 Most Powerful Women

Hi Everyone, Did you see that Forbes released yesterday their annual list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World?

Here are their Top 10 women:

1. Angela Merkel
2. Sheila C. Bair
3. Indra K. Nooyi
4. Angela Braly
5. Cynthia Carroll
6. Irene B. Rosenfeld
7. Condoleezza Rice
8. Ho Ching
9. Anne Lauvergeon
10. Anne Mulcahy

To read the rest of their list and to find out where women like Oprah are ranked, just click here. Cheers.

Highlights From Expat Expert Robin Pascoe's "Family Matters!" Survey

Hello Everyone, For those of you following our previous blogposts about Robin Pascoe's Family Matters! Survey in the expat community, here are three key highlights sent around by Robin today:

"1. The survey confirmed there is a distinct 'disconnect' in communication about relocation policy between headquarters and expat families as 64 per cent of respondents said no one - neither employee nor family members - were offered any training whatsoever. Yet, according to the latest GMAC Global Relocation Trends survey, 154 global companies reported that 84 per cent of their organizations made cross-cultural preparation available to at least one member of the family. So while it may be policy to offer training, it would appear from your responses that this news is not being communicated.

2. Marital breakdown was the highest rated factor to impact negatively on the stress of an assignment. It ranked higher than children's education, spousal resistance to move in the first place, spousal career concerns, and adjustment in general. The reasons for an assignment failure are clearly more nuanced than simply "family failure to adjust" which we hear quoted so often.

3. The number one request for inclusion in any relocation policy - well above cross-cultural training and career counseling, both of which came in almost at the bottom of the list - was "assurances of a new contact at the new destination for help settling in." Anecdotally, you informed me that in the absence of ground support in your new locales, however, other expats, through spousal organizations, schools committees, and community clubs, are stepping up to assist you."

When Robin releases her official Executive Summary of her survey findings, we will be sure to let you know. Enjoy your day!

Expats - The Movie - Filming Soon in Dubai

Hi Everyone, If you are interested in starring in the upcoming 'Expats' movie, by Dubai-based expat (NZ) movie producer, Craig Johnson, and you live in the UAE, be quick to register your interest here. Auditions are scheduled for this week: August 29 and 30. Good luck!

(We spotted this announcement on Bernama.com, an online Malaysian News Agency, thanks to our Google alert. )

ExpatFinder - Launched This Week

Hi Everyone, Exciting news this week is the launch of ExpatFinder.com, the brainchild of Sébastien and Francois Deschamps, who are also behind ExpatAngels.org (launched in June 2008) and InterExpat.com (officially launching in September 2008).

"ExpatFinder is the first vertical search engine for people intending to relocate or already living abroad. [It] addresses the increased demand for information and services by relocating professionals and their families. The website acts as a channel to guide expatriates or pre-expatriates about to make the move, to the most relevant information and websites both locally and globally".

Whilst still tweaking a few launch issues and still uploading a lot of the thumbnail images for the search results, I think ExpatFinder is a great idea and shows a lot of potential. I wish Sébastien and Francois all the very best.

Have a fabulous weekend, best wishes, Andrea.

Finding The Right Boarding School

Hi Everyone, If you have children and you live a globally-nomadic life, take a read of Rebecca Grappo's great article: Finding The Right Boarding School, which was published this week in The Telegraph UK.

(Rebecca actually wrote this article specifically for our Expat Women audience - it is coded up and ready-to-go for our September home page and newsletter.)

Rebecca knows what she is talking about: she has lived in nine countries and has personally visited more than 130 boarding schools in the US and Europe.

Loyal readers might remember Rebecca's previous article for us: Taking A Special Needs Child Overseas? What To Know...

Thanks Everyone - enjoy your day/evening! Andrea

Looking For Expat Stories & Experiences

Hi Everyone, We are always looking for expat experiences for our Expat Women stories section.

Do you have a story that you could share?

Here are some of our previous story-of-the-month winners, to motivate you:
Inspiring People I Have Met - By Julie, a Kiwi expat in Switzerland
My Life Is A Charade - By Serena, an American expat in Mexico
Welcome to the Dark Side - By Bronwyn, an Australian in Cambodia
Integration - By Saskia, who was a Dutch expat woman in the UK

If you are a new reader to this blog, we also encourage you to support us and sign up as an ExpatWomen.com member, so you can receive your free e-book with all of our February 2007 - August 2008 Winning Stories. Thanks!

British Expats In, Or Moving To, Spain?

Hello Everyone, Becky Maynard, an Assistant Director at Studio Lambert, is working on a new documentary series for ITV about British expats moving to and/or living in Spain and is looking for people in the following scenarios:

(a) A family on the verge of making a decision to move to Spain, or looking at properties with a view to buy in the next month or two;

(b) British expats already living the dream in Spain;

(c) Someone whose Spanish experience is turning into a nightmare;

(d) People who are considering giving up the Spanish dream entirely.

If you meet any of the above criteria, and are willing to meet Becky in September, with a view to filming in October, please urgently contact Becky here. Thanks.

International Assignments & Emotional Intelligence - Surveys For Working Expats

Hi Everyone, Elise Christensen (a Norwegian who has lived in Egypt, Russia, the USA, UAE and UK) would like your help please in completing two surveys for her postgraduate dissertation that investigate the role of emotional intelligence ("the ability to recognize and manage emotions") in international assignments.

If you have been the person employed/posted for an international assignment (rather than the accompanying partner), past or present, and you are able to help Elise, please email her here to request the two surveys. The submission deadline is 5 September 2008. Thanks.

Kick Like A Girl: The Movie

Thanks to an anonymous comment on this blog, I learnt today about the Kick Like A Girl movie.

"Kick Like A Girl is the story of what happens when “The Mighty Cheetahs”, an undefeated third grade girls soccer team competes in the boys division. With humor and honesty this documentary reveals the reality of the boy-girl issues and what "Kick Like A Girl" really means on and off the playing field. The film is narrated by 8 year old Lizzie, a self-described soccer girl, who doesn't let juvenile diabetes, elbow blocks or grass stains interfere with her desire to compete. Refreshing and triumphant, Kick Like A Girl reminds us all of the lessons learned in competitive athletics and how sports has been one of the most effective instruments of social change in our lifetime."

The online trailer for this movie is very inspirational. After watching the trailer several times and reading every word on their website, I contacted the director of the film, Jenny Mackenzie to find out more.

Jenny advised that the film is currently playing at International Film Festivals and they will have a broadcast premiere on HBO in early 2009. DVDs will be for sale shortly after the premiere. In the meantime, if you are interested in putting your name on their notification list, just drop them a line. Or, if you are interested in Jenny's touring and speaking engagements, email Jenny here.

Thanks Everyone - and enjoy the two-minute-trailer. Andrea :-)

Guanxi: The Art Of Building Relationships In China... and elsewhere

Hello Everyone, We thought we would get into the swing of everything China this month (aka the month of the Olympics) and have sourced this interesting article for you about Guanxi and building relationships in China. In actual fact, even if you're not dealing with China, it's a great reminder about what is important in relationships abroad, namely:

1. Brand;
2. Expertise;
3. Sincerity; and
4. Track Record.

Take a read and enjoy your day/evening! Thanks.

Calling All Writers Interested In Self-Publishing, Print-On-Demand, Lightning Source & Aiming At Amazon

Hi Everyone, Have you ever heard of Aaron Shepard? He's the guy that wrote Aiming At Amazon, which Expat Expert Robin Pascoe once described as the book that changed her life, with its insights on how best to go about self-publishing via Lightning Source and then selling your book(s) on Amazon.

Well, here is some fabulous news, if you are a writer and/or interested in self-publishing...

Aaron Shepard has just announced on his blog that you can now download for free, the draft version of his upcoming revised book - Aiming At Amazon: The NEW Business Of Self-Publishing OR How To Publish Books For Profit With Print On Demand By Lightning Source And Book Marketing On Amazon.com.

The idea is that anyone downloading the book will do so with the intention of providing any applicable feedback/comments by the end of August, to help him finish the book in time for his scheduled September release.

This is a GREAT opportunity to learn from someone who really does seem to know what he's talking about, in terms of self-publishing, Lightning Source and Amazon. We read his first edition and it was EXCELLENT. So... what are you waiting for? Go for it! :-)

Permits Foundation Survey - Expat Spouses/Partners - Can You Help?

Hello Everyone, Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton from the Permits Foundation has written to us to ask for your help...

The Permits Foundation is an international non-profit corporate initiative to promote access of accompanying spouses and partners of international staff to employment through an improvement of work permit regulations.

They are running an online survey (until Sept 30) for expat spouses and partners, "to learn about your wishes in relation to employment, the challenges you face and possible solutions... you can take part if you are interested in working, whether or not you are working at present".

Kathleen:"the survey is a great opportunity for expat spouses to speak up and get their needs with respect to employment heard by employers and governments."

To help Kathleen and fill in the survey, please Click Here. Thank you.

Trying To Learn A New Language?

Hi Everyone, we learnt yesterday about a cool tool to help you learn a new language, at your own pace, and in your own time: the Language Pod.

You can learn with a ChinesePod, a SpanishPod, a FrenchPod or an ItalianPod. EnglishPods come out next year.

The company with the brainwave is Praxis Language and apparently they launched their first Language Pod in 2005 - so they have had time to iron out any kinks in the product and improve on their very first version. They offer six different skill levels, with loads of 10-15 minute lessons for each language.

"Praxis Language's guiding precept is its trademark Personalized Learning System (PLS), which offers content and tools via podcasts while accessing a collaborative community via the internet. Mobility enables language learning via a variety of media - including the PC, iPod, MP3 player, iPhone and mobile phone, giving the user control in a ubiquitous learning environment, available 24/7, that lets learners be 'immersed in the moment' - any time. Users learn on their own terms instead of in the traditional teacher-centric, 'one-to-many' format used by language instruction methodologies, including other podcast-based systems."

Sounds like the perfect tool for globe-trotting expats. :-)

Want To Contribute To A New Website For Female Entrepreneurs?

Hi again, Anyone willing to contribute expert content, in exchange for a webpage on Women Unlimited, is invited to email Julie Hall, read on...

"I am looking for people to write articles about subjects they are passionate about for an online community website for female entrepreneurs. The website will be both business-oriented and personal development-oriented. My vision for Women Unlimited is to become a catalyst for change in the UK, enabling women to achieve success through their own businesses and skills. The target market for the website is women-owned businesses from sole traders to medium-sized organisations."

"Every author will have their own profile page and by-line on the website, with a link to their own websites. They will also be able to have a link in the business directory for free."

Thanks go to Jo Parfitt for sharing this lead.

Need Mail Services?

Hi Everyone, We would like to thank USA2Me (Package and USA Mail Forwarding Services) for renewing their advertising term with us at ExpatWomen.com. USA2Me were one of our first long-term advertisers and we appreciate their ongoing support, to help keep the dream of ExpatWomen.com alive.

If you need mail services, please check out USA2Me. Thanks.

What Is A SWAT Mum?

Hi Everyone, We read a term in today's Aurora (UK) newsletter that we wanted to share...

Aurora: "Companies are reaching out to an impressive group of top talent newly known as the SWAT Mums (Smart Women with Available Time). Many women at home with kids have extra time to undertake professional opportunities. Often these women have incredible skills and experience, they just don't want to work full-time."

ExpatWomen: Sounds like the age-old dilemma of many an expat trailing spouse (accompanying partner), yes? (...with or without children in tow)

Aurora: "The new challenge is for companies to match opportunities to this rapidly emerging group."

ExpatWomen: ...and for expats to try to tap into companies (at home and/or abroad) who are interested in SWAT talent.

Good luck today to anyone on the job hunt. May you find a company that appreciates you and your values. Or alternatively, may today be the day you come up with your 'great idea' for your portable 'career in a suitcase'. :-)

TCK Teleseminar with Tom Query - Counselor, Therapist & Grief Expert - August 9 (US time)

Anyone interested in the next free Third Culture Kids (TCK) teleseminar by the TCK Academy, might like to click here to find out the details of the upcoming teleseminar on "unresolved grief" with Tom Query. Expatriates, repatriates, parents, counselors, researchers, service-providers and more... everyone is welcome. Saturday, August 9 (US), 6PM Eastern Time. Thanks.

2009 Globe Women Summit

Hi Everyone, Following on from our recent article about the 2008 Globe Women Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam...

It has now been announced that the 2009 Globe Women Summit will be held in Santiago, Chile, May 14-16. Mark your diaries if you intend to go.

To read some of the 2008 Summit outcomes, reports and speaker presentations, visit the official Globe Women page here. Thanks.

BBC Request: Looking For A British Family To Reunite

Hello Everyone, We received a request from Chris Kearsey at Blast Films last week, whose company is making a documentary which celebrates British families, for the BBC.

They are searching for someone who would like to reunite their (mainly) British relatives. They are offering the whole family the chance to discover their collective history over the course of an all-expenses-paid weekend in Autumn, 2008. They are specifically looking for someone who is fascinated by genealogy. Ideally, the majority of their family is currently living in the UK. For more information, please email Blast Films here. Thanks.

Congratulations Julie! Winning Story

Congratulations this month go to Julie, an expat New Zealander living in Switzerland, for her winning story of the month on ExpatWomen.com: Inspiring People I Have Met.

We are always looking for more of your stories (and we know you have plenty). To submit your expat story, please Click Here. To read more of the 200 or so expat stories submitted to date, Click Here.

Thank you and enjoy the first week of August. :-)

Expat Women August Home Page & Welcome To New Sponsor: Confused.com

Hello Everyone! A very special August welcome to our new Bronze Sponsor, Confused.com: a leading comparison service based in the UK. Though best known for car insurance, they also offer home insurance, travel insurance, a selection of financial services, the ability to switch energy suppliers, and plenty more besides. Just by filling in some forms which are nice and simple to follow, Confused.com will return a selection of great deals available on the web, and present them to you in a format that’s easy to understand. Thanks in advance for supporting Confused.com!

This month, our Expat Women August Home Page highlights the following fabulous features:

Success Story: Diane Gulyas
Dianne Gulyas runs DuPont’s largest business unit – a US$7 billion operation, with a 7,500-strong global team. It’s no wonder that Fortune magazine named her as one of their 50 Most Powerful Women. She attributes her accelerated success to working abroad...

Business Idea: The Antiques Diva™
Toma Haines believes that trailing spouses “have been offered the greatest gift on the planet: the time and resources to pursue their dreams”. Toma’s dream was to live abroad and create her own career in a suitcase. With The Antiques Diva™, that’s exactly what she’s done…

Queen Of Africa: Tanya Trevor
Tanya Trevor has led a fascinating life. She has lived in Kenya, Denmark, England, Scotland and Australia. She was with her father when he was filming Gorillas in the Mist, on set during Out Of Africa, and on screen with Jimmy Stewart in Tale of Africa…

Negotiations Abroad: The Female Factor
In order for women to be successful in international business negotiations, [they] need to be educated about how to deal with foreign business cultures. The secret of women’s success negotiating internationally is contained in the three angles of the “Triple A Triangle”…

Expat Confession: Keeping Secrets
"I am feeling a bit down because I have the feeling that my husband is keeping secrets from me. He’s getting distant from me and he always seems too tired to talk. I realise that his work is quite demanding, but we have been married for ten years and have lived the expatriate life..."

Expat Explorer Survey Results
Seeking the good life abroad? Then pack your suitcase and head for Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or the United States (US). These three countries emerged as the best expat locations in the largest global survey of expats, with 2,155 respondents across four continents...

Newsletter Next Week
And finally... we are sending out our August newsletter mid-next week. If you do not already receive our newsletters, please support us by signing up today. New members receive our Free E-Book: Winning Stories.

Thank you very much - and here's wishing you a wonderful August!

11th Annual Talent Management Summit (IQPC), 20-23 October, Las Vegas

Hi Everyone, If you are looking for fresh strategies to engage and retain your employees, then look no further than the 11th Annual Talent Management Summit, this October in Las Vegas.

This conference, themed Aligning Talent Management With Business Goals, "unveils the latest tools for developing your employees including career pathing, onboarding, analytics, as well as other cutting edge topics including multi-generational workforces, RPOs, employer branding, engaging millenials, global talent, HR and business strategy and more".

Keynote speakers include:

Marc Effron, Vice President, Talent Management, Avon, Founder of the New Talent Management Network

Deb Capolarello, Chief Talent Officer, MetLife, Fortune 500

Jay Conger, Henry R. Kravis Research Chair in Leadership Studies

Scott Fleming, President, Replacements Ltd.

Joseph Cabral, Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, North Shore-LIJ Health System

Susan Hailey, VP Talent, Harrah's Entertainment, Fortune 500

Susan Hamilton, Chief Diversity Officer, CSX, Fortune 500

Robert Vosburgh, SVP and Head of HR, CenterCity, MGM Mirage, Fortune 500

Best of all, the conference will be held at The Venetian Resort (gorgeous place to stay, if I might say so myself).

Conference-only prices:

If you register by 1 August, US$1,608

If you register by 29 August, US$1,800

After 29 August, US$2,399

If you would like more details, or know someone in your HR department who would, Click Here to request your free PDF brochure from our friends at IQPC (International Quality & Productivity Center), who are also hosting the Global Talent Management Summit, August 25-27, in Chicago. Thanks Everyone!

HSBC Survey Results: Pack Your Bag And Head To Singapore, the US or the UAE!

Hello Everyone, If you have not already seen the impressive array of news articles in the expat media in the past few days about the HSBC International Expat Explorer Survey results, released on 24 July, here are some of the highlights:

• 2,155 expatriates surveyed, over 4 continents;
• Singapore, US and the UAE were ranked as the best overall expat locations;
• 74% of expats living in Singapore said their quality of accommodation was better than back home;
• 58% of expats save and invest more than they did in their country of origin; Hong Kong-based expats (on the whole) have the highest salaries;
• In terms of longevity, The Netherlands rated the highest, with 82% of expats there already residing there for 3+ years; and
• The UK and France were among the lowest-rated destinations, scoring poorly on their levels of luxury and standards of accommodation.

However, unlike all of the other sites that we've seen, we can offer you the full PDF summary of the survey results (great for expat research, articles, HR strategy, or just plain curiosity), thanks to our good friends at HSBC Offshore (a valued Expat Women Gold Sponsor). Just Click Here. :-)

Women In Technology - 20th Anniversary Summit & Bonus Membership Offer

Hi Everyone, If you are involved in the technology industry, you might be interested in the Women In Technology International (WITI) website, upcoming 20th anniversary conference (12-15 October, Santa Clara, California, US) and/or WITI's current bonus membership offer (pay for 12 months and get a bonus 6 months for free, as part of their 20th anniversary membership drive). Offer expires 15 August 2008. If anyone goes, please let us know what it was like. Thanks!

What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud?

Ever wondered how you can make a difference? Need some inspiration? Then take a look at this four-minute video put together by the MBA class of a friend of mine. Their ethics class assignment was to change the fabric of society. Their idea was to use a YouTube video to inspire everyone to make more of a difference to the community. It's a nice, motivational video, giving examples of real people contributing to the community in real ways.

If you do nothing else other than watch the video (which has great music, by the way), your 'hit' on their view counter would have helped an MBA class and made them feel like their video was worthwhile. Thanks Everyone! Andrea

PS. Here is their blog as well: 1 Small Act.

Become An Expert On Google's New Knol

Have you seen Google's new site which allows you to write about your area of expertise? It's called Knol ("a knol is an authoritative article about a specific topic") and it may just offer you another great platform on which to grow your name, brand and/or network.

Knol is a bit of a cross between Wikipedia (in terms of the ability to share knowledge) and the world of blogs (in terms of its publishing tools). However, unlike Wikipedia, others can contribute their ideas/corrections for your page, but only you can edit your page.

To test their current offerings, I searched the site for the term expat and got zero articles. I then searched for the term women and it only brought up five articles:

1. Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction;
2. Urinary Tract Infection in Women;
3. The Decline in Women in Computer Science from 1940-1982;
4. Breast Pain/Lumps in Women; and
5. Libido Problems in Women.

C'mon everyone - let's get in and boost Google's offerings! I suspect the faster you get in, the more potential exposure you might gain for your name/company/brand/hobby/interest. Think about investing 30-60 minutes into creating an expert page on the new Knol - I certainly will. You never know who might discover you. :-)

Best wishes for your weekend, and thanks for your ongoing support, Andrea.

********************************************************************************

An update from Sébastien Deschamps (InterExpat and ExpatAngels): If you would like to invest the time in (the beta version of) Google's new Knol, be sure to read about the bugs, work-arounds and searchability issues first. It may help you navigate Knol and not lose your hard work. Cheers.

Expats In Denmark?

If you are expat in Denmark, of soon to become one, you might be interested in this new website: Expat in Denmark.

Launched on 30 June 2008 by the Danish Chamber of Commerce, who "would like Denmark to be an attractive country for businesses and international employees alike", the online network "is also created as a tool for companies and expats to help ensure that the stay in Denmark is a trouble-free and positive experience."

Even more interesting, is the fact that on 21 October, they are organizing a job fair event in the centre of Copenhagen at the beautiful, old Stock Exchange, “Børsen”, with the aim of matching business and Expat partners - to help expat partners gain employment and enjoy living in Denmark. Wow. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all host countries helped expat partners like this? :-)

To read more about the venue for the 21 October event, please click here. To see our Expat Women Country Page for Denmark, please click here. Thanks.

Would You Like To Speak At The Asian Women's Entrepreneur Conference?

Hi Everyone, In a blogpost last month, we let you know about the upcoming Asian Women's Entrepreneur Conference (AWEC) to be held in Seoul, Korea, from 25 - 27 September.

Well this week, we received an email from the AWEC Committee, asking us to nominate relevant, credible and high-level speakers for their conference.

If you feel qualified to speak (and/or you know someone who is) and you would like to pursue this further, please email the committee and request the Speaker Recommendation Form. Thanks.

Note: As a speaker at the AWEC Conference, you can also apply for an honorarium and/or financial assistance to help with accommodation and conference registration fees.

August 19 Webinar: International Mobility In The Pharmaceutical Sector (GMAC)

You may recall in a previous blogpost, we let you know about a financial services sector webinar that GMAC Relocation Services hosted, to expand on the results of their financial services sector survey results.

Well, know it's the pharmaceutical sector's turn, with one of the main topics being "As Companies Become More Global, Should They Hire Talent Locally Or Transfer Employees Globally?" A hot topic if you are an expat in the pharmaceutical sector.

The scheduled GMAC pharma webinar is on 19 August (US time). The webinar is free, but limited to the first 100 registrants. To learn more about the webinar and/or register, please click here. Thanks.

Looking For Ways To Save On Your Phone Calls?

Hi Everyone, A little while back, we read a good article about VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), or in other words, how to use the internet for free/cheap telephone services, answering machine services and more - from anywhere in the world. We wanted to share it with you, so thanks to author Debbie Jenkins, we have now added this article to our site: 11 Ways Lean Marketers Can Make The Best Use of VoIP. Take a quick read if you are interested. Thanks.

Stories, Stories, Stories

It seems that everyone except for Julie (in Switzerland) and Lucinda (in Jordan) are on vacation, so we're calling on you...

Can you help us by contributing an expat story to our Stories section this month? We are sure that you have plenty of stories to tell and we would be most appreciative. Please submit your stories here.

Thank you very much and enjoy your weekend!

BBC - Radio 4 - Woman's Hour: Urgently Looking For Expats Who Returned...

...home to the UK, because they did not settle well in their expat posting abroad. Ideally, an accompanying wife/partner who was posted outside of Europe. If you can help, please get in touch via either their website or via Lydia Thomas urgently.

Thanks go to Marian Weston of Swift Transitions for this tip-off.

Reminder: FIGT Proposal Deadline September 1

Hi Everyone, You may recall that in a previous blog post in May, we let you know how to submit a proposal to speak at the next Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Conference in Houston, Texas, US, March 5-7, 2009.

Well, the powers that be at FIGT have sent around a note today, reminding everyone that the deadline for speaking proposals is September 1. So if you are keen to speak (and get exposure for your business, company or research project), get that brain into gear and start writing your proposal.

Here is the link to the submission form again. Go for it!

PS. Want to read what it is like at an FIGT conference?

2008 Report (an Expat Women Interview with FIGT Participant, Robin Pascoe)

2007 Report (by our ExpatWomen.com founders, Jill Lengré and Andrea Martins)

Want To Help Adeline? Ethnic Entrepreneur Research - Deadline 20 July

If you would like to participate in the research that Adeline Wielputz (a Franco-German graduate student) is doing on ethnic entrepreneurs, in terms of how highly-skilled ethnic entrepreneurs have used their ethnic (or expat) status as a competitive advantage in building successful businesses, take a look at Expat Career and Entrepreneur Coach Megan Fitzgerald's blog entry today.

Adeline is looking for entrepreneurs "who have a migrant background. These entrepreneurs can have recently settled in the country, being in the guest country for a long period, or even be born in the guest country. The size and the turnover of the company does not play a role in this research. The firm can also be in the start-up phase."

"Participants need to be: (1) Self-employed; (2) People with a migrant background: that is, be born abroad or have parents/grandparents who were born in a foreign country (1st, 2nd and 3rd-generation immigrants); and (3) Have a business in North America or Europe. The interviews will be conducted in English, German, French or Spanish via conference call."

Deadline is 20 July. So act quickly. Thanks.