Moving To, Or Leaving, The UAE?

Hi Everyone, If you are moving to the UAE, check out the brand new book published by our friends at Explorer Publishing: Dubai Red-Tape.

"Like no other book in Dubai, the Red-Tape Explorer will help you navigate the inevitable administrative maze that comes hand-in-hand with living in the UAE. With this trusty guide by your side you will quickly cut through Dubai’s bureaucratic red-tape, meaning you can get on with living life to the full in this exciting city."

If you are leaving the UAE for another expat destination, grab a copy of an Explorer Residents' Guide for your next location at 50% off here. (Summer promotion)

All the best, Andrea.

Returning A Child To The UK's School System: Obstacles To Repatriation

Hi Everyone, Here is another good article by an expat woman, published in The Telegraph UK last week: Returning A Child To The UK's School System, by Kate McCann.

An excerpt:

"The problem that the Carters had run into was that although they were returning to their own home, the admissions system treated them as "out of area applicants". This meant they were given a lower priority than other residents, simply because the system had to take account of the "current address" listed on the application as well as the future home address given. This meant their four-year-old daughter was refused a place at a school a mere five- minute walk from home. She was allocated position number 30 on a waiting list of 30."

Then further down the article:

"There is yet another area of concern for returning families – one which Ms Fieldman calls the 'chicken and egg situation' – and it affects those looking to buy homes on their return to the UK. She says: "This is what worries most people… you have to have an address in the catchment area of the school to apply to the school and you don't want to get an address until you know you've got the school. We find an awful lot of expats almost concede defeat before leaving the shores of where they are and say, right, we are going to go into the private system.""

To read the full article, please click here. Thanks.

Women's International Networking (WIN) Conference Reminder

Hi Everyone, Just a friendly reminder that the Women's International Networking (WIN) conference is coming up soon...

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Date: 8-10 (11) October 2009

Theme: Wisdom in Action: Transforming people, organizations and society

Discount: Early bird savings on registration fees until July 17

Extra Discount: An additional 100 Euro discount for mentioning ExpatWomen.com!

I attended in 2007 (in Norway) and really loved the workshops, speakers and sense of community amongst all of the attendees. I highly recommend it. Andrea.

Military Child Education Conference: Philadelphia, July 15-17, 2009

Hi Everyone, If you work with or belong to an American military family, you might like to check out the details for the upcoming Military Child Education Conference, being held next month in Philadelphia, United States.

After (finally) watching the brilliant documentary Brats: Our Journey Home and interviewing the woman behind the film, Donna Musil (for our upcoming July home page and newsletter), I have become more aware of the need to pay particular attention to the needs and experiences of children in highly-mobile, military families - many of whom are Third Culture Kids (TCKs). This conference looks like a great opportunity to do that, if you are interested and able to go.

Best wishes, Andrea.

Got Friends Leaving? Coping With The Expat Departure Season

Hi Everyone, Laura J Stephens' article Coping With The Departure Season, published by The Telegraph UK last week, might resonate with those of you currently doing the round of farewell parties and wondering which friends will actually be returning after the holiday season. Have a read, if you are interested.

Want To Write For The Telegraph UK?

By the way, The Telegraph UK is a great avenue to get started as a published writer. They invite expats to send their submissions about life as an expat (up to 1,000 words) here.

...and no, there's nothing in it for us by recommending their site... other than the hope that more of you write great expat pieces that we can then talk about on this blog. :-)

Expat Explorer 2009 Survey Results: Part One - Expat Economics

Hi Everyone, If you haven't seen the flurry of site and blog posts on this topic in the past few days, yes, HSBC International have now released the results of their first 2009 Explorer Survey.
This year's survey was completed by 3,146 people in 30 different industries and 50 countries. According to their Expat Explorer Blog:

"There are lots of interesting results regarding the credit crunch and how expats are managing in the current economy, such as:

• US, Thailand and South Africa are the most affected expat locations;


• Almost half of expats in UK considering returning home;


• Emerging markets rank above established centres for expat finances;


• UK is the worst for saving behind Spain and France; and


• Despite economic crisis, expats are wealthier and save more than in country of origin."

Interestingly, the countries offering the best, overall "[economic] quality of life" for expats were: the Russian Federation; Qatar; then Saudi Arabia.

The highest proportion of expats earning more than US$250k are in Russia (30%), then Hong Kong (27%), then Switzerland (26%) and India (both 25%).

If you are interested in more than just headlines, there is an 8 minute video about the results here and/or you can read the full survey results here.

Best wishes, Andrea.

Welcome To Our New Silver Sponsor: K12 International Academy

Hi Everyone, It's a huge week for us as we introduce you to another new Expat Women Sponsor, K12 International Academy.

"The K¹² International Academy is an accredited, private online school that offers the world–renowned curriculum from K¹², a market leader in online curriculum programs for grades K–12.

Their patented, award–winning system for virtual schooling combines dynamic, online lessons with a rich array of offline materials, books and resources to make learning come alive.

Extensive, individualized support is focused on unlocking each student's unique potential.

Students connect in and out of the online school, building their 21st – century skills while safely interacting, chatting and participating in clubs with other students from around the world."

So, if you are looking for portable, quality education for your children abroad, please visit the K¹² International Academy. They are a very credible company with excellent credentials and 40,000 already in their community.

Thanks Everyone! And thanks K12 for your support!


The Dabbs Family Testimonial
Portability For The Military Lifestyle
Watch The Video (below or here)

Note: If you are viewing the video online on our blog, the width is not perfect. You may prefer to view it instead on our main site here.

900 Expat Women Blogs

Hi Everyone, Thanks to our wonderful Expat Women community, we now have more than 900 blogs in our Expat Women Blog Directory!

These blogs are a fantastic source of insight into expat locations all around the globe and if you are looking for country-specific stories, news and networks, we encourage you to tap into these great online sources of wisdom abroad.

Click here to see the latest blogs approved.

Click here to submit your own blog.

Best wishes, Andrea.

Welcome To Our New Bronze Sponsor: Exchange4free

Hi Everyone, We are very excited to introduce you to ExpatWomen.com's new Bronze Sponsor: Exchange4free.

"Exchange4free offer the cheapest way to send money worldwide by offering the very best exchange rates and lowest costs available in the market".

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, but with offices also in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, Exchange4free serve most destinations worldwide, so next time you need to send money home/abroad, please visit Exchange4free and consider supporting a company that supports expatriate women.

Thanks and best wishes, Andrea.


Benefits Of Exchange4free:

• "Great exchange rates (we will beat any genuine quote!);
• Free money transfers with no fees charged*;
• Book a live exchange rate online or call our dealers for a quote 24 hours a day;
• Easy as making an online internet transfer;
• A secure online way of transferring your funds to and from most destinations around the world; and
• Our online system offers clients the ability to book live FX prices 24 hours a day using a system that is simple and easy to use."

Expat Entrepreneur: Career By Choice's Megan Fitzgerald on CNN Money

Hi Everyone, This month's featured Business Idea interviewee, Megan Fitzgerald, wrote to let us know that her Fortune Small Business magazine interview now also appears online on CNN Money. Congratulations Megan!

The CNN Money version also includes a two minute video which gives us a great insight into Megan's expat coaching and personal branding business, Career By Choice.

Returning Home For The Summer: Is It For Your Children... Or For You?

Hi Everyone, Long-time Expat Women friend and supporter Apple Gidley has written an excellent article, Returning Home For The Summer, that has just been published by The Telegraph UK.

It starts like this:

"It's that time of year again... Swarms of expatriate wives and children from all over the globe descend on clogged airports intent on "going home" for the summer. Plans are made for Dad to join the fray, for a couple of weeks, in the middle of this madness of visiting grandparents and living out of suitcases.

The initial pleasure of seeing family begins to pall when the laundry piles up and the rain lashes down; the realisation that the girls you grew up with are now women with children, just like you, but unlike you they are intent on getting away, heading to some guaranteed sunshine; and that you actually have remarkably little in common anymore.

And why do we put ourselves through this supposed pleasure year after year? We tell ourselves it is so our children get "a sense of home, a sense of place, a sense of where they are from". But is it for them or us?

For most children home is where their parents are – no matter what their nationality or where they might be living."

It ends like this:

"So take heart, all you first generation expats, your children will not turn into rootless individuals with no sense of "home". They will be well adjusted and adaptable young men and women with a sense of adventure, a sense of belonging wherever they happen to find themselves and a remarkable empathy for all peoples. They will also know their way around airports! I know because I was one of those children. I know because I have two of those children."

And in between:

Apple raises a lot of good points about how we define ourselves, self-esteem, relocation, Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and more.

Happy reading... and well done, Apple!

Chicks Who Click: Social Media & Women

Hi Everyone, We recently heard about Chicks Who Click, which might interest you if you live in the US/Canada and have an interest in connecting with other women in the social media arena.

"Chicks Who Click is a community of women that are growing and flourishing through Social Media... Our vision was to create a conference, a think tank, if you will, for women to come together to listen, teach, experiment and connect with like-minded women face to face, stay connected through Twitter, Blogging, Facebook or Flickr, and to empower each other in achieving great heights in our careers and journeys; and lastly, to collaborate our efforts as women in the male-dominated field of technology."

They are running social media conferences in Kansas City, Vancouver, San Jose, Dallas and Raleigh this year, at very reasonable prices. Click here for conference details.

New TV Show In Dubai Needs An Audience

Hi Everyone, If you are living in Dubai and would like to be an audience member for a new TV show in return for (approximately) US$50, read on...

"My name is Lindsey Pawson, Production Manager for the Ranya Talk Show on Dubai One TV. With our host Ranya, this exciting new show will have open discussions on debatable and important issues that could range from lifestyle to social topics.

We will be filming our first four shows in the first few weeks in August and after Ramadan two shows will be filmed every other week. We are looking for enthusiastic people to appear as audience members in the studio. All audience members will receive 200 AED per studio shoot in cash.

If you would like to be involved, please send me an email with your full name, mobile and email address. Thanks."

The Netherlands: XM Magazine Looking For Freelance Writers & An Art Director

Hi Everyone, XM Magazine - "the magazine for internationally-minded individuals with a vested interest in the Netherlands" - is looking for Freelance Writers and an Art Director to join their team.

If you are interested and you meet their criteria (see links above), please send an email (quoting the reference above in the subject line) with your resume, recent sample of your work and a short introduction asap. Thanks.

Globetrotting Our Children Abroad

Hi Everyone, I keep meaning to share with you this well-written article of Catriona Ling's that was published in The Telegraph UK last month: Our Ceaseless Globetrotting Is Hard For The Children.

Catriona, a veteran of six international moves abroad over 18 years, shares her own family's experiences, her sense of guilt for moving her children several times, but also her positivity:

"If I had known, standing at the altar in Edinburgh, that we were destined to become the family with six crossed out entries in friends' address books, I might have quailed, but in fact it has been the most wonderful experience. I hope that my children will see these years of global wandering as I do, as a gift that that we've been so lucky and privileged to have been given."

If you have children, have a read of the article. Good job, Catriona.

New Locations For Passport Career Research

Hi Everyone, Following on from our blog posts about Susan Musich's need for short-term researchers for PassportCareer, Susan is now also looking for researchers for new locations.

A 'new' location is any country (or major city) that is not on Susan's existing list (below). A 'red' location is one from Susan's existing list, that still requires researchers.

Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China (various locations), China - Hong Kong, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kindgom, United States (various locations), Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zambia.

If you are interested in becoming a researcher for one of the red locations above, or for a location not listed above, please read our previous blog post (important), then express your interest via email to Susan directly. Many thanks.

Expat Women Working In Singapore: Opportunities And Challenges

Hi Everyone, If you are an expat woman working in (or interested in working in) Singapore, you might be interested in watching this short video from the Singapore International Foundation (SIF). The video was filmed at their recent inaugural dialogue meeting for expatriate women.

Great to see local foundations which actively support expatriates. Congrats SIF!

Expat Women In Zurich, Switzerland: Feel Like A Makeover?

Hi Everyone, Thanks to Expatica, Mary Kay and Cutting Edge, Expat Women Members in Zurich are being offered a free, “total” make over, on Tuesday 23 June 2009, between 10am and 7pm.

For more information and to sign up, please contact Ken Reist at Expatica via email or on +41 44 586 11 78. Thanks and enjoy!

Win A Trip To Copenhagen

Hi Everyone, Want to win a trip to the Copenhagen Jazz Festival? To enter, just write a blog post about what's cool about Denmark for your chance to win a trip to the Copenhagen Jazz Festival (running July 3rd-12th)- no matter where you live in the world.

"Out of all submissions, the Denmark.net jury will select the most interesting, funny, creative or weird blog post, about what's cool in Denmark.

Fifty bloggers will receive Denmark t-shirts, mugs, or mouse-pads. One lucky winner is going to Copenhagen on July 10th, enjoying the weekend in a five star hotel."

Entries close June 22nd. Winner announced June 25th.

To find out more, click here... and good luck! :-)

Global Relocation Trends Survey Released

Hi Everyone, The annual Global Relocation Trends Survey Report, published by Brookfield Global Relocation Services, has just been released. Here are some key headlines from their official press release:

"Severity of Global Recession and Shrinking Corporate Earnings Cause Sharp Cutbacks in Overseas Assignments...

Annual Global Relocation Trends Survey Uncovers Pessimism Not Seen Since 2001 as 67 Percent of Companies Expect to Either Decrease or Maintain Number of Employees They Relocate...

...What's more, when companies do relocate employees for both short and long-term overseas assignments these days, they are opting to dispatch older and more experienced employees because they present the least risk of assignment failure. In fact, just 9 percent of expatriates were 20 to 29 years old - the lowest in the survey's 14 year history. It appears that developmental assignments are declining in the current economic climate as companies opt to send more experienced employees."

For information on how to receive the full GRTS report, click here.

Expat Women June Newsletter

Hi Everyone, We have just finished sending out our Expat Women Members' Newsletter for June 2009.

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

• Pregnancy: What to Expect in Your Three Trimesters, a new article by Tim Blevins of Aetna Global Benefits;
• June's winning story Gyms and Yarrow Nudens, by Michele Gorman, an American in Hong Kong; and
• the name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner.

If you are an Expat Women member but did not receive the newsletter, please let us know here. Many thanks.

Susie's Saudi Blog Unblocked

Hi Everyone, Just a quick note to update you that Susie's Saudi Blog that we blogged about last week has now been unblocked by the powers that be in Saudi. Susie thanks everyone for their support. Best wishes, Andrea.

Still Seeking Researchers...

Hi Everyone, PassportCareer is still seeking researchers who can commit to finishing their research, for each of the following locations:

• Algeria
• Bosnia
• Bulgaria (Sofia)
• Chile
• China (Nanjing, Tianjin, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Yangshou, Xiamen, Chongqing, Xian, Hankou, Wuchang and Hanyang)
• Colombia (Bogota)
• Costa Rica (San Jose)
• El Salvador
• Greece (Athens)
• India (New Delhi)
• Macedonia
• Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
• Morocco
• Nicaragua
• Poland (Warsaw)
• Taiwan (Taipei)
• Tunisia
• United Kingdom (London) --- URGENT ---
• United States (Seattle , Cincinnati , Columbus, Phoenix , New Orleans, Orlando, St Louis, Philadelphia, Baltimore and various other cities as well)
• Zambia

Background:

In case you have missed our previous blog posts, Susan Musich of PassportCareer is looking for researchers to undertake a 20-25 hour (approximate) research assignment for each of the above locations, in return for a small honorarium per assignment. (Note: If multiple major cities are involved, the hours and honorarium usually increase accordingly.)

Susan is looking for expatriates (male or female) in any of the locations listed above, who have been there for six months or more, and can commit to finishing the assignment if offered. (Note: American repatriates who can "think like expats" are also invited to apply for the US locations.)

Susan has been working in this arena for 18 years and is starting PassportCareer as on online job search support system for international professionals – primarily spouses/partners who accompany expats.

"The research includes using the country profile survey (and template) that will be provided to identify appropriate job search information relevant to expatriates who will be moving to your current country. Such information includes: web sites; business cultural information; social and business networks; resume and interview information relevant to the country in question; and other related job search material."

If you would like to apply, please contact Susan directly with the following information:

• Your full name, address and contact details;
• The date you started living in your current location;
• An overview of your expatriate/repatriate experience;
• A brief description of your qualifications and interests; and
• Why you are interested in undertaking this research.

Disclaimer:

Susan has agreed to make a small donation to Expat Women for each researcher who completes an assignment via an Expat Women lead. So if you are not interested, but know someone who is, please pass the word around. Every little bit helps!

Thanks Everyone. :-)

Expat Women June Home Page

Hi Everyone, We have uploaded our Expat Women Home Page for June a little early. Please take a few minutes to check out our new June features:

Success Story
Barb de Corti
ENJO Australia
In the early 1990's, Barb de Corti, originally from Austria, turned microfiber into the hottest cleaning item to hit the Australian bench top. Her passion to turn Australia green earned her the position of Australia's wealthiest young female entrepreneur at the age of 40...
Read more…

Business Idea
Career By Choice
Megan Fitzgerald
We talk to Megan Fitzgerald, who is an expat career and personal branding coach and the founder of Career By Choice. She helps expats and international development professionals worldwide use their personal brand to build a career or business that 'fits' who they are and their international lifestyle...
Read more…

Living Abroad
Living Your Best Life Abroad
Jeanne Heinzer
Jeanne Heinzer describes herself as an artist - a lifelong student of the art of saying goodbye to one city or country and setting up home in another. Join us as we talk to Jeanne about her new book for accompanying partners and her tips for living your best life abroad...
Read more…

Students/Mothers
TCKs and College/University: From Overseas to Undergrad
Rebecca Grappo, M.Ed
Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who have grown up overseas and many times are going to live in the country of their passport for the first time, or at least the first time in a very long time, face special considerations when searching for the right fit and match in higher education...
Read more…

Expat Women Confession
My Visa Is Expiring: Unplanned Repatriation
Expat Women Girlfriend
I am 53, divorced with grown children. I am a teacher by training and 2 years ago decided that life is too short and picked up and moved to Africa... My problem is that now I am at retirement age, the government will not renew my visa and I am not allowed to stay here..
Read more…

Professionals
Global Dinner Network
Tanja Lindermeier
We talk to Global Dinner Network (GDN) founder, Tanja Lindermeier, about her way for cosmopolitan women to meet over dinner, wherever their travel takes them. Tanja is a German professional - living and working in the United States, who set up GDN in 2005...
Read more…

Not A Member Yet?
If you are not already an Expat Women member, we would love to have you in our community. Click here to sign up to our monthly inspirational newsletters. Thanks.

Got A Story Or A City Experience?

Hi Everyone, Our site has grown to become a fabulous resource for women living overseas because of wonderful women like you who have contributed what you have learned as expats abroad.

If you able to contribute again, or for many of you, contribute for the first time, please do. We would especially love your stories and/or your city experiences.

Please help if you can. Many thanks! Andrea

Expat Susie's Blog Blocked In Saudi

Hi Everyone, I read with interest yesterday a story on Middle East Online entitled US expat's blog on Saudi life censored.

This is a story about Susie who runs the blog Susie's Big Adventure (and Jeddah Daily Photo Journal), about her life in Saudi Arabia, where she moved to in 2007 with her Saudi husband of nearly 30 years.

Susie's blog is one of the most popular blogs listed in our Expat Women Blog Directory, but poor Susie has had her blog blocked for Saudi audiences, even though she can still post to her blog and receive blog comments via email - crossing her fingers that her blog continues to 'look okay' - as she cannot actually see it herself.

If this has happenned to you (wherever you might be located), take heart, you are not alone.

If you are in Saudi, you might like to drop Susie a line here (as you might not be able to access her blog).

Best wishes, Andrea.

Call Me Okaasan: Prize Winner

Hi Everyone, Congratulations go to Suzanne Kamata, whose interview is featured this month on our Expat Women home page, for her recently-released global anthology: Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering.

Suzanne's anthology can be seen here as the third prize in the Grand Prize (Non-Fiction) category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Well done Suzanne!

Expatriate Talent Survey

Hi Everyone, Sibson Consulting is running a survey on expatriate talent market trends. If you or anyone you know would like to help by completing the survey, please click here. Many thanks.

"You are invited to participate in the Expatriate Talent Market Trends Survey assessing the pervasiveness and strength of emerging trends regarding expatriate treatment, as well as providing a glimpse into what the future may hold. The survey focuses on expatriate cost, deployment, compensation and job opportunities.

This confidential survey of multinational companies headquartered in the U.S. is being conducted by Sibson Consulting, A Division of Segal, a strategic human resources consulting firm.

It takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Respondents will receive a report summarizing the survey results. Individual responses will be kept confidential and survey data will only be reported in the aggregate.

If you have questions about the survey or would like information about Sibson Consulting, please contact Mike Norman, Senior Vice President and National Co-practice Leader of Sibson’s Organization and Talent Management Practice at mnorman@sibson.com or 310.231.1754 in Sibson’s Los Angeles office."

Global Summit Of Women 2009 & 2010

Hi Everyone, The Global Summit Of Women get-together recently wrapped up in Santiago, Chile. To see media interviews about this year's event, I invite you to visit the Summit's media page here. To read some of this year's presentations, just visit their 2009 conference page here.

The 2010 conference will be their 20th anniversary conference and it will be in Beijing, China (assumably in May).

Stevie Awards For Women In Business

Hello Everyone, Entries are now being accepted for the 2009 (6th annual) Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

There are 54 categories this year: spread between both company categories and individual categories, for executives, employees and entrepreneurs.

The early-bird entry deadline (for discounted entries at US$95) is July 31. The final entry deadline is August 31, but late entries will be accepted through September 30 with payment of a late fee.

Good luck to any expat women interested in the awards!

Expat Show Beijing: Starts This Friday

Hi Everyone, If you are living in or moving to Beijing, you might like to check out the annual Expat Show Beijing which starts this Friday, 22 May, and runs until Sunday, 24 May.

The event will be held at the China World Trade Center and they are running free shuttle buses from Tianjin and Shunyi.

"The Expat Show is the first annual event geared towards establishing face-to-face contact between companies and expatriates and providing them with various kinds of services which relate to their daily lives.

Exhibitors will cover finance, pensions, fashion, local and international real estate, automobiles, education, health, travel, service providers (maids, cleaners, interpreters, etc.) interior designers, international removals, restaurants, sports clubs, local associations, charities, immigration and legal services.

Last year the Expat Show Beijing was a great success. The second such event this year is expecting 150 exhibitors and around 10,000 visitors.

During the Expat Show Beijing 2009's three day exhibition, various interesting activities have also been organised to coincide with the show; such as a Chinese Culture Centre, Bazaar, Kindergarten, Soccer Tournament, Kid's Land and Relaxation Area."

Looking For A Relocations Industry Job?

Hi Everyone, If you are working in, or would like to work in the relocations/global mobility industry, take a look at Worldwide ERC's Career Center.

It is currently displaying 8 jobs, all in the United States. One of them in particular that might interest some of you is the Relocation/ Mobility Specialist position for The World Bank Group.

Best wishes, Andrea.

FIGT Call For Proposals

Hi Everyone, If you are interested in speaking at the Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conference in Houston, Texas, March 4-6, 2010, FIGT are now inviting your proposal.

"Proposals for presentations are invited for any topic of interest to the FIGT community. Preferred proposals will move beyond entry-level awareness-building to development of strategies, systemic interventions, and practical ‘how-to’ guidelines. Submission should be for a presentation that has not been offered at FIGT before.

Preference will be given to sessions focusing on one of the following topics or other new, innovative, timely, and fresh ideas:

1. Global Citizens
2. Cultural Issues that Influence How We Enter New Cultures
3. Technology’s Role in the New Expatriate Family’s Life
4. Moving for Love or Other Personal Reasons
5. Under-studied Groups
6. International Schools and International Students
7. Sponsoring Organizations’ Perspective
8. Difficult Locations, Difficult Times
9. Mental Health and Coaching Issues
10. Unplanned Repatriations and Early Returns
11. Again and Again, For Better and For Worse: Multiple International Relocations
12. Taking Care of (Personal) Business
13. Moving Beyond Words: The Expat Experience through the Senses
14. Building Your Own Business"

Click here to find out more about the 2010 FIGT conference and/or submitting a proposal. Thanks.

The World's Biggest Expat Club?

Hi Everyone, I talked yesterday to Mr Niels Colov, the President of the Pattaya Expats Club in Thailand.

Mr Colov is a Dane who has been living in Pattaya for nearly 30 years and who started Pattaya People - the first English-speaking newspaper in Pattaya - over 17 years ago.

Mr Colov (interviewed here in a local tv broadcast) confirmed that the Pattaya Expats Club currently has 3,800 members!

Has anyone heard of an expat club based on one specific location that has a larger membership?

If so, please let me know as I would love to know about it, as this is the largest, local expat group that I can recall finding to date.

By the way, Mr Colov said the weekly club breakfasts are in need of some more expat women... so if you are an expat woman in Pattaya, please get in touch with the club and get involved. They would love to have you. Thanks.

Interview With FAWCO President

Hi Everyone, Speaking of Clements International, I saw in their newsletter today that they included a brief interview with FAWCO President, Kathleen Simon.

FAWCO, the Federation of American's Women's Clubs Overseas, is:
"...the largest international network of independent associations representing private American citizens overseas. Founded in 1931, FAWCO is a non-partisan, not-for-profit U.S. corporation that has more than 70 member clubs in 35 countries worldwide representing nearly 18,000 members. FAWCO is a recognized Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with consultative status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations."

If your expat club is a FAWCO member, you might like to take a minute (the interview is only brief, so it should only take you a minute) to find out more about your President. :-)

Best wishes, Andrea.

Hurry! Clements International's Scholarships Deadline is May 15: US$10,000 To Be Shared

Hi Everyone, Just a reminder that the entry deadline for the expat youth scholarships is May 15. So if you know anyone aged 12-18 that benefit from a share in the US$10,000 scholarship giveaway, encourage them to get their entries in pronto.

Here's some text from our recent member mail-out that further explains this great new program:

Clements International (our Expat Women Silver Sponsor) is excited this year to be offering a new scholarship program for expatriate students.

US$10,000 will be shared between six winning students, aged 12-18, of any nationality, who have spent at least two years living outside of their home country.

The scholarship contest offers expat students a chance to share their experiences of living in a foreign country through an essay (500 words or more) and creative media (photographs, illustrations, paintings or video).

“As a company devoted to protecting the futures of expatriates and their families, this scholarship demonstrates our commitment to supporting growth and learning among this unique segment of the population,” said Vice President of Marketing, Lloyd Yavener.

Click Here for more information and good luck!

Repatriate Knowledge Sharing Survey

Hi Everyone, If you are a repatriate or you work with repatriates, Stacey M. Peterson would like to invite you to participate in a research study entitled Repatriate Knowledge Sharing Environment: Measure Development, which is associated with the Florida Institute of Technology.

"In this survey, approximately two hundred people will be asked to complete a survey that asks questions about the knowledge sharing practices of their organization. It will take approximately twenty minutes to complete the questionnaire... Your individual responses are anonymous and will not be shared with anyone at your organization..."

"To be eligible for this study, you must:

(a) Work at an organization which employs repatriate employees (you do not need to be a repatriate) or conducts international business; and

(b) Be employed at your current organization for a minimum of four months."

If you are able to help Stacey, please complete the survey here. For questions, please contact Stacey Peterson by email or phone (+1-321-674 -8104). Many thanks.

Care2 - Community For Worthy Causes

Hi Everyone, It always surprises me how many online communities are out there that I have never heard of and that boast massive membership numbers. One such example was sent to us this week by regular contributor to Expat Women, Rebecca Grappo:

Care2 is "the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference". The site grew out of Randy Paynter's apartment in 1998 "to help make the world a better place".

Today, Care2 has 10,743,043 members and more than 50 employees!

The site has a list of petitions, organisations seeking donations, volunteer opportunities and more. So if you are feeling generous with your time and/or wallet, or you just want to see what they are up to, I invite you to check it out. Thanks.

Matador Abroad For Travel Writers

Hi Everyone, Thanks to a comment left on a previous blog post by Niamh Griffin, we learnt today of an online network dedicated to travel writers and enthusiasts:

"Matador Abroad has taken the best of professional journalism and online community and blended the two to create something much more compelling than either by itself. We publish professionally written content based around travel and the healthy lifestyle of our community members. Published in an interactive blog format, this content is linked directly into our growing social network to make every article a conversation."

The Matador Network at a glance:
Matador Travel - Our vibrant and growing social network with over 10,000 active users
Brave New Traveler - Spiritual travel in the 21st Century
The Traveler’s Notebook - Travel writing, photography and expert travel tips
Matador Study - Study abroad, languages and cultural immersion
Matador Volunteer - Voluntourism, sustainability and global development
Matador Trips - Adventure travel off the beaten track
Matador Nights - Nightlife, events and the arts
Matador Goods - Travel gear, clothing, gadgets
Matador Pulse - Travel news from around the world

Payment:
They only pay US$25 per article published, but their system seems to be working because they have published 856 articles by willing contributors this year alone and their network receives 600,000 unique visitors per month - which is huge!

So, if you are an expat woman who enjoys reading and/or writing about travel, take a look, get involved and maybe make a name for yourself as a travel expert online.

Warmest wishes, Andrea.

PS. Travel Magazines That Publish Your Writing
One good article that we found that targets travel writers or wannabees specifically was: 50+ Travel Magazines That Want To Publish Your Writing. It was dated 2007 but it was on their home page, so it is probably popular and useful enough that the age of the article does not really matter.

CultureGPS: New iPhone/iPod Application

Hi Everyone, I read with great interest last week one of Megan Fitzgerald's blog posts about this new iPhone/iPod application...

From the CultureGPS web site:

"CultureGPS is a tool for the iPhone and iPod Touch that enables you to analyze behavior differences in intercultural encounters and to predict to a certain degree, which interactions evolve when people from different nationalities meet and work together.

CultureGPS will help you analyze, understand and handle cultural differences in a business context. Our approach is based on extensive research into national values and practice worldwide, at the core of which lies the work of Professor Geert Hofstede. He has developed a validated 5-dimension model which explains cultural differences in a unique and powerful manner."

In the same blog post, Megan interviews Professor Hofstede, who, according to the Wall Street Journal ranking in 2008, is one of the top 20 most influential business thinkers.

If you are interested, take a read of Megan's post here.

Mission Mexico Fundraiser in Sydney

Hi Everyone, If you are living in Sydney or know someone who is, please try to support Mision Mexico's Trivia Night With A Difference by spreading the word and/or attending this very deserving fundraising event:

Friday 12 June 2009
220-232 Paddington Rd, Oxford St, Sydney
For details, please email here or phone 0404-409-290.

Note: Unfortunately we do not have enough resources to promote every worthy event that is emailed to us. The reason we are helping this one is because the co-director of Mision Mexico kindly gave her time to us last year when we interviewed her as an Expat Women Success Story.
Thank you!

Update 19 May 2009: We just received this YouTube link about Mision Mexico, for anyone interested to learn more about Pamela and Alan Skuse's great work near Tapachula, Mexico.

Mother Of The Year Video

Hi Everyone, My good friend Mary Lynn in Mexico sent me a super-cool Mother Of The Year video over the weekend.

If you have not received one, visit the Moms Rising site and click on "Mom's A Star" then on "See the video and customize it for all the moms in your life". It should take you to the video, where you can put in your name and watch your own Mother Of The Year video almost immediately.

It is truly a lot of fun and should give you a smile for the day. Enjoy! Andrea

Re:locate Magazine Winners

Hi Everyone, Re:locate Magazine held their big awards night last week in the UK and congratulations go to the following winners:

Best Relocation Strategy/Policy
Winner: Jones Lang LaSalle

Technological Innovation in Relocation
Winner: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Inspirational HR Team of the Year
Winner: Ernst & Young

Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year
Winner (specialist supplier): PetRelocation.com
Winner (supplier): Pricoa Relocation

Best Property Provider or Solution
Winner: SACO Apartments

Rising Star in Relocation
Winner: Sharon Hewitt, Chiltern Relocation

Relocation Personality of the Year
Winner: Martin Humphrys, Humphrys’ Education

Photo Of The Winners: Alibang Ladies International Group, The Philippines

Thank you very much to the Alibang Ladies International Group in Manila, The Philippines, for providing us with this beautiful happy snap of them accepting our Expat Women certificate congratulating them as winners of our US$1000 competition.

Expat Women May Newsletter

Hi Everyone, We have just finished sending out our Expat Women Members' Newsletter for May 2009. If you are signed up and you did not receive the newsletter, please let us know here.

In addition to all of our May home page features, our newsletter showcases Amy Montemarano's well-written feature Explore. Dream. Discover. Working Abroad In The Legal Profession, shares May's winning story China, Here I Come! and announces our monthly winner of the fabulous Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack.

Thanks and enjoy your day/evening! Andrea

The Winning Expat Club Is...

Hi Everyone, We are very pleased to announce that the winner of our Win US$1000 For Your Expat Club/Association Or International School competition is...

The Alabang Ladies International Group in Manila, The Philippines!

"Formed over a decade ago by a group of expatriate women who wanted to make the most of their time in Alabang and connect to their hosts both socially and through volunteering and fund raising, ALIG now has a membership of around 120 members. Today we come from all across the world, have connections to global organizations, volunteer together in education and development projects and raise funds for our local charities."

Congratulations Ladies! We will be getting in touch with you by phone and email today.

Thank you very much to every club, association and school who supported our competition and we wish you a wonderful day/evening, Andrea.

Name Change For GMAC Global Relocation Services

Hi Everyone, If you work in the global mobility industry, you might be interested to learn that GMAC Global Relocation Services (who put out the highly-quoted, annual Global Relocation Trends Survey) has now been re-branded as: Brookfield Global Relocation Services.

The new entity is describing itself as the second largest provider of global relocation services in the world!

Montessori Opportunities In Saudi Arabia

Hi Everyone, If you are living in (or know someone living in) Saudi Arabia and interested in Montessori opportunities there, please read the job announcement below from Mawhibah Talent and/or forward to anyone else that might be interested. Thanks.

"Montessori Teaching Opportunities:

Enjoy A Fulfilling Job That Enables You To Impact The Lives And Future Of Children In Saudi Arabia

Do you want to learn first hand about the people and society of Saudi Arabia?

Are you interested in working with a team of caring and passionate educators?

Do you want the chance to make a positive contribution during your time in this amazing country?

Our client already owns one of the most reputable schools in Riyadh and is recognized for its high education standards and excellent academic results.

As a result of this success, they are currently undergoing significant growth and have a number of opportunities for AMS/AMI qualified Montessori teachers.

This is a unique opportunity to assist in the development and improvement of standards of education in this region.

For further information, please contact Juliette Tew urgently on +971 50 440 3897 or Juliette.tew@mawhibah.com. Thanks."

Expat Women May Home Page

Hi Everyone, We are pleased to announce that we have uploaded our Expat Women home page for May. Please take a few minutes to check out our new expat features and interviews:

Success Story
Stephanie White
Become
For 25 years, Stephanie White had been a top international marketing and branding executive, working in Australia, London, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. Now Stephanie runs her own million-dollar business...
Read more…

Business Idea
Somnio Hostels
Lauren & Lee Gonzalez
Join us as we talk to Lauren and Lee Gonzalez, who are creating an upscale hostel chain in Barcelona, Spain. Learn from their experience as they share their five tips for budding entrepreneurs starting their businesses abroad...
Read more…

Mothers
Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering
A Global Anthology
Suzanne Kamata
Raising children is never easy, but raising them abroad presents a whole realm of new opportunities and challenges. We talk to Suzanne Kamata about her new book featuring stories from women around the world...
Read more…

Expat Confession
Empty Nest
Expat Women Girlfriend
I started the expat circuit a little later in life at 52. We have four children who have been my pride, joy and focus for the past 30 years. When we decided to move to Portugal we organised for the kids to board at their university and they seem quite happy about it - it is me that is struggling...
Read more…

Offshore Savings Plans
Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Buying an Offshore Savings Plan
Anthony Noto, CFA
Living abroad, you might have been approached about special investments available only to expatriates. Before you get persuaded by the allure of exotic locations and tax savings, here are five questions to ask...
Read more…

Family Support
Low Cost, High Impact Strategies for Supporting Internationally Mobile Families
Tina Quick
More and more organizations acknowledge that they need to support their internationally mobile families better, but imagine that doing so requires a much larger budget than what they have available. This is not always true...
Read more…

Not An Expat Women Member Yet?
Please sign up today, to make sure that you receive our May Members' newsletter next week. We would love to welcome you to our online community. Plus your support via membership, helps us raise revenue to keep Expat Women running.

Thanks and best wishes, Andrea.

Expats & Repatriates: More Creative?

Hi Everyone, Here is an article on Fast Company that might interest you, regarding whether expatriates and repatriates are more creative: Looking To Hire The Most Creative Employees? Find The Candidates Who Lived Abroad.

The Fast Company article quotes a new study whose findings were in the May issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The article was "Cultural Borders and Mental Barriers: The Relationship Between Living Abroad and Creativity," William W. Maddux, PhD, INSEAD; Adam D. Galinsky, PhD, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 96, No. 5.

Here was the APA's Press Release on the article: Living outside the box: New evidence shows going abroad linked to creativity.

Here are some key quotes:

"This shows us that there is some sort of psychological transformation that needs to occur when people are living in a foreign country in order to enhance creativity. This may happen when people work to adapt themselves to a new culture," said Galinsky.

"This research may have something to say about the increasing impact of globalization on the world, a fact that has been hammered home by the recent financial crisis," said Maddux. "Knowing that experiences abroad are critical for creative output makes study abroad programs and job assignments in other countries that much more important, especially for people and companies that put a premium on creativity and innovation to stay competitive."

Maybe print a copy of this article and take it along to your next recruitment interview. ;-)