Expat Women September Home Page

Hi Everyone, We have just uploaded our Expat Women September home page and we invite you to take a look at September's features and interviews:

Success Story
Elizabeth Perelstein
School Choice International
Liz Perelstein founded School Choice International, which now has 90 consultants in 50 locations worldwide. Liz also co–founded the British International School of New York, is a member of the WPO and was a semi–finalist in the 2009 International Women of Influence Awards...
Read more…

Business Idea
Firefly Coaching
Stephanie Ward
Stephanie is an American living in the Netherlands. Her passion for helping people inspired her to start Firefly Coaching, which aims to help small business owners grow their businesses into long–term sustainable enterprises... and have a great life at the same time...
Read more…

Visa Issues?
Top Tips For Getting Your Visa
Mark Johnstone
Ever fancied a life overseas? Well, chances are that you will need a visa. Moving to a new country can be a complex as well as daunting prospect and if there is one thing that can shatter your dream move, it is failing to obtain that all-important visa...
Read more…

Travel Writers
Learn From Lonely Planet Regular...
Celeste Brash
Celeste's travel articles have appeared in Islands Magazine, Voyageur Magazine and she is a regular contributor to the column Travels with Lonely Planet. She has also co-authored over a dozen Lonely Planet books. She lives in Tahiti, French Polynesia...
Read more…

Career Plan B
How Prepared Are You if You Lost Your Job Tomorrow?
Kelly Magowan
When it comes to 21st century employment and security, there is no doubt a healthy mix of pessimism is required. No matter how great you are at what you do, external factors can make us all vulnerable...
Read more…

Expat Confession
Domestic Violence Abroad
Expat Women Girlfriend
Hi. My friend is being beaten by her husband. She belongs to my book group and the other day she burst into tears. Her husband is very stressed at work and apparently drinks a lot and then comes home and gets angry very easily...
Read more…

Not A Member Yet?
If you are not an ExpatWomen.com member yet, please support us by signing up today. Our next members' newsletter should then come to your inbox next week.

Thank you very much and enjoy your September! Andrea

Are You An Innovative Expat Women Entrepreneur?

Hi Everyone, If you are an innovative, expat women entrepreneur who might like to gain some recognition and business exposure by being featured on our site, please pitch yourself (or your friends) to us here and tell us why you/they are fabulous!

3 Things To Remember Please:

(1) Make sure that your/their business idea has not already been covered by one of our previous Business Ideas interviews;

(2) Make sure your/their business has been running for at least six months; and

(3) Do not forget to tell us your/their nationality, current location and contact details.

Many thanks, Everyone! Andrea

Americans Abroad Sought For Radio Roundtable On Healthcare Comparions

Hi Everyone, Chelsea Merz, Producer of The Takeaway, is looking for Americans abroad for a roundtable to discuss how healthcare in the United States compares to other places.

"The Takeaway is the new national morning news program that delivers the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what's ahead. Host John Hockenberry, along with the BBC World Service, The New York Times and WGBH Boston, invites listeners every morning to learn more and be part of the American conversation on-air and online..."

If you are interested, please urgently email Chelsea directly. The roundtable is for Friday 28 August 2009. Thanks.

Expat Women: Tell Us Your Stories

Hi Everyone, Now that the Summer holidays are winding down for many of you, we're sure you have plenty of stories to tell. So please help us out by submitting a story to our Stories section. This is a well-read section of our site but we always need more contributions.

If you are not sure what to submit, please jump onto our Story Guidelines page for some direction. Many, many thanks!

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

Hi Everyone, If you are living in, or thinking of living in Malaysia, mark your calendars to attend the upcoming Expat Eco Expo '09.

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

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

I am excited to be part of the exhibition this year! If you go to the Expo, please call in and say hi at the Expat Women stand. Thanks. :-)

Leman Expat Fair - Switzerland

Hi Everyone, The Léman Expat Fair is coming up on September 27. If you are in Switzerland in the Geneva/Montreux area, you may like to take part. Here are some official words for Expat Women members from Mrs Jos van Megchelen:

"Don’t miss the 3rd edition of the Léman Expat Fair in Morges. 100 exhibitors – businesses, services, schools, organizations, clubs, etc. - will be available to help you integrate fast and easy in the Geneva-Montreux area. Also a lot of information is present for the English speakers already here for a longer period of time.

Free admission, Free parking and Fun for the kids. Enhance your expat experience and visit the Léman Expat Fair on Sunday September 27 from 10am until 5pm. Thank you!"

Congratulations Kim Edwards: Success Story Woman Wins Top Local Honour

Hi Everyone, Congratulations go out today to Kim Edwards, featured as our Expat Women August Success Story, who last week won one of the most prestigious business awards in her local region. Kim took out the Sunshine Coast Business Woman Of The Year award (Australia) - a much-coveted award which is highly competitive.

The judges commented in the press that:

"Ms Hamer said the judging panel had also been impressed by Ms Edwards' community-minded approach to teaching English around the world.
"The thing that struck me about her was that she considered English was not a privilege, it was a necessity for everyone to have," Ms Hamer said.

"When she went into one country, the English-speaking schools were charging thousands of dollars for people to do their program.

"She said 'we didn't need to charge that, we charged what we charged'. It was about everyone having the opportunity to learn."

Ms Hamer said Ms Edwards would be a wonderful ambassador for the Sunshine Coast Business Women's Network because she was a "personable person"."

Congratulations Kim and congratulations Sea English Academy!

Interested In Economic And Currency Updates?

Hi Everyone, Our Bronze Sponsor Exchange4Free offers free market reports (for economic and/or currency updates) and would like to invite anyone interested to check out their sample reports and/or sign up to their free newsletter here.

"Exchange4free provide both private clients and corporate businesses with a simple online foreign exchange solution to transferring money around the world. We offer great exchange rates, very low transfer costs and an easy to use online system. Clients can simply register online, login, select your destination and book an FX rate on our live 24 hour dealing facility.

Alternatively, clients can call our FX dealers for an unbeatable quote on your foreign exchange transaction. Exchange4free is an authorized money service business in the United Kingdom and has been operating for over 5 years.

Please view our Exchange4free website and feel free to contact us should you have questions relating to foreign exchange and doing international money transfers."

Update On Work Opportunity For Expats & Repatriates In The United States

Hi Everyone, If you are currently an expatriate or repatriate in the United States, and you might be interested in the opportunity to work as a Destination Services Consultant for Coppergate International, here is an update on last month's blog post...

Kerrie Wiseman, Managing Director of Coppergate International, is still looking for either expatriates living in the United States who could draw on their personal experience of relocating to help others move into their current location or for American Citizens who have relocated overseas and returned to the US.

With flexible hours, the role is perfect for spouses accompanying their partners on assignment or anyone without full-time work commitments.

Employees for all locations within the US will be considered, as Coppergate International’s business is growing rapidly.

However, the most urgent locations are currently:
FL: Orlando, Tampa and Sarasota
CA: Santa Clara Valley
GA: Atlanta, Savannah and Marietta
TX: Midland, Burleson, and Irving
MA: Attleboro, Boston and Lexington
PA: Pittsburgh
NC: Wendell and Greensboro
SC: Newberry
UT: Salt Lake City

If you are interested, please urgently:
(1) Visit Coppergate International's site to learn more about Coppergate International’s business; then
(2) Introduce yourself to Kerrie directly; and
(3) Kindly give Kerrie an overview of your expatriate experience, together with your reasons for being interested in this exciting role.

If you are not interested, please feel free to forward this to anyone you know who might be interested.

Many thanks, best wishes and good luck! Andrea

Disclaimer: Kerrie has generously agreed to make a small donation to Expat Women for each Destination Service Consultant appointed. Thanks for your support, Kerrie!

Moving To The United States?

Hi Everyone, If you are going to the United States as an expatriate, you might like to take a quick read of Coppergate International's article (written for their client base of employers and published in their latest newsletter) about medical issues when moving to the United States.

"Entering the US and navigating the medical system is one of the most frightening aspects of a transferee's transition into life here. If they are arriving from a country that has a centralized medical system, (such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom) it is an incredibly difficult adjustment to have to reach for your wallet each time you step into a doctor’s office. To ensure your transferees start off the right way for their medical requirements, our tips would be..."

Want To Write For Expat Info Desk?

Hi Everyone, I have been corresponding with Maelle at Expat Info Desk and she would like to reach out to the experienced expats in our audience...

"Are you currently living away from home country? Are you willing to share your knowledge of the city you are currently living in as an expatriate? Do you have a strong writing experience? Then you may be the next Expat Info Desk writer we are looking for.

We're currently searching for expatriates with the following skills:

• Specialised knowledge and living experience of a city listed below;
• Professional writing experience, in particular in travel;
• Proven ability for excellent research (in the field as much as in front of your computer!);
• Ability to work independently and manage tight deadlines;
• Experienced expatriate (the more relocations you have gone through, the better!) ;
• Basic computer skills (Word, Internet); and
• English as mother tongue.

All our authors are freelancers, hired on a contract by-contract basis. We do not employ staff writers.

Destinations

• Abu Dhabi;
• Amsterdam;
• Auckland;
• Bangalore;
• Budapest;
• Buenos Aires;
• Cape Town;
• Chicago;
• Copenhagen;
• Houston;
• Jakarta;
• Johannesburg;
• Kuala Lumpur;
• Madrid;
• Mexico City;
• Mumbai;
• Prague;
• Rome;
• Seoul;
• Toronto;
• Seoul;
• Saigon/Ho Chi Minh;
• Vancouver;
• Vienna; and
• Zurich.

If you think you have the right profile, send us a cover letter, your CV and examples of your writing work to the following address: writers@expatinfodesk.com."

To see this information on the Expat Info Desk site, just click here.

Good luck if you go for it! Andrea

Want To Speak At The FIGT Conference, Houston, March 2010?

Hi Everyone, If you are interested in speaking at the upcoming Families In Global Transition (FIGT) Conference, here is a final reminder that the proposal deadline is September 1.

The 2010 FIGT conference will be held in Houston, Texas, March 4-6. It is honestly a great conference to go to if you are involved in the industry supporting families/expats abroad. The people that attend are like 'old friends' and you should genuinely get something out of it... especially if you get a chance to speak there as well.

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

Hi Everyone, If you are living in (or considering living in) The Netherlands, the now-famous I Am Not A Tourist Fair is the place for you to be on October 25. I am actually going to be at the Fair this year, so mark your calendars and come and say 'hi' to me at our Expat Women stand. Andrea :-)

"Don’t miss the “i am not a tourist” Fair on Sunday, 25 October. It’s all an expat needs to make the most of life in the Netherlands.

Whether you have lived here for 10 days or 10 years, make sure you keep Sunday the 25 October free on your calendars for this once-a-year opportunity.

“i am not a tourist” 2009 will be an interactive extravaganza of experts and companies specialising in expatriate life, workshops, networking, and entertainment.

We’ve invited 90 exhibitors to offer you a helping hand. Have a chat with a recruitment agent, get a word of advice on house hunting, compare universities for your master’s degree, join a group or club and mix with thousands of other internationals.

Get invaluable information about surviving abroad, attend seminars on meditation, landing that perfect job or pubic speaking, and enjoy superb entertainment and networking opportunities. The programme includes workshops on whiskey tasting, salsa, improv comedy, and chocolate and sushi making as well as on-stage performances by standup comedians and salsa dancers. Bring the family along, as we have a dedicated kids corner!

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

Expat Show Shanghai - September 18-20

Hi Everyone, With new expat arrivals in lots of cities worldwide, the expat exhibition season is getting into full swing. If you are living in Shanghai, drop in to their Expat Show next month at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.

This exhibition is in it's third year and it is expecting to attract around 200 exhibitors this year. The Expat Show is also putting on a range of activities (like their Associations Village, Kindergarten, Soccer Tournament and Art Gallery). Plus they are promoting that there will be special deals that will be on offer from travel agencies, clothing and jewellery shops, art galleries, food and beverage providers, and more.

So, if you are in Shanghai... mark your calendar and register now.

Expat Women August Newsletter

Hi Everyone, If you are an Expat Women member and you did not receive our Newsletter for August 2009 in the last 24 hours, please let us know here.

In addition to our August home page features, our newsletter includes: the name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner; our winning story Lost in Translation; as well as the following article from Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, who has been a Success Story interviewee on our site in the past:

Financial Peace of Mind Abroad
Planning a move to another country is filled with excitement, yet also the daunting realization that you must deal with many administrative details as you enter the global workforce. You need to stay organized...

Welcome to all of our new members and welcome home to anyone who has just repatriated!

Have a wonderful day/evening! Andrea.

Settling-In To Life In Malaysia

Hi Everyone, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is treating me really well! Everyone is really friendly and the food, shopping and leisure-time activities are fantastic. It is very hard to find an expat that does not love living here.

Slowly-but-surely, I am coming up for air in the relocation process... so hopefully this blog's momentum should pick up again soon. Thanks for your patience - and a special thank you for the emailed messages of support and good wishes, Andrea.

Moving to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

Hi Everyone, It has been a little quiet on this blog of late because my family and I are moving next week to international assignment number three: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

From Australia, to Indonesia, to Mexico, to Australia... and now to Malaysia... I suppose I will be what you call an expat-repat-expat... or something like that. For those of you living in KL, please reach out and help me out a little. :-)

For those of you overwhelmed with your own intenational move right now, hang in there - there is usually light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanks and best wishes always, Andrea.

Expat Women August Home Page

Hi Everyone, We uploaded today our Expat Women August home page (a little early) and we invite you take a look at this month's features and interviews:

Success Story
Kim Edwards
Sea English Academy
Since 1979, Kim Edwards has worked and travelled across 59 nations, including disaster relief work in Iraq, Lebanon, the West Bank and Jordan. Now, she runs Sea English Academy International, which delivers training in more than 20 locations across 15 countries worldwide…
Read more…

Business Idea
Ark International
Kate Lorenz
Kate Lorenz is the Managing Director and a Co-Founder of Ark International – a housing and orientation company based in Shanghai, China with a subsidiary office in Moscow, Russia. Kate is a Brit who grew up in Africa and the Middle East. She moved to China seven years ago...
Read more…

Motivational
Living Courageously In An Economic Crisis
Robin Fay McNair
How much fear is too much? In the past eight years there has been an epidemic of fear in just about every walk of life. But should we just stay home and quit doing anything altogether?
Read more…

A Broad Abroad
The Expat Wife's Guide To Successful Living Abroad
Robin Pascoe
We talk to the Expat Expert, Robin Pascoe about the relaunch of her original ‘Culture Shock: A Wife’s Guide’ and what she has learned about support for expat spouses over 20 years...
Read more…

Salary Negotiation
Tips For Women
Kelly Magowan
Studies show that women are highly uncomfortable with salary negotiation and as a result we avoid it. Even when we do enter into salary negotiation we do not actively seek out the best deal for ourselves, but rather look to...
Read more…

Expat Confession
Raising Bilingual Children
EW Girlfriend
We are a British family about to move to Brazil. One of my major concerns about our move is that none of us speak Portuguese. Other people have told me that children are fast learners when it comes to language and it will all work out once I get there, but will it?
Read more…

Not A Member Yet?
If you are not an ExpatWomen.com member yet, please support us by signing up today. Our next members' newsletter should then come to your inbox next week.

Thanks and enjoy your weekend!

Andrea

Happy Planet Index

Hi Everyone, Some of you might be interested in the Happy Planet Index (HPI) that we learnt about it this week when we were approving Rosangela Silva's This Australian Life blog for our Expat Women Blog Directory.

It is not an index of the happiest people or places, but it is an index which aims to measure "what truly matters to us - our well-being in terms of long, happy and meaningful lives - and what matters to the planet - our rate of resource consumption".

Here are the Top 10 countries on the Happy Planet Index:

1. Costa Rica;
2. Dominican Republic;
3. Jamaica;
4. Guatemala;
5. Vietnam;
6. Colombia;
7. Cuba;
8. El Salvador;
9. Brazil; and
10. Honduras.

The positions of other countries of interest include:

53. Sweden;

74. United Kingdom;

75. Japan;

89. Canada;

102. Australia;

103. New Zealand;

114. United States; and

123. United Arab Emirates.

143. (Last position) Zimbabwe

"Download the new report The Happy Planet Index 2.0: Why good lives don’t have to cost the Earth, first published in July 2009. The report presents the results of the second global compilation of the Happy Planet Index, based on improved data for 143 countries around the world – representing 99 per cent of the world’s population. The results show that globally we are still far from achieving good lives within the Earth’s finite resource limits. But although the evidence shows that we are heading in the wrong direction, the achievements of some countries around the world provide reasons to believe that we can achieve true sustainable well-being."

Have a great day/evening! Andrea

Culture Smart Looking For Writer For India

Hi Everyone, The Culture Smart series needs a writer for India...

Quoting Jo Parfitt's blog:

"The ideal author is an English-speaking expatriate who has lived in the country for some time and is thoroughly well versed in the local culture."

"Kuperard’s Culture Smart guides are short introductory books that alert first-time visitors to the values and attitudes of different countries. They do not duplicate the hard information given in conventional guidebooks but rather focus on the human dimension, on a country’s culture, so as to enable foreign visitors both to be understanding guests and to get the most out of their visit..."

"Kuperard plans to publish a completely new volume on India next year. The book will follow an established series format, and the text will be between 28,000 and 30,000 words long. The fee is £1,000, payable half on receipt and acceptance of the manuscript, and half thirty days afterwards."

If you are interested in this project, please email Jo Parfitt in the first instance. Thanks.

Expat Women: Got A Story For Us?

Hi Everyone, If you have a little time over this holiday season, please consider helping us out by submitting a story to our Stories section.

This is a well-read section of our site but we always need more contributions. If you are not sure what to submit, please jump onto our Story Guidelines page for some direction.

Many, many thanks! Andrea

Amsterdam Uitburo (AUB) Needs English-Speaking Web Editor For Amsterdam

Hi Everyone, If you are a native English speaker who also has an intermediate level of the Dutch language, you might be interested in the 24-hour week web editor position (to start 1 September 2009) at Amsterdam's Uitburo.

"The Amsterdam Uitburo (AUB) is the collective marketing organisation for the cultural sector in Amsterdam. The mission of the AUB is to encourage people to make use of the city’s extensive range of cultural activities including; exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, opera and festivals."

Sounds like a fun position... but be fast, applications close 17 July.

More details on iamsterdam.com here. Good luck to you if you apply!

Expat Survey: Italy & The Netherlands

Hi Everyone, Chiara Giordano is looking for expats in Italy and The Netherlands to complete a survey for her thesis research...

"My name is Chiara, an Italian 24 year-old girl living near Milan. I'm currently enrolled in the master of social and political communication at the "Università degli di Studi di Milano".

At this moment I'm involved in my degree thesis concerning the expatriates coming in Italy and in the Netherlands: the process that the expatriate and in particular their family goes through while adapting and adjusting to the host country.

I have prepared a short survey about the move of the expatriate to Italy and the Netherlands... and... I really need your help because it is difficult for me to reach expatriates. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!"

Here are the links with the survey:
Expats in the Netherlands
Expats in Italy

If you can help Chiara, please do. Thanks.

Work Opportunity For Expatriates Or Repatriates In The United States

Hi Everyone, If you are currently an expatriate or repatriate in the United States, are you interested in the opportunity to work as a Destination Services Consultant for Coppergate International?

Kerrie Wiseman, Managing Director of Coppergate International, is currently looking for either expatriates living in the United States who could draw on their personal experience of relocating to help others move into their current location or for American Citizens who have relocated overseas and returned to the US.

With flexible hours, the role is perfect for spouses accompanying their partners on assignment or anyone without full-time work commitments.

Employees for all locations within the US will be considered, as Coppergate International’s business is growing rapidly.

However, the most urgent locations are:
IL: Chicago
FL: Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Sarasota
CA: Santa Clara Valley
GA: Atlanta, Savannah and Marietta
TX: Midland, Burleson
DC: Washington DC
MA: Attleboro, Boston and Lexington
NY: New York City
PA: Pittsburgh

If you are interested, please urgently:
(1) Visit Coppergate International's site to learn more about Coppergate International’s business; then
(2) Introduce yourself to Kerrie directly; and
(3) Kindly give Kerrie an overview of your expatriate experience, together with your reasons for being interested in this exciting role.

If you are not interested, please feel free to forward this to anyone you know who might be interested.

Many thanks, best wishes and good luck! Andrea

Disclaimer: Kerrie has generously agreed to make a small donation to Expat Women for each Destination Service Consultant appointed. Thanks for your support, Kerrie!

Want To Win A Laptop? Denmark.Net

Hi Everyone, Remember Denmark.net (the company that recently gave away a trip to the famous Copenhagen Jazz Festival)?

Well, this time they are giving away an Asus laptop, or "netbook" as they call it. Entries are welcome from all over the world and yes, they will "ship the prize free of charge" (we checked with them) to wherever you are located.

To enter, visit Denmark.net today. Entries close 1 September 2009.

We wish you all the best of luck! Andrea

Best Top 50 Companies For Women (UK)

Hi Everyone, Entries close next month for Aurora's 2009 Where Women Want To Work TOP 50 with The Times. Companies with 1,000+ staff in the UK are eligible to apply.

To register your organisation's interest in entering and to receive further information, please click here. Organisations will then receive the full entry details. Good luck!

Globe Women Newsletter: Croatia's New Female Prime Minister & More...

Hi Everyone, Two interesting segments in Globe Women's newsletter yesterday that might interest you:

Croatia's New Female Prime Minister

There is a new addition to the elite group of women who lead nations. The Honorable Jadranka Kosor became Croatia’s first female Prime Minister on July 6, 2009, after the mid-term resignation of former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader who had served for six years. Her ascension increases the number of women serving as Presidents or Prime Ministers to 18 or 9.2% of the total number of leaders holding these titles – a sharp increase from 5.4% in 2004 when the Global Summit of Women first started tracking these numbers.

A former Minister of Family, Veterans and Inter-generational Solidarity, Ms. Kosor also served as Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Vice President of the Croatian Democratic Union. She is credited with doubling the number of female candidates in her party during the 2000 elections. In her recent speech to her parliamentary colleagues to secure their support, she made a direct appeal to the women MPs: “"Women should be given a chance where there is real power and money. This is a right opportunity for that," she said and added further: “I will lead both the government and the (HDZ) party with a strong female hand.”

A lawyer by training who built an exemplary career as a journalist prior to entering politics, Prime Minister Kosor faces an economic crisis as well as the challenge of reviving Croatia’s stalled efforts to become a member of the European Union. (Source: Yahoo.com, 7/6/09).


Xerox's Newest CEO: Ursula Burns

At Xerox’s May shareholder’s meeting, Ursula Burns was named as the successor to current CEO Anne Mulcahy, who was stepping down in a well-planned transition. Burns will be the first African American female CEO, making Xerox the first Fortune 500 company to be headed back to back by two women. Mulcahy is credited for turning Xerox around and saving it from near bankruptcy. She has also successfully executed a smooth succession in the leadership of the company, providing continuity of the turnaround she spearheaded. The number of women CEOs of U.S. Fortune 500 companies remains, however, at 15, or 3%.

Burns has played a pivotal role at Xerox in recent years: overseeing corporate strategy, global accounts, IT and human resources. She worked alongside Mulcahy during her efforts to revitalize Xerox. Burns successfully negotiated with the company's unions to cut thousands of jobs. While Xerox's share price is still low, the company is profitable again and has expanded its market. At a speech at Oregon State University in September, Burns commented on Xerox’s turnaround: "We are poised for greatness and for success. We have pulled ourselves back from the brink of bankruptcy and taught ourselves that we can do just about anything we aspire to do, if we work hard and put our head down." (Source: NPR News, 5/22/09)

Expat Schooling Abroad

Hi Everyone, School Choice International are asking "What makes a successful or unsuccessful expat schooling experience?"

If you would like to contribute your experiences on their blog, they are currently rewarding contributors with a free, one-week subscription to their Global Education Explorer - "the only web tool that enables families to compare and understand education across the globe".

So, if you have an experience to share and/or you would like to look inside their new Global Education Explorer product, you might like to visit their blog while the offer stands.

Best wishes, Andrea.

ExpatFinder.com Relaunched: Now Offers Product Comparisons & Quotations

Hi Everyone, Our friends at ExpatFinder.com have just revamped and relaunched their site. They now offer product comparison and quotation request features to help expatriates find cost effective solutions. Here's some info from their press release:

"More expats are now facing greater challenges abroad as a result of cut backs caused by the economic recession. ExpatFinder.com are addressing these needs in five key products channels which are Housing & Real Estate, Finance, Insurance, Relocation services and Education. The services are introduced in a new product comparison and quotation request offering as part a major design overhaul of ExpatFinder.com.

...The new website comes with an extensive offering of detailed tips and advice articles as well as more than 40 free downloadable city guides to help the international employees and their families in every step of their move and life abroad."

Francois and Sébastien, we wish your new-look site all the best. :-)

PS. Their expat web search tool still exists on the site, even if it is a little harder to find. You need to click on Web Search at the top of their pages (or for now, just click here).

Expat Advisory Site Now Global

Hi Everyone, Expat Advisory Services have announced this month that they have turned global - now listing over 200 countries - and they have added more functionality for users to promote their businesses, events and/or general awareness via listings and articles, such as reviews or interviews.

"After 6 years of having to update and post on behalf of others we thought that it was time to hand control over to you. Users will the ability to: add a business listing -with full details including web links; participate on the forums; and create events - with links to your business listing; directly submit content (articles) - for approval; list their blog; and add a discount coupon for your business."

If you have a business to promote, anywhere in the world and/or you are interested in submitting content for publication on expat sites, EAS's new changes might be of particular interest to you.

Cartier Women's Initiative Awards: Finalists

Hello Everyone, We saw today that the finalists have been announced in the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards for 2009.

The winners will only be announced on October 19, but in the meantime, if you are interested in who is in the running to receive an award and/or you would like to learn more about the competition for yourself, just visit the Cartier awards site here... and best of luck if you enter next year!

Reminder: Stevie Awards For Women In Business - Early-Bird Deadline 31 July

Hello Everyone, Just a reminder that 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!

Silver Lining Entrepreneur Awards: American & Canadian Residents

Hi Everyone, This Silver Lining competition is relatively small, but still might be a good one if you are a resident in the US or Canada and looking for a bit of well-earned recognition for your entrepreneurial pursuits.

"With our belief that in every cloud there is a silver lining – we want to encourage and support individuals who successfully demonstrate true entrepreneurial spirit. If you, or an entrepreneur you know, has passion for what they do, is working hard towards their big goals, and has successfully overcome adversity to achieve their dreams, we want to hear from you."

Prizes include:

• An all-inclusive weekend trip to a tropical location;
• BlackBerry® smartphone™;
• Rogers High Speed Internet Stick;
• Intuit® Quickbooks®;
• A feature on Citi Cards Canada's, BusinessOwnersGetIt.com, website;
• Silver Lining (or SLAP™) Seminar with Carissa Reiniger;
• One-Year Membership to The Site For Entrepreneur;
• A chance to meet other passionate entrepreneurs;
• ...and more from Hewlett-Packard and Staples.

Entry deadline is 15 August 2009. For competition details, please click here. All the best!

Just Released: Mercer's Worldwide Cost Of Living Survey 2009

Hi Everyone, Mercer have just released the results of their latest cost of living survey and according to their press release, the cost of living in Tokyo has risen to 43% higher than that in New York!

Osaka came in second, then Moscow third, Geneva fourth and Hong Kong has risen this year to 5th place. Moscow is still the most expensive European city for expatriates.

Australian and NZ cities dropped right down the list, with the most expensive city, Sydney, falling from 15th to 66th place and the next city, Melbourne, sliding from 92nd to 36th place.

Here are the official survey headlines:

"Tokyo knocks Moscow off the top spot as the most expensive city for expatriates; Johannesburg is the cheapest.

Asian and European cities dominate the top 10.

Significant currency fluctuations and strengthening of dollar cause major reshuffle in the ranking.

London drops 13 places to rank 16, New York joins the top 10 list."

To see their Top 50 list and maybe find the city in which are you living, just click here.

Expat Women July Newsletter

Hi Everyone, If you are an Expat Women member and you did not receive our Newsletter for July 2009, please let us know here.

In addition to our July home page features, our newsletter includes the name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner, as well as the personal Adapting Back Home essay which I wrote for Suzanne Kamata's new book, Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering.

Best wishes to all of you - especially new arrivals - as well as those of you repatriating now, Andrea.

Expat Women July Home Page

Hi Everyone, We hope you are really well! We invite you now to check out the new features on our Expat Women Home Page for July:

Success Story
Suzanne Garber
International SOS Assistance
Suzanne Garber is a global nomad success story. She grew up in Spain, Mexico, Algeria, Egypt, the Dominican Republic and various US states, lived in Brazil when working as the Managing Director for FedEx in South America, and now looks after expats via her role with International SOS...
Read more…

Business Idea/Entrepreneur
La Tavola Marche - Agriturismo in Italy
Ashley Bartner
After years of travel and eating their way through every state and country they visited, Ashley and Executive Chef Jason Bartner decided to share their love for food with others by setting up La Tavola Marche, an agriturismo establishment in Sant'Angelo in Vado, Italy...
Read more…

Expat Couples
Coaching for Expatriate Couples: Can It Help You?
Andrew L. Miser
No matter how much preparation or training expats have prior to their move, a couple will not know what life will bring until they have taken the bold step and moved abroad. It is only after couples relocate...
Read more…

Moving Soon?
Picking The Right Removal Company
Rob Fenn
Moving abroad is undoubtedly an exciting experience, but one element people often do not enjoy is the planning stage of moving their belongings to their new home. There are a few things you should do...
Read more…

Expat Confession
Will Culture Shock Happen To Me?
Expat Women Girlfriend
My husband and I are on the verge of our first assignment to London. I think this will be an easy transition for us... However, a friend warned me that sometimes it is more difficult to settle into English-speaking countries...
Read more…

Military Brats & TCKs
Brats: Our Journey Home
Donna Musil
Donna was raised an Army brat and relocated 12 times as a child and 19 times as an adult. Seven years and 500 interviews in the making, we talk to Donna about her insightful documentary film and ask her about her recent Brats projects...
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 and have a great July! Andrea

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.