Expat Women Welcomes SIRVA Relocation!

Hello Everyone, We would like to give a big shout-out today to our new Expat Women Gold Sponsor: SIRVA Relocation. 

Expat Women depends on the support of fine companies such as SIRVA, who are willing to invest in our online, niche community.  So to return the goodwill, if you are looking for a reputable, global relocations company to look after you and your family, please recommend SIRVA Relocation to your employing Company…

"As a leading provider of relocation services, SIRVA Relocation has been redefining the industry with hassle-free relocation services focused on customers' diverse needs.

SIRVA Relocation provides innovative relocation solutions to manage the entire relocation process for corporations and their employees. By considering every aspect of their move and their new location, we make sure your employees are free to focus on their work.

With services in over 130 countries, SIRVA Relocation has the global reach and local expertise to help relocate lives: anyone, anytime, anywhere.

SIRVA Relocation delivers international and domestic assignment management with a single point of contact and co-ordination in real time. This is achieved through having dedicated specialists based in our Centres of Excellence and Global Certified Partner Networks to provide on-the-ground services in over 130 countries.

Our process is supported with state-of-the-art technology that can cost record, track and report on every aspect of an assignment. This system enables the client to access information in any part of the world at any time.

SIRVA Relocation's core business includes:
• Global Mobility Consultancy
• Visa and Immigration Services
• Destination Services
• Assignment Management Services
• Household Goods Move Management
• Expense Management
• Cross-Cultural & Intercultural Management Programs

As each organisation has its own unique culture and operating style, SIRVA Relocation can tailor a portfolio of services to meet the client's mobility needs.  The single-point of contact is what relieves clients of the burden of administering international and domestic assignments, providing more time to focus on their core business.

Click Here to enquire about SIRVA Relocation's services."

Thank you in advance for supporting the companies that support us! Andrea

Expat Women September 2010 Home Page

Hi Everyone, Please take a look at, share and tweet about our new September Expat Women home page, which features:

Success Story
Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda
General Secretary, World YWCA
An energetic champion of women's rights, Zimbabwean Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda was appointed General Secretary of the General Secretary, World YWCA in November 2007, following ten years of strong advocacy experience with the United Nations...
Read more...

Business Idea
Sentinella Network (& Word Queen)
Keidi Keating
Tired of the rain and gloom of London, copywriter and editor Keidi Keating moved to the sunny beaches of Spain. After struggling to find work, an unexpected turn of events brought her to the helm of a popular local expat magazine...
Read more...

Inspiring Women Abroad
Book: Beyond Borders: Portraits Of American Women From Around The World
My-Linh Kunst
Beyond Borders: Portraits of American Women from around the World celebrates “seemingly ordinary”’ American women living abroad, who have assimilated into the culture of their host nations and achieved something meaningful in their chosen path…
Read more...

Expat Confession
Teen Suicide
Expat Women Girlfriend
Three weeks ago, an expat girl in my daughter's class committed suicide and the whole school is still in shock... My daughter is 14 years old and seems extremely affected by the girl's death, the finality of suicide and her suicide note which blamed her family for moving her abroad...
Read more...

Expat Volunteers
Celebrating Two Great Expat Volunteers
Anne Ponti-Riggins & Pamela Musselman
Be inspired by the stories of Anne Ponti-Riggins and Pamela Musselman: two women whose volunteer efforts abroad exemplify some of our incredible, selfless, unsung expat heroines abroad...
Read more...

Repatriating?
Repatriation: Tips And Advice To Ease The Transition
Dana Frost
Filled with anticipation and expectation, we go home after living abroad, never imagining that it could be more difficult than the countries and cultures we have manoeuvred in foreign lands. But the real journey ‘home’ is an emotional and mental marathon that in reality is not so fast...
Read more...

* * *

Not A Member Yet?

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

To receive our newsletter later this month and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing's Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site ExpatWomen.com, and also receive your link to our free e-book of Winning Stories!

Thank you very much and best wishes for a wonderful September! Andrea

Expat Forum 2010: October 12, Washington

Hi Everyone, I am very excited today to share with you news of the upcoming Expat Forum 2010 (a guest speaker panel event discussing issues about expatriate life), being hosted by our wonderful Silver Sponsor, Clements International, at the U.S. Navy Heritage Center, Washington, Tuesday October 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 

I am really looking forward to being on the panel, and if you are an expat in the Washington area, a visiting expat, a provider of international benefits or perhaps a global mobility manager interested in expat issues, please try to join us.

Joining me on the panel will be:

* Alan Paul, “The Expat Life” columnist for WSJ.com and author of the forthcoming book, "Big in China";

* Alyson Rose-Wood, Foreign Service Youth Foundation Board member; &

* Maureen Johnston, resource specialist at the Overseas Briefing Center for the U.S. Department of State.

So it should make for a great discussion and audience Q&A session.

To find out more, please click here to read the full press release today and click here to register.

Washington-based expats/providers/managers, I hope to see you there!  Warmest thanks for your support, Andrea.

Please tell your friends and tweet this for us.  Thanks. :-)

Clements International is a leading provider of insurance solutions for expatriates and international organizations. Founded in 1947, Clements offers worldwide auto, property, health, life and commercial insurance with superior customer service and claims response to customers in more than 170 countries.

Expat Writers & Creative-Types: Missed Some Great Twitter Links?

Hello Everyone, I hope your week has started really well!   For the keen writers amongst you, here are some of my recent tweets that might interest you, as you write your expat stories and/or you write for business or pleasure:

Be Inspired: Writer, former expat, self-publisher Tania McCartney http://bit.ly/cwZbFG

A must-read case study about publishing: Aimed at writers creative entrepreneurs: http://bit.ly/d8rg2p

5 Tips To Maximize Your Book Publicity http://bit.ly/atvE0y

Entrepreneurs and Writers: Thinking of stopping your blog in favor of email newsletters? http://bit.ly/dvCsee

Freelance Writers: What Should You Be Paid? http://bit.ly/aa2b2I

6 Personality Types Who Will Fail As Writers: An Editor's Opinion http://bit.ly/92QPGG

Writer's Abroad competition http://bit.ly/csTkhG Entries due October 15th.

New book launching August 8th to help you create e-books for the Apple iPad http://bit.ly/bXMGVu

Writers: Selling Foreign Language Rights http://bit.ly/bdBf9R

Writers: Great Links & Info on Self-Publishing: Should You Or Shouldn't You? http://bit.ly/bs5aWW

Writers in Paris: Short Story Contest For Stories About Paris: 200 Euro Prize & Best 12 Published http://bit.ly/9l6nWx

10 Tips To Help Consultants & Coaches Write A Short E-Book To Attract Clients http://bit.ly/auC5iM

21 Ways to Get Publicity and Increase Sales http://bit.ly/azzZpz

Amazon Kindle Conspiracy: Chris Brogan http://bit.ly/b0UEWo Versus: iPad http://bit.ly/9c05ir

Top 10 Ways Authors Can Use Twitter http://bit.ly/aaUXMp

How To Make Money Selling Your E-Books http://bit.ly/92crhD

Speaking For Free To Promote Your Book Or Business? http://bit.ly/bzZvau

Should Published Authors Go to Conferences? http://bit.ly/9qNgXA

Great Idea To Get Your Book Into Chain Stores http://bit.ly/ExpatWomen98hWlz

Writing with a co-author, Chris Brogan style http://bit.ly/bqC70T

Want to write about your life experience abroad? See Jo Parfitt's tips in Khiruna article http://bit.ly/boJGfI

Build A Killer Brand In 6 Steps http://bit.ly/chTMLs

4 Ways To Get Great Speaking Engagements http://bit.ly/a3zS9f

Writing a book? Agent Rachelle Gardner says to bore yourself with menial tasks to clear your mind http://bit.ly/bQTS3u

Case-study for writers and publishers: John T. Reed: A successful "folk-art self-publisher" http://bit.ly/9FABXK

Is It Important To Keep In Touch With Clients, Would-Be Publishers & Allies? http://bit.ly/bAYxOO

What Should You Ask An Agent Who Wants To Represent You? http://bit.ly/djouTA

If you would like to follow me in 'real time' on Twitter, my Twitter ID is @andreaexpat, or you can just click here.  Twitter is surprisingly easy, once you take a look.  And I try not to overtweet. 

Best wishes, enjoy your day/evening!  Andrea :-)

Expat Women: Update On Our New Look

Hi Everyone, For those of you curious about when you will see our 'new look' website, we want to assure you that we are still working very hard at this behind-the-scenes.  We expect it will take us another 2+ months to update all of our pages, as we have thousands of pages on our main Expat Women site.

Thanks for your patience - and thanks as always for your support!

Repatriation Survey: Can You Help?

Hi Everyone, Alexandra Luxton is a 4th year Honours student at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.  She is kindly looking for repatriates to survey, for her study: Bringing the knowledge back: Expatriates - the knowledge, can it be extracted?

Expats who were working abroad but have now returned home are invited to take the 20-25 minute survey here.  Many thanks.

What They Don’t Tell You About Successful Product Launches

Hi Everyone, When reading a great article today on ProBlogger by Darren Rowse, entitled How To Get Things Done When You're Feeling Overwhelmed, (interestingly, it has been retweeted nearly 500 times, so it seems that those of us feeling overwhelmed are certainly not alone!)...

I came across another great article by Darren: What They Don't Tell You About Successful Product Launches - which I watched first in video form (Darren is very genuine and great to watch and listen to - I highly recommend the video), but then I read the transcript as well.

Essentially, Darren says the following (but in a more animated way and with more anecdotes):

1. Build a Content Base.  He emphasized that this does not happen overnight, but that a genuine content base takes time.  He said he has been building his online content base over the last 8 (!) years.

2. Build Relationships.  "Every day you have the opportunity to take yourself closer to that big launch by getting to know someone else on the web, whether that be a potential reader, whether that be another blogger, whether that be just someone who’s interested in the same kind of stuff as you on Twitter, you never know where those relationships will take you."

3. Build Your Skill Set.  Add to your repertoire daily.  Learn new things. Connect more dots.

4. Build Your Email List.  Build a greater audience, over time, and be rewarded with a bigger launch impact.

Darren concludes:

"I guess the point of this video is not to come up with a conclusive list of things that you can do that will take you closer to your, your goals one day, but it’s to get you to think about what you can do today, what you can do tomorrow and to think about some of those little things that will take you closer to your ultimate goals.

Set yourself some tasks this week. Just little things that you can do, posts that you can write, people that you can interact with, just features that you can add to your blog, new skills that you can learn. All of these things will take you closer to that ultimate goal.

It’s great to have the idea of a big product launch in the back of your mind, but at the front of your mind needs to be these sorts of daily activities that will take you closer to that."

I highly recommend Darren's video. Have a great weekend!  Andrea

HR Professionals: Want To Attend This Year's Worldwide ERC Conference For Free?

Yes, good news from Peggy Smith, the new CEO of the Worldwide ERC®... If you are a government or corporate Human Resources Professional, Peggy is inviting you to attend this year's annual conference for free, as her invited guest.  That is a saving of anywhere from US$1095 to US$1495, depending when you register and whether or not you are a member of the Worldwide ERC®.

Now, I do not know Peggy personally, but I have to commend her clever strategy.  Conference organizers are always crying out for more HR 'decision-makers' to attend and vendors are always crying out for more decision-makers to attend.  The upcoming Worldwide ERC® conference in Seattle, Washington, October 25-27, has more sponsors than ever... so one can only guess that Peggy is under some moderate pressure to attract HR decision-makers to match-make with the (likely many) attending service providers.

Need some justification to explain the ROI of attending to your boss?  Well, I smiled to find that they have this covered too, in their Justification Toolkit! :-)

To me, Peggy's offer this year is a win-win-win.  If you are a Corporate or Government HR Professional, why not take advantage of this offer?  The zero registration fee reduces your organization's outlay, and you never know, in addition to networking with peers and learning about current trends... you might actually find some products/services that you would like to contract.  A win-win-win: for you; the Worldwide ERC®; and for the service providers.

To everyone going to the conference, enjoy!  Andrea

Expat Women: Can You Share A Story?

Hi Everyone, This is a call-out to all expatriate and repatriate women...  Living abroad fills your treasure chest with a wealth of stories.  We would love it if you could please take the time to share at least one of your stories with our readers in our stories section here. 

We have around 300 reader-submitted stories now, but we are always looking for fresh, interesting, well-written submissions.  It is a really popular section of our site for our readers, so please, contribute if you can. We would love to hear from you.  

Many, many thanks!  Andrea

13th Annual Talent Management Summit: September 27-29: Las Vegas, United States

For HR Professionals: Next month, Las Vegas will play host to the 13th Annual Talent Management Summit, September 27-29.  The overarching theme this year will be Using Talent Management to Accelerate Strategic Change.

Here are the 7 sub-themes for the Summit:

* Running Talent Management Like a Business

* Measured Financial Benefits of Your Talent Management Competencies and Metrics

* Recognize Authentic Leadership and Self-Aware Emotional Intelligence: Metrics and Measurement to Evaluate Performance

* Successfully Leverage Subject Matter Experts in your Organization - Developing Training for Maximum Management Performance

* Growing Leaders from Within: Developing Critical Leadership Talent

* Creating a Comprehensive Talent Acquisition and Onboarding Process to Positively Impact Company Objectives

* Managing Risk and Influencing Organizational Success through Clear Talent Management Strategies


List of Speakers:

* Allison Allen, Senior Manager, Learning Solutions, Royal Bank of Scotland

* Allison Friend, Chief Human Resource Officer, Goodwin Procter

* Alysia Vanitzian, Head of Talent Management, North America, Zurich Financial Services

* Andrew LaValle, Executive Director, Worldwide Recruitment, Entertainment & Networks, Time Warner

* Arturo Poire, Global Head of Talent Management, Marsh & McLennan

* Brian Fishel, Senior Vice President, Executive and Leadership Development, Bank of America

* Carolyn Turman, Chief Learning Officer, Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division

* Cheryl Thomas, Senior Vice President, Director of Human Resources, Johnson Financial Group

* Claire St. Louis, Vice President, Talent and Career Development, United Water

* Dale DeLetis, Presentation Skills Specialist and Coach, Suffolk Construction

* David First, Vice President, Learning & Development, Suffolk Construction Company

* Dr. David S. Cohen, Owner, Strategic Action Group

* Dr. Lynn Schmidt, Director, Learning & Talent Management, Raytheon

* Doug Bryant, Director of Aerospace Organizational Development, Honeywell Aerospace

* Ed Bancroft, PrimeGenesis Executive Onboarding and Author

* Elizabeth Nieto, Global Talent and Diversity Director, Global Functions, CITI

* Eva Lynne Disbro, Vice President, Human Resources, McKee Foods Corporation

* Twyla Salaiz, Manager, Learning & Career Development, Raytheon

* Gary Wise, Senior Director, Learning Architecture, Education & Training, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

* Glenn Gutmacher, Vice President, Arbita ACES

* Jason Lauritsen, Vice President and Director of Human Resources, Union Bank and Trust Company

* Jeff Klem, Leadership Development Director, Healthways

* Karen Tracy, Vice President, Talent Management, Oldcastle Materials

* Kathleen Edge, Vice President, Talent Management, Oldcastle Products and Distribution

* Kathy Brooks, Vice President of Organizational Culture and Internal Communications, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

* Kelly Chapman, Director of Diversity Recruitment, Microsoft

* Larry Israelite, Vice President and Manager, Human Resource Development, Liberty Mutual Group

* Marc Effron, Founder, New Talent Management Network, Recognized as 100 Top Influencers in HR and Author of One Page Talent Management

* Mark Feurer, Global Human Resources Director, Bunge

* Melissa Lytell, Director of Human Resources Shared Services, US Department of State

* Michael McNeal, Vice President, Talent Strategy and Acquisition, Intuit

* Michelle Braaten, Director, Recruitment, Human Resources, Royal Bank of Canada

* Scott Dolny, Senior Vice President, Leadership Development, Enterprise Leadership Development, Bank of America

* Sherryl Stalinski, Director Organizational Development & Talent Management, Parsons Corporation,

* Thomas Rottenberger, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Capital Officer, Univision Communications

* Thorn Jenness, Managing Director, Human Resources, Societe Generale

To find out more, please click here. 

Thanks, and do enjoy if you are a HR Professional and decide to go!  Andrea

12th Annual Corporate University Week: Expo & Conference: November 15-18, 2010

Hi Everyone, If you are a Corporate/Government HR Professional, you might be interested in the upcoming Human Resources IQ’s 12th Annual Corporate University Week Expo and Conference, which is taking place at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel and Spa, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, from November 15 to 18.

If you register before 27 August, you/your company can receive a discount up to US$1,000.  Here are some details...

"Human Resources IQ’s 12th Annual Corporate University Week Expo and Conference focuses on aligning learning and development with corporate goals. Discover how to run training as a business by acting as an internal strategic consultant, measuring performance, and tracking ROI.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain insight into:

* Integrating learning and development with short and long-term business goals

* Developing your next generation of leaders and building employees’ skills as a strategy for business growth

* Leveraging social media, serious games, mobile learning and virtual worlds to improve learning

* Building a sustainable talent pipeline by driving personal development and succession planning

* Running training as a business by acting as an internal strategic consultant, measuring performance and tracking ROI

Attend the Free Expo Hall

The Expansive Expo Hall will include the Brilliance Bar, interactive roundtables, product demos and the Presentation Theater, featuring:

* Transforming your Leadership Development Program for Excellence - Mary Kay Kopp, Global Learning Network Director, UPS

* Translating Results to ROI and Learning Effectiveness - Linda Landry, Senior Director, Global Learning and Organizational Effectiveness, Nuance Communications, Inc.

* Sustaining and Growing a Corporate University to Align with Business Objectives - Tricia Danielsen, Manager, ACI University, ACI Worldwide, Inc.

* Global Training Programs - Abigail Fuchs, Technical Training Manager, Aristocrat Technologies"

"A learning revolution is taking place, again - you can lead it or follow it....” - Christopher R. Hardy, Ph.D., Director, Global Learning and Technology Center, Defense Acquisition University

Click here to learn more, find prices, watch webinars and listen to podcasts.  Thanks.

Successful Living Abroad: Expat Expert Robin Pascoe's Video Lectures Now Online

Hello Everyone, I am excited to announce today that at last, those of you who were not fortunate enough to enjoy Robin Pascoe's lectures in person during her international speaking tours, you can now enjoy online video lectures from Robin, absolutely free!

Just click here (...and no, unlike many sites, there is no compulsory sign-up to be able to view the lectures).  You are free to come and go from the lectures at any time.

Semi-retired from the speaking circuit, but never one to sit too still, Robin has teamed up with a (fellow Canadian) professional cinematographer to present these nearly 20 (approximately 3-minute) lectures, perfect for trailing spouses and/or expat families living the global nomad life abroad.

If you have not yet read Robin's books, this is a great opportunity to see what Robin and her books are all about. Thanks again Robin, for providing another high-value resource for our expat community!

Warmest wishes for your day/evening, Andrea.

Expatica's 'I Am Not A Tourist Fair', Amsterdam

Hi Everyone, Expatica's annual expatriate fair returns to the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam for its 7th outing, offering free resources, information, networking opportunities and entertainment to internationals living across the Netherlands. 

I attended last year and it a really fun, lively day.  If you are an expat in (or moving to) Amsterdam, do drop in and see what 2010's fair offers.  Warmest regards, Andrea.

"Amsterdam, 10 October 2010 – On Sunday, 10 October at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, Expatica will host their trademark “i am not a tourist” Fair. This one-day event has become an institution and is the largest fair of its kind, offering internationals a wealth of information, as well as the opportunity to meet with dozens of expatriate-oriented service providers and mix with thousands of other internationals.

The “i am not a tourist” Fair 2010 is the only fair of its kind for internationals living across the length and breadth of the Netherlands. Following its tried and tested formula, this year’s fair will be geared toward those who have lived here for some time and want to touch base with the expatriate community at large, as well as expats who have just arrived.

"’i am not a tourist’ 2010 will offer all the basic resources that are so important for newcomers, but also present entertainment and culture for those who have already found their way in the Netherlands,” said Event Manager Danielle de Groot. “In this respect, ‘i am not a tourist’ 2010 is a lifestyle fair for even the most experienced international.”

This year’s fair will offer a wealth of entertainment and events, such as wine tasting and speed dating, with an eye toward integrating with Dutch culture. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet with expat-orientated groups and clubs, well-known expatriate authors, universities, and many other organisations.

For those that are still finding their feet, over 55 companies will be available to offer advice in housing, employment, relocation, taxes, and banking. In addition, approximately 10 educational institutions, including schools and universities will be present."

To register for your free tickets, please click here.  Thanks and enjoy! Andrea.

Stevie Awards For Women In Business: Deadline August 31

Hi Everyone, If you are interested in entering the 7th annual Stevie Awards For Women In Business, you had better be quick, as the deadline closes Tuesday August 31 (although late entries will be accepted through September 30 with a US$35 late entry fee).  To find out more, please click here.

This competition invites international entries, so I hope some of you talented expat women apply.

All the very best if you do!  Andrea

Want To Submit An Article For Expat Women?

Hi Everyone, We are regularly asked how a volunteer contributor could submit an article to our main Expat Women site.  Luckily, we are always looking for quality, well-written articles, so if you have any ideas/ articles, we invite you to please follow these 3 steps:

(1) Browse http://www.expatwomen.com/ to find what types of articles we publish and what article ideas we have already published (this is important because we try to avoid publishing the same ideas twice); 

(2) Send your article plan or your completed article (ideally 1000-1200 words, full of useful information and practical tips and/or anecdotes) to contactus@expatwomen.com; and

(3) We will review your plan/article and give you feedback about whether we might publish it on our site and/or what edits we would like made.

Why contribute? Well, apart from the fact that you desperately love helping us, if we publish your contribution, it:

• may be featured on our home page (which is a fabulous opportunity to 'boost your brand' because we receive over 30,000 unique visitors a month to our site now, with most of these visitors coming via our high-profile home page);
• may be included in one of our monthly newsletters (sent out to our nearly 9,000 members worldwide); or it
• may be published solely on our Expat Women site (which means it can still be read by potential clients and it can still be found by the big search engines).

So if you have some expertise to share, do not be shy, write your ideas out clearly and get in touch, anytime.

Warmest thanks, Andrea.

W.I.N. Conference, Paris, October 2010

Hi Everyone, The annual Women's International Networking (W.I.N.) Conference is only just over two months away.  If you would like to be inspired in Paris, with hundreds of other (typically amazing women like yourself), I highly recommend the experience (having attended in Oslo in 2007)!

"Inspire & Be Inspired...
The W.I.N. 2010 global leadership conference is the 13th in a series of visionary leadership events that inspire thousands of women, enhance their careers and improve business practices.
October 6-8 (9)
Be a part of it!

Learn - from world-class speakers about current trends, politics, humanity, and work-life balance

Discover - the importance of giving and receiving support to realize your vision

Be Inspired - by stories from successful professional women working around the world

Gain - new personal and professional skills through our 40 outstanding workshops

Create - Business connections and alliances within a dynamic international network

During the three-day interactive forum, we will explore the authentic journey and the importance of how you do all you do as a way towards realizing your vision. As we discover clarity, truth, beauty and how your enthusiasm can help mobilize others. Panel sessions and workshops are complemented by social and professional networking events and free one-on-one coaching sessions."

If you would like to go, please ask for our "Expat Women 100 Euro discount".

It is a great conference.  Enjoy!  Andrea

Expats Employed Abroad: Looking For Survey Participants

Hi Everyone, Lisa Gulick is a student at George Mason University, completing her Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She is currently working on her dissertation, which investigates the role of international experience on expatriate adjustment and performance.  She is desperately seeking 75 more respondents to her expat survey. If you can help, please do.  Thanks. 

"I would like to survey individuals currently working abroad in a country that is not their native country of residence. The survey would be confidential, administered via a web link, and should take about 20 minutes to complete. To participate, please click here.  Thank you!"  Lisa Gulick, lgulick @ gmu.edu

Expat Women's 5 Friend Challenge

Hi Everyone, If you missed our 5 Friend Challenge in this month's newsletter, it's simple, here it is…

Can you please help ‘spread the word’ about ExpatWomen.com by sending this month's newsletter to at least 5 friends and encouraging them to join up to support us?

We depend on your valuable word-of-mouth support to gain new members.  The more members, the more sponsorship money we can raise to keep the site running and growing for you!

T-h-a-n-k   Y-o-u   V-e-r-y   M-u-c-h!       Andrea

Expat Women August Newsletter Highlights

Hi Everyone, Here are the highlights from our Expat Women August 2010 members' newsletter, sent out this week:

(If you are a member and did not receive your newsletter, please email us here, thanks)

* Success Story: Toni Brendish, Managing Director, Danone Dumex (Malaysia);

* Business Idea: Little Broadway, Tiffany Jansen;

* Home Exchanging: Tips For A Successful Home Exchange, Zoe Hine;

* Boost Your Brand: 10 Ways to Boost Your (Relocation) Brand Online, Andrea Martins;

* Learning Disabilities: The Evolution Of Learning Disabilities: A Global Guide For Parents, Kristina L. Dooley;

* Expat Confession: He Wants To Go;

* Mothering Abroad: Nora Kohri, Founder Of Care The World;

* The name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner; and

* Our winning story by Expat Women member Lauren (again!) (an American in China), entitled The Strays of Dingbo.

Read our August Newsletter Here

If you are not a member of our main site, ExpatWomen.com, please join today to support us (and receive a link to download our free Expat Women e-book "Winning Stories"). This will also mean that next month your newsletter will be delivered directly to your inbox.

Thanks Everyone! Andrea

Kickstarter: Get Inspired, Get Creative

Hi Everyone, I read a fabulous case study today by Craig Mod (via The Book Designer).  It documented Craig and his co-author Ashley Rawlings' experience in using Kickstarter to buy back the rights of their book Art Space Tokyo (which sold out it its first year then was never reprinted by its publisher) and re-launch their book.

Craig's case study intrigued me:

"$24,000 in 30 days, a room full of books in 60 & a new way of publishing in 90... In April 2010, Ashley Rawlings and I used community fundraising to raise nearly $24,000 to breathe new life into our book, Art Space Tokyo. My goal here is to outline what we did and why we did it, with the hope of inspiring anyone with an itch, gumption and a good narrative, to do the same. To bring beautiful, well-considered things into the world."

If you are a published or wannabe writer and/or if you are interested in self-publishing and/or you are an entrepreneur wanting to think more creatively, I highly recommend reading Craig's case study.

But beyond that, I encourage all of you to visit Kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter's premise is to give you a platform to promote your creative project idea, then help you open it up for community funding on their site.  You nominate the funding goal and the timeframe, then supporters of your project can pledge money to kick-start your project, in return for the benefit or experience you promise to your supporters.  If you do not meet your funding goal in the required timeframe, no one pays their pledge.  So the challenge is not only to come up with a cool project, but to get as many supporters as possible in your nominated timeframe, so that you reach your goal and your project goes ahead.

Whether or not you have a creative idea, this site are very inspiring.  Immerse yourself in the site's creativity, and who knows, maybe it will ignite a new spark of creativity in your own ideas...

Have a fabulous week! Andrea

August Edition of Mobility Magazine Online

Hi Everyone, The August edition of the Worldwide ERC® Mobility Magazine is now online, featuring the following:

U.S. Immigration Issues for U.S. Employees Assigned Abroad
By Matthew T. Phillips

Visas and Volcanoes: Crisis Planning for Immigration
By Sophy King and Andrea Elliott

Recruiting Foreign Workers in the United States - How to Remain Competitive and Ensure Compliance in a Climate of Increased Government Scrutiny
By Sarah L. Tobocman, Esq., GMS,; Jay Carmichael, Esq.; Luciana C. Melo, Esq.; and Mariana R. Ribeiro, Esq.

Seven Essential Steps to Making the Right Relocation Pay Decisions
By Shari Dunn

The Promise of Personal Branding
By Galen Tinder

10 Ways to Boost Your Relocation Brand Online
By Andrea Martins

Personal Perspectives on Temporary Housing
By Stefani R. Schreck, CRP, GMS

Making the Big Move: Relocating to Singapore
By Siew Kiang Ng

Group Moves: an Analysis of Key Considerations
By Allie Williamson, CRP

If you are in the expat, global mobility and/or relocation industries, happy reading!  Andrea

Expat Women August 2010 Home Page

Hi Everyone, Please take a look at, share and tweet about our new August 2010 Expat Women home page, which features the following:

Success Story
Toni Brendish
Managing Director, Danone Dumex (Malaysia)
Toni Brendish is the Managing Director of Danone Dumex Sdn Bhd in Malaysia, part of Danone: a Fortune 500 company which is one of the most successful healthy food companies in the world. Toni is responsible for the Malaysian and Brunei businesses and oversees more than 450 people...
Read more...

Business Idea
Little Broadway
Tiffany Jansen
Trained in musical theater and dance, Tiffany Jansen started Little Broadway, a musical theater program for international school students in the Netherlands. Its mission, 'bringing a little bit of Broadway to the Netherlands', is fulfilled through a series of fun and interactive workshops...
Read more...

Home Exchanging
Tips For A Successful Home Exchange
Zoe Hine
As the tough times look like they will get tougher, people are finding new ways to dodge the credit crunch. One money-saving technique that has seen an incredible surge in numbers is the concept of home exchange (or home swapping), which enables people to experience a city more like a local...
Read more...

Boosting Your Brand
10 Ways to Boost Your (Relocation) Brand Online
Andrea Martins
Relocated families love the Internet. It feeds their need for information about new destinations and keeps them “connected” with friends and family when their companies transfer them thousands of miles from home. Logic follows then that if your relocation-related business is trying to tap into the valuable online relocation market, you need to be online media savvy...
Read more...

Expat Confession
He Wants To Go
Expat Women Girlfriend
My boyfriend and I both moved to Belgium for work just over a year ago. I am really enjoying my job and I love living here but my boyfriend does not and he wants to go back home. I am now in a dilemma about what I should do. I love him and cannot imagine being here without him, but...
Read more...

Learning Disabilities
The Evolution Of Learning Disabilities: Information & Tips For Global Parents
Kristina L. Dooley
According to a Roper Starch Poll, 44 percent of parents who noticed some indication of learning difficulty in their children waited a year or more before openly acknowledging that the problem may be serious. Educational Consultant Kristina L. Dooley shares information and tips for global parents...
Read more...

* * *

Not A Member Yet?

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

To receive our newsletter later this month and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing's Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site ExpatWomen.com, and also receive your link to our free e-book of Winning Stories!

Thank you very much and have a sensational August! Andrea

Expat Women Thanks Our Biggest Referrers

Hi Everyone, We would like to give a big, public shout-out and thanks to the following fabulous websites and blogs, who have referred the most people to Expat Women so far this year. 

We depend on your word-of-mouth/online support, so please tell all of your expat friends, family and expat clubs about our huge, free resource site. 

Please put our link and/or logo on your/your club's website and/or submit your blog to our Expat Women Blog Directory and who knows... maybe next time, your site will be on our thank you list. 

Thanks Everyone for your ongoing support!  Andrea :-)

An Expatriate in Rapallo
Stories about life in Rapallo, Italy.

Bleeding Espresso
Life as an expat in southern Italy.

BootsnAll
Independent international travel guide.

Chapala
Real estate and property information for Lake Chapala, Mexico.

Crystal Goes to Europe
Musings of an expat living in France.

Desert Girl on Kuwait
Stories about expat life from an American raised in Kuwait.

Diary of a White Indian Housewife
Stories and information about life as an expat in India.

Expatica
News and information for the international community.

Expats in Chile Network
Online network providing resources and information for expatriates in Chile.

Fabulously French
Blog about life in France for the online shop fabulouslyfrench.com

Get in the Hot Spot
Empowering tips for life and work.

La Mom
Tales of an American mom in Paris.

Life Style Refugee – The Ajijic Blog
Stories and information about life as an expat in Mexico.

Living in Singapore
Tips and information about living in and moving to Singapore.

Seattle City Brights – Melody Biringer
Blogger for Seattle Post-Intelligencer on a wide variety of topics.

Susie’s Big Adventure
Stories and information about expatriate life in Saudi Arabia.

Transitions Abroad
Comprehensive resource for work, study, travel and life abroad.

Vagabondish
Travelzine with tips, advice and how-to’s for travelers.

Women Welcome Women
International friendship and travel network for women.

Expat Writers: Paris Writing Contest

Hi Everyone, If you are an expat (or former expat) in Paris, and you fancy yourself a clever writer, read on...

"Paris Writers News is launching its first contest for the Best and Most Delightful Stories about Paris.  Twelve stories will be selected for publication in a collection of short stories about Paris.

Love, hate, expectation, desire, dreams, discovery and disappointment in the world’s most beautiful city. All themes, periods and approaches will be considered. What we’re looking for: a great story, well-told. Humor, wit and luminous prose, please apply!  All authors welcome, published and unpublished.

Entry fee: Ten Euro
Deadline for submission: November 30, 2010

After a pre-selection by the Editorial Committee, twelve distinguished judges from the literary community will each select one story for publication.  The Best and Most Delightful Stories about Paris will be published in paperback, e-book and POD in the fall of 2011."

Click here for more details and good luck to our expat writers in Paris! Andrea

Expat Show & Cuisine Festival, Shanghai, September 2010

Hi Everyone, If you are an expat in (or moving to) Shanghai, China, don't miss the upcoming Expat Show and Cuisine Festival, Friday 17th to Sunday 19th September, at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.

Expat Show, Shanghai

"The Expat Show Shanghai is the biggest gathering of the foreign community with over 12,000 visitors set to attend. The show was created to serve as a platform for over 200 exhibitors to promote their services and products to make the lives of expatriates living in Shanghai easier.  Not only that but the show is host to many activities such as ‘Live Performances’, ‘Mom and Babies Fair’ and a ‘Private Kindergarten’ to allow for an enjoyable day for all.

Already in its 4th edition, the ‘The Expat Show Shanghai’ is further expanding with the inclusion of the ‘Cuisine Festival’ which will bring over 60 exhibitors from the culinary world.  It will bring prestigious restaurants, chocolate and wine tasting as well as the chance to cook with some of the best chefs in France. This year’s edition is not to be missed, so make sure you attend!"

The Cuisine Festival

"The Cuisine Festival Shanghai is the biggest food and wine festival in China, where visitors will taste drinks and dishes from the best and finest restaurants in town. Visitors will see international chefs cooking (French, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and more) and enjoy cooking demonstrations, cooking lessons and tasting experiences."

I will be at the Expat Show for Expat Women, so come and say 'hi' and encourage your friends to come along too. :-)

Thanks for your support! Andrea

Meet Danish Authors Lina Lauridsen and Line Morkbak: Be Inspired By Their Collaboration

Hi Everyone, Some time ago, Lena Lauridsen and Line Morkbak wrote to us and told us their 'good news story' of across-the-globe collaboration to write Verden Kalder (The World is Calling), an inspirational guide for Danish families living abroad.  Their book shares the experiences of more than 100 Danish expat families from 69 countries, and covers a wide variety of expat issues, including: culture shock; life as a trailing spouse; pregnancy and childbirth abroad; raising children; and repatriation.

Unfortunately their book is not yet available in English, so we are not profiling their book on our main Expat Women site.  However, we thought that Lena and Line's online collaboration was a real inspiration to other expat women wanting to write/collaborate with co-authors abroad, so we wanted to profile these two great ladies here on our blog instead...

Expat Women: Lena and Line, congratulations for your great achievement of collaborating long-distance to write your book. Whose idea was this book and how was the idea conceived?

Line: The idea was conceived while Lena was living in Mexico.  Lena and her husband had just moved abroad, and Lena went from having her own career to being a 'trailing spouse'.  After navigating the transition, she became pregnant and gave birth to her first child.  During this whole experience she wished she had some sort of resource or guidebook to help her through the process – a book that would reassure her (and other trailing spouses and new mothers abroad) that all of her thoughts and feelings were “normal.”

Expat Women: How did you meet and/or know of each other?

Lena: We were both members of an online Yahoo-group: Danish Mothers Abroad. We “met” during an online discussion and started e-mailing each other.  Line was about to start up her consultancy firm “CultureCrossing,” so we had many mutual interests and shared ideas.  I asked Line to co-author the book, with the idea that two writers’ perspectives could create an even better book.  At this point we had not yet met face-to-face – we communicated primarily through e-mails and Skype conversations.

Expat Women: What were some of your challenges and how did you overcome them?

Line & Lena: Our first challenge was the time difference (Lena was living in the United States and Line in Slovakia) and the fact that it was difficult to meet in person. (We only met twice during the writing process.)  We had to establish some ground rules for communication very early on.  Misunderstandings are common in a virtual environment and the collaboration could have very easily turned disastrous.  We always asked for clarification when in doubt; we explained everything to each other in detail.  We had all our plans, deadlines and so on, in writing, making it easy for us both to keep track simultaneously.

Once we had the structure for the book in place, we divided the chapters between us.  When one of us completed a first draft, the other took over the editing.  We sent the drafts back and forth so many times that it is difficult for us to know now exactly who wrote what!

Expat Women: What efforts have you made to gain business support for your book and what has been the reaction?

Line & Lena: Going to publishers was a learning experience. We got three “no’s” before we settled on an agreement (it is difficult to publish a Danish book, as the market for Danish books is quite small).  During a meeting with Boersens Forlag (which is the publisher in Denmark on business issues) the editor first turned down the project, but then came up with the idea of getting Danish international companies to support the book financially, making it a smaller risk for the publisher.

After some negotiation, a deal was made that if we could find approximately US$35,000 in sponsor money from Danish companies, they would publish the book.  We managed to find four companies who said 'yes' and we achieved the required sponsorship in only three months. We even got an offer from one of the most influential CEOs in Denmark to write our book's Introduction!

Expat Women: Where do you each live now?

Lena: Line still lives in Oregon on the West Coast with her husband and two children.  I repatriated back to Denmark however in September 2008.

Expat Women: Thank you very much, Lena and Line! We look forward to seeing the English version of Verden Kalder in the future, and wish you and your book the very best success!

Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center: Info Sessions In India & Australia

Hi Everyone, As part of the AODVC's Global Campaign To Empower Americans Abused Abroad, they  would like to warmly invite expats in India and Australia to their upcoming information sessions, taking place as part of their global outreach campaign.

The information sessions will cover the issues facing Americans (but all nationalities welcome, of course)  surviving domestic violence abroad, and who they can turn to for assistance. You will hear from an AODVC advocate and a US Consular Officer.

This event is being presented by the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC), in collaboration with American Embassies & Consulates, the Ending Violence Against Women & Children Task Force of FAWCO (Federation of American Women Clubs Overseas) and numerous expatriate women’s groups.

Sydney, Australia, August 28
Melbourne, Australia, September 4
Mumbai, India, September 15
Delhi, India, September 18

To register, please click here. Thanks.

5 Steps To Better Enjoy A Work-Free Vacation

Hi Everyone, If you are juggling work commitments and the fun of the (school) holidays, I invite you to read my latest guest blog post on Adrienne Graham's online Empower Me! Magazine (formerly Fearless Woman Magazine).  It is entitled 5 Steps To Better Enjoy A Work-Free Vacation and it starts like this:

"For the modern, ambitious, hyper-scheduled woman, vacations can be both a blessing and a curse. They make us take time out from our desk to refresh our body and soul: and for that we are grateful. But, they can also deliver us a very unwelcome workload on our return: peppering our vacation time with intermittent work-related thoughts of guilt and regret.

Here are five steps to help you better enjoy your vacation and avoid some of your post-holiday blues..."

Thanks and enjoy your week!  Andrea

Missed Some Great Expat Links On Twitter?

Hi Everyone, Here are some expat-related articles/links that I have tweeted about recently, that might interest you:

Love & Expat Marriage: Finding Identity As A Trailing Spouse http://bit.ly/cIW36g

Updated video link for Robin Pascoe's upcoming online lecture series "Successful Living Abroad" http://bit.ly/awA9p5

"I sucked as an expat" Honest, lovely essay about loneliness of expat life http://tinyurl.com/269us7m

Expat? Immigrant? Assimilant? This American-born Turkish citizen misses a way to describe herself http://bit.ly/9lk66h

How the US State Department helps their expatriate families manage the stress of international relocation http://bit.ly/ayqm9p

Under 32, Clever & Love To Work Abroad? Apply for careers by Sept 19, 2010 http://bit.ly/9gswul

Remember expat entrepreneur Anupa Horvil? http://bit.ly/9n2vfw Here's her new UK Telegraph i/v http://bit.ly/9QgjJt

Relocation Industry: Worldwide ERC® Introduces First Senior Global Mobility Specialist Designation http://bit.ly/c1Iue2

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

Thanks for your support! Andrea

Expat Women July 2010 Newsletter Highlights

Hi Everyone, Here are the highlights from our Expat Women July 2010 members' newsletter, sent out last week: (If you are a member and did not receive your newsletter, please email us here, thanks)

* Success Story: Alexandra Hendrickson, Executive Search VP, DHR International, Shanghai, China

* Business Idea: Surf Haven Bali, Janine Hall

* Relocation Decisions: To Relocate Or Not To Relocate? Louise Wiles

* Writers: Write Your Life Stories, Jo Parfitt

* Expat Confession: How Do I Start A Business?

* USA Girl Scouts Overseas: Sandy Thomas

* The name of our Explorer Publishing mini-guide pack winner;

* Our winning story by Expat Women member Lauren (an American in China), entitled Poverty Is A Bag With A Hole At The Bottom; and

* An article by new contributor, Jane Allison Austin, entitled What To Do If Your Ageing Parents Are Hospitalized While You Are Abroad.

Read our July Newsletter Here

If you are not a member of our main site, ExpatWomen.com, please join today to support us (and receive a link to download our free Expat Women e-book "Winning Stories"). This will also mean that next month your newsletter will be delivered directly to your inbox.

Thanks Everyone! Andrea

Expat Writers: Missed Some Great Links?

Hi Everyone, I hope your week has been going really well!  For the keen writers amongst you, here are some recent tweets that might interest you, as you write your expat stories and/or you write for business or pleasure:

11 Great Tips To Become A Better Writer http://bit.ly/cErW73

The Rise of the Author Entrepreneur http://bit.ly/aoH7WP

Top 10 List of the Worst Possible Self Publishing Mistakes http://bit.ly/d1Q3HY

Writers: Have an amazing real-life story? (US residents) GLAMOUR magazine's $5k contest http://bit.ly/axD0N3

Great, Quick, Agent Tips for Authors, Writers and Publishing wannabes: http://bit.ly/cn6cer

Forbes.com: How Self-Publishing Can Lead To A Real Book Deal http://bit.ly/bkWrjN

58 Freelance Writing Jobs for Wed 14 July http://bit.ly/9BipIC

Resources For Writing Memoir http://bit.ly/aDsNQO and http://bit.ly/bAQTKr

Self-Publishing? How Much Discount Should You Set Online and For Bookstores? http://bit.ly/crLou3

Great, honest Self-Publishing Lessons by a mother who wrote about Autism http://bit.ly/9ZxObJ

iPad's ePub: The "Book" of the Future? http://b2l.me/sbc9t

POD Index and Self-Publishing Analysis: Which company should you use? http://bit.ly/agIB7q

Amusing overview of the print industry for writers and publishers! http://bit.ly/95DRWX

Are You Ready To Write Your Book? Checklist from Expat Author and Writers' Mentor, Jo Parfitt http://bit.ly/dk4tD6

Creative Commons: What Every Self-Publisher and Expat Blogger Ought to Know http://bit.ly/cvQVfq

Expat writers: Pitfalls of Self-Publishing Packages http://to.pbs.org/9euXUX

Getting Your Book Into Stores http://to.pbs.org/bUqgkO

15 Tips for Great Book Cover Design http://bit.ly/bQnT0V

Are you a writer discouraged by rejection letters? http://bit.ly/bOnJpN

Great advice for writers "Media Kits: The Ultimate Author Publicity Tool" http://bit.ly/cTKVFg

Top 8 Cover Design Tips for Self-Publishers http://bit.ly/9SAxRQ

It Wasn't Easy: Frustrated Self-Publisher Escapes DIY Trap: http://ht.ly/1VroJ

Podcast: On Frugal Book Promotion http://bit.ly/by8Ne9

500 Entries For Agent Rachelle Gardner's Writers Contest. Who Had The Best One-Sentence Book Summary? http://bit.ly/ExpatWomenba5KDS

Will Literary Agents Really Read Your Query Letter? http://bit.ly/cqKpJD

Apple grabs 22 percent of e-book market with iBooks http://is.gd/cGfLP

5 iPad Applications for Self-Publishers http://bit.ly/aQiWSa

Promoting your book? 16 Book Fairs in the U.S. this Summer http://bit.ly/9ydV7w

Fellow expat writer Rebecca Otowa in The New York Times! http://nyti.ms/bKFeBH

And do not forget our home page feature this month, Write Your Life Stories, with Jo Parfitt. :-)

Happy reading!  Andrea

Expat Writers: Top 10 List of the Worst Possible Self-Publishing Mistakes

Hi Everyone, For all of you expat writers and (current and wannabe) self-publishers among us, this link is for you. 

It's from The Book Designer blog and it's in David Lettterman style: a top 10 list, starting from 10 and rolling out worst self-publishing mistakes, right down to number 1.  Enjoy!  And good luck with your own self-publishing efforts!  Andrea

Expat Women: Do You Have A Story To Share?

Hi Everyone, Do you have an expat story to share about an experience you have had abroad?  If so, we would really love to hear from you, because every month we select a winning story to showcase in our monthly newsletter and we are always in need of great stories!

Read The Stories here. Submit your story here. Thank you!  Andrea

New Expat Mobility Magazine Edition Online

Hi Everyone, We got such a good response again last month from our inclusion of the most recent Worldwide ERC® Mobility Magazine articles that here are July's new feature stories as well. If you are in the expat, global mobility and/or relocation industries, enjoy!

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees—or Does It? The ‘Greening’ of Relocation Management Companies
By Betsy Welch, CRP, GMS, and Janet Olkowski, SCRP, SGMS

Real Estate Agents Have a Responsibility to ‘Go Green’
By Molly Phillips, ABR, SRS, EcoBroker®, GREEN

Top 10 List: How Worldwide® ERC Members Mean to be Green
By Doug Weed, SCRP, SGMS

Brazil, the ‘B’ of the BRICs
By Jorge Morazzani and Débora Bigio

Panama
By Anne Dean, GMS, and Analisa Villalaz de Laffitte, GMS

Tangoing through the Argentine Immigration Process: Challenges and Tips for Success
By Christi Dominguez

Adding a Company to the GSA Schedule of Work
By Bill Mulholland, CRP, GMS

Putting Duty of Care on Your Organization’s Radar Screen
By Suzanne Garber

Survey Says: It’s Good to be Green
By Stephen McGarry, SCRP

Happy reading!  Andrea

Researcher Looking For Long-Term Employed Expatriates And/Or Repatriates

Hi Everyone, Tom Binetter at the University of Sydney, Australia, is looking for repatriates and/or current expatriates, with substantial international/expatriate experience, for the following study.  If you can help (or you know someone who can) please do.  Many thanks!

Tom: "My dissertation examines the relationship between acquired knowledge and its transfer between returning cross-border assignees and their organisations, a theme which I believe is under-explored in current IHRM literature.

I intend to examine this through what is known as 'reverse expatriation' in the hopes of stimulating new considerations connecting knowledge integration/transfer with repatriate retention, assignment effectiveness and expatriate success/failure.

As part of my methodology I am conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with individuals with substantial international/expatriate experience. This can be with individuals who are currently on assignment or with those who have completed them at any stage during their career.

Normally these interviews would consist of one to two 45 minute telephone interviews taken at your convenience, however I am happy to receive your correspondence via email if this is what candidates prefer.

Please also note that full anonymity will be provided in the final dissertation with a series of pseudonyms used for both individual and organisation.

Please email me directly if you can help.  Thank you!  Tom Binetter."

Expat Women July 2010 Home Page

Hi Everyone, We have just uploaded our Expat Women July 2010 Home Page. Please take a look, share it with your friends and tweet about it for us. Thank you!

Success Story
Alexandra Hendrickson
Executive Search VP, Shanghai
Alexandra Hendrickson serves as Executive Vice President in DHR International's Shanghai office, helping clients hire highly-qualified leaders for today's international marketplace. DHR International is the fifth largest retained executive search firm in the United States and has over 50 locations worldwide...
Read more...

Business Idea
Surf Haven Bali
Janine Hall
Janine Hall combined her career skills with her passion for coaching, surfing, yoga and well-being to create Surf Haven Bali, a luxury boutique surf and yoga spa retreat. Her guests experience an adventure of a lifetime and leave recharged and refreshed...
Read more...

Relocation
To Relocate Or Not To Relocate?
Louise Wiles
Currently over 200 million people worldwide are living abroad... But how do you decide if relocating is right for you? Expat coach Louise Wiles takes us through 8 steps to making your 'best decision'...
Read more...

Writers
Write Your Life Stories
Jo Parfitt
We talk to British author, publisher and writer's mentor Jo Parfitt, about her new Write Your Life Stories program and learn from her advice about writing, common mistakes for newbie authors, a checklist for writers wanting to publish their book and more...
Read more...

Expat Confession
How Do I Start A Business?
Expat Women Girlfriend
I have been here in Europe for eight months and I am now at a point where I have accepted that I can no longer work in my old profession and need to look for alternatives. I would love to start a business and I have a few ideas, but which idea should I pursue and how do I start a business abroad?
Read more...

Girl Scouts
USA Girl Scouts Overseas
Sandy Thomas
USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) provides the Girl Scout program to American girls living outside the United States and those attending American or international schools abroad. USAGSO's Director, Sandy Thomas, talks about how USAGSO has been fostering responsible global citizens since 1925...
Read more...

Not A Member Yet?
Just a reminder that our blog is separate from our main site, so if you are reading this blog post online or you are only subscribed to our blog, you will not automatically receive our Expat Women monthly newsletters. To receive our newsletter this month (which will be sent out a little later than usual, due to the holiday season) and to go in the running to win our monthly prize of a complete set of Explorer Publishing's Mini-Guides, please sign up today to our main site ExpatWomen.com, and also receive your link to our free e-book of Winning Stories!

Thank you very much and have a fabulous July! Andrea

Networking Abroad: Easier Or More Difficult?

Hi Everyone, My next guest blog post on Adrienne Graham's online Fearless Woman Magazine was uploaded yesterday and if you are interested, here is how it starts...

"Anyone who is serious about proactively moving their career or business forward, knows they need to network. If this is you, hopefully you have already read Adrienne’s Go Ahead, Talk to Strangers: The Modern Girl’s Guide To Fearless Networking and you are already investing time each month into meeting new people, building quality relationships and offering help to contacts in your inner circle.

Networking Abroad

Many women who are great networkers at home and have worked hard to establish a solid network, worry what it will be like to network (for work and/or pleasure) if they are relocated abroad.

“I am only going abroad for two years. How will I have enough time to build up my network abroad?”

"How can people know how credible I am back home?”

“Will it be easier or more difficult to network on foreign shores?”

To read more, please support Adrienne and click on the full article on her site here: Networking Abroad: Easier or More Difficult? 

I encourage you to leave your comments, feedback, experiences on her site (or ours) as well.

Thanks and best wishes, Everyone! Andrea. :-)

Missed Some Great Expat Links On Twitter?

Hi Everyone, I hope your week has been going really well.  Here are some of the expat-related articles that I have shouted out about on Twitter recently that might interest you:

Can you repatriate long-term expat managers? http://bit.ly/afCuJh

Expats and Entrepreneurs: Read Tom Frost's 'Why We Left': Brilliant! http://bit.ly/cWUtzj

Military spouse career program reviewed http://bit.ly/a32fLY

American journalist in Yemen falls for married US Ambassador. Held at gunpoint. Suicide attack. http://bit.ly/diZgwW

Expat rebellion over the (multiple) moving process: American foreign service wife's blog http://bit.ly/b9BWJN

How to create a career abroad by Jennifer Bradley http://bit.ly/bP8BLG

3 Ways to Start Your Overseas Job Transition - Harvard Bus Review http://web.hbr.org/e/?e=mt&d=062110

Esquire: President Obama Thinks Like A Third Culture Kid (TCK) http://bit.ly/drITgS

Expat Partners: Use your opportunity abroad to reinvent yourselves http://bit.ly/9ifG40

Do I Regret Moving Overseas? http://bit.ly/bKQSYM

How Can Expat Families Prepare for School Placement Interviews? http://bit.ly/916LG5

Expat Parents: Do all children really adjust so easily to a move? http://bit.ly/b433Rj

Tips For Expat Partners http://bit.ly/b1zgql

Expat Parents: The Risks of Parenting While Plugged In http://nyti.ms/aFG3Nv

Expat assignments rising. Survey says companies’ strategies support business objectives. Family? Not mentioned: http://bit.ly/aW2fxh

Has parenting expatriate children become an Olympic event? http://bit.ly/cnUXjC

Families in Global Transition Conference Speaker Proposals for March 2011 now open http://bit.ly/aSIdFg

Female expat spouses in Saudi can connect with flexible opportunities via new Women’s Skills Bureau (WSB) at www.wsb-ksa.com

Mercer to acquire ORC Worldwide http://bit.ly/cUtvd4

Expat in Vienna struggles with adaptation to local culture: Ever felt like this? http://bit.ly/baxBoV

Expat article: Challenges and opportunities for the trailing spouse http://bit.ly/99AbfR

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

Thanks Everyone and enjoy your weekend!  Andrea. :-)

Brats Without Borders & TCKs

Hi Everyone, Last year we interviewed Donna Musil about her excellent documentary, Brats: Our Journey Home.  I invite you to take a read, if you have not already.

If you were a "military brat" or lived the life of a Third Culture Kid (TCK), Brats: Our Journey Home really is a very well-done DVD and I highly recommend it.

Here is some news today from Donna:

"BRATS" Wins Founder's Choice Award at 2010 G.I. Film Festival

"In May, I traveled to Washington, DC to attend the 2010 G.I. Film Festival, the only festival in the country that celebrates the successes and sacrifices of the American military through the medium of film. "BRATS: Our Journey Home" was one of the select films chosen to screen this year, and BRATS was fortunate enough to also win the Founder's Choice Award for the film the founders of the festival thought deserved special attention!

It was a very moving experience. I met so many wonderful people - fellow filmmakers, brats, soldiers, and spouses. There were celebrities there - ABC News co-anchor Bob Woodruff, Glenn Close, Gary Sinise, and others. In fact, Major Laura Law, one of the festival's founders, announced at our screening that journalist Bob Woodruff took the time to personally watch the "BRATS" film and said he loved it and had never seen anything like it!"

I was particularly moved by a documentary called "Honor in the Valley of Tears," directed by Eric Dow, which explored the first-hand account of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient David H. McNerney's experience fighting in the Central Highlands at the height of the Viet Nam War. My father fought in that same area with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. I also really enjoyed a short film by two brat filmmakers - Keva and Karen Keyes - called "Letters From Home!" Please do whatever you can to support this fine festival and our fellow brat filmmakers."  Donna

Free Screenings

Here are some free screenings for you to take advantage of, if you are in the area:

Alexandria, VA - June 25-26, 2010, exact time TBA - Stuttgart All Classes Reunion - Free Screening  Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA 22314

Wiesbaden, Germany - June 24-27, 2010, exact time TBA - Wiesbaden 2010 General HH Arnold All Classes Reunion - Free Screening - Nh Aukamm Wiesbaden, Aukamm Allee, 31, D-65191 Wiesbaden, Germany

New Orleans, LA - June 25, 2010, 8:30 p.m. - Karlsruhe American High School Reunion - Free Screening - Deutsche Haus, 200 S. Galvez St., New Orleans, LA 70119-6514, 504-522-8014  504-522-8014

Reston, VA - August 5-7, 2010 (1-4 pm on the 5th and 7th, and 9:30am-12:30pm on the 6th - Overseas Brats Homecoming - Free Screening "BRATS: Our Journey Home" and "BRATS RAW: Kristofferson & Schwarzkopf" - Hyatt Regency Reston, Reston Town Square, VA

"BRATS" Available For Rent on YouTube

"For the very first time, the "BRATS" film is available for rent online through YouTube! You asked, and now we've delivered!

It seems the entertainment business is still clinging to its old distribution methods and there aren't many options out there for independent filmmakers, without giving away the farm. Fortunately, YouTube started a program that's just perfect for grassroots efforts like ours! You can rent the film online for $9.99 for 24 hours (45% goes to YouTube, 55% goes to Brats Without Borders). All proceeds go directly to the nonprofit to support our other programs, like Operation Military Brat and the new BRATS Workshops.

We're still hoping to broadcast the film in the U.S., and to find a fair retail distribution deal, but until then, you can buy or rent the film online. Armed Forces Network rebroadcast the documentary everywhere but the U.S. on their Family Channel last April. Hopefully, there's an American television station that thinks the lives of military children are worth acknowledging and exploring." Donna

Keep up your great work, Donna!  Andrea

Expat Kids Book: The Mission Of Detective Mike Moving Abroad

Hi Everyone, This is a quick but sincere shout-out for Simone T. Costa Eriksson and Ana Serra's recently-published book for expatriate children: The Mission of Detective Mike Moving Abroad (affiliate link).

"Mike is unsettled. He knows that something odd is happening at home because his parents are whispering all the time. But, being a detective, Mike is quickly on the case. He enlists his friend Ikem to help him get to the bottom of the mystery. Mike and his family are moving to another country, making him confused and fearful. What will happen to his toys, his room, his friends, his house? How will he learn to talk in a new language and how will he ever make new friends? As his mission gathers momentum, Mike and Ikem find the answers to his questions and solutions to his problems.

One of the authors is a psychologist, both are experienced expatriates, parents, storytellers and interculturalists. The Mission of Detective Mike: Moving Abroad will allay the fears of every relocating family member as this sensitive story, written in words and terms that make sense to young children, shares rock solid strategies and advice that anyone will find easy to apply." 
(Back Cover)

It was a little wordy for my young ones (so I paraphrased for them a little), but the messages are good and my kids loved the pictures.  Perhaps 9-10 olds would suit the book best. :-)

Congrats to Simone and Ana for turning their dream for this book into a reality... and good luck to all those families relocating right now!  Andrea

Globe Women Summits: 2010; 2011 & 2012

Hi Everyone, Last month, the annual Globe Women Summit celebrated its 20th anniversary in Beijing, China, with 1,040 delegates attending (the largest number in the Summit's history), from 80 countries.  This was an impressive achievement and a credit to both the Summit's longevity and to the Summit's President and key spokesperson, Irene Natividad. 

For those of you interested in reading more about this year's summit, please see below some extracts from the Globe Women newsletter today.

For those of you interested in attending future summits, the 2011 Globe Women Summit will be held in Turkey (dates to be advised) and the 2012 Summit in Greece.

Best wishes for your day/evening! Andrea

Extracts From The Globe Women Summit Newsletter

"At the Opening Ceremony, Summit President Irene Natividad reminded participants of the uniqueness of this global forum – its focus on advancing women’s economic status worldwide; its program emphasis on exchanges of solutions and strategies forged by women; its insistence on having business, government and civil society leaders present at each forum – the three ‘legs’ of change, according to Natividad.

The Honorable Chen Zhili, Vice Chair of China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chair of the All-China Women’s Federation, extended her country’s welcome and was joined by Vietnam’s Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson and the First Lady of Tanzania Salma Kikwete in greeting women leaders from around the world. A spectacular display of Chinese cultural music and dance capped the opening of the Summit in the Great Hall of the People, the venue for visiting heads of state over the years, whose doors China opened to women from around the world at the Summit."

"...How business can work together with government and civil society was the theme of the Ministerial Roundtable preceding the Summit. Thirty women government ministers of various portfolios and special high-level government officials including U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer and Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga shared with each other examples of such partnerships. Corporate leaders as well were invited to present programs they have developed with various governments to improve women’s lives.

ITT’s President for China and India Mike Kuchenbrod spoke of the water program they initiated in China that enabled women and girls in rural areas to secure water through water pumps they learn to put together. Qiagen’s President for Asia Pacific Victor Shi announced the provision of one million test kits that his company is making available to ensure early detection of cervical cancer among Chinese women and those in other developing economies. Wing dar Ker, Microsoft’s General Manager in the Asia Pacific and Greater China Region, spoke of technology programs for women in the region; Ernst & Young’s Billie Williamson described their project to assist entrepreneurial women, while the U.N.’s Executive Director for the International Trade Center Patricia Francis spoke of a telephony project with the Liberian government which enabled market price information to be conveyed speedily to farmers, many of whom are women.

The Ministers themselves voted to recognize two of their peers to receive the Ministerial Best Practices in Public/Private Partnership Awards. This year, Mexico’s Undersecretary of Labor Patricia Espinosa Torres was awarded for her ministry’s program to certify day workers, many of whom are women, to enable them to receive benefits. Saudi Arabia’s first woman minister, Norah al Faiz, Vice Minister of Education, was lauded for various education initiatives for girls developed in alliance with various partners in her country. For each project, the Global Summit of Women gave a U.S.$5,000.00 mini-grant to distinguish these initiatives. (For more information on past and recent Ministerial Roundtables, click here, click to GSW, then to Ministerial Roundtable.)

In keeping with the Summit’s tradition of saluting achievement on the world’s stage on behalf of women, the Global Women’s Leadership Award went to two renowned, outstanding women: Finland’s President Tarja Halonen and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata."

"...The 2010 Summit Women’s Achievement Award was given to Chen Zhili, Vice Chair of China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chair of the All-China Women’s Federation (with the rank of Minister). One of the highest ranking women in the Chinese government, Minister Chen serves as a role model for the women in her country as to the heights they can reach with effort, intelligence and leadership skills. She is now heading up ACWF’s programs to expand Chinese women’s economic and educational opportunities as well as to improve women’s health.

The Global Summit of Women itself received an ‘award’ for its two-decade record of bringing women together internationally to improve women’s economic futures by the Sungjoo Foundation. Its President, Sungjoo Kim (CEO of MCM), granted the Summit a US$1 million pledge to be used towards the engagement of youth in entrepreneurship. This year’s Youth Forum – the first of many to come -- brought over 100 business students from China for a program that introduced social and commercial entrepreneurship to this audience.

The Summit marked this generous commitment by granting, in turn, a U.S.$10,000 mini-grant to the All-China Women’s Federation for its Innovative Microenterprise Development program for Chinese Women. One of the interesting aspects of this program included coverage of the interest payments on loans secured by women business owners to start or to grow their businesses, thus releasing additional capitalization.

Since the 2007 in Berlin, the Summit has made a commitment to engage women worldwide to prevent cervical cancer – the only health issue in its program because there is a solution: effective testing and vaccinations. It is the only cancer for which the cause is known, HPV (human papilloma virus), and for which new technologies provide a promise of its eradication. The Summit asked its delegates to inform themselves and others, to get themselves tested and to persuade family members and networks to do the same. Hundreds of delegates at the Beijing Summit submitted pledge cards committing themselves to this fight and thus joining GSW’s Global Consortium to End Cervical Cancer."

"...As it moves towards the next decade, the Global Summit of Women announced two major initiatives to mark its 20th anniversary. The first is NGO Leads, a training program designed to assist NGO leaders in establishing sustainable organizations. “Women’s business associations and economic development groups do a tremendous service for women in other countries, but many are challenged by the demands of meeting their mission with limited resources and largely volunteer-driven programs, so NGO Leads is an attempt to assist in helping these critical institutions to grow,” states Summit President Irene Natividad.

Since small business is the foundation of every economy in the world, Entrepreneurial Legacies is a program that the Summit is launching to connect young women and girls with successful women entrepreneurs in different parts of the world. “You cannot imagine a career in which you don’t see role models, so showcasing women entrepreneurs in your own country and sharing their stories of lessons learned is a powerful source of inspiration, as well as information, for seeing entrepreneurship as a future path for economic success,” explains Natividad. (For NGOs to apply for either program, please email Globe Women here.)"