What does 'Expatriate' mean?
Find out what Expatriate means. Expatriate is explained by Jo Parfitt and Colleen Reichrath-Smith - authors of Career in Your Suitcase
Expatriate
Someone who is living in a country other than the one in which they were bornSearch result for 'expatriate' in Career in Your Suitcase
Chapter 9:
Coping with change
"...upheaval is tackled while moving within the borders of a single country. But for some, it’s an international experience. People who have made both kinds of moves agree that foreign relocations make the heaviest demands on a person’s emotional resources. Here are just a few of the challenges facing expatriates:
..."
26.
"... organisations work, from the library to the police force, from the food store to the traffic authority.
For the expatriate partner: finding fulfilling vocational and non vocational pursuits.
In an expatriate family the accompanying partner may shoulder more stress than the employee. She (only ..."
"...In an expatriate family the accompanying partner may shoulder more stress than the employee. She (only about 15 per cent of international accompanying partners are male) is in the more exposed and vulnerable position. Although the employee too must negotiate much that is new, he has the advantage of being grounded in ..."
"...hesitate, but do it anyway. Don’t confuse asking for help with self-pity or weakness. Admitting your limitations takes strength, and it bestows a kindness on others because most people like to help another person. expatriates report that it is valuable to arrive equipped with the contact information for other expatriates from their own country. Network, network and network some more!
..."
130.
"... my qualifications and making contacts.’
Carol, American, http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com and www.expatwomen.com
- expatriate Partners – Their Special Situation -
We often can’t control events, but we can plan for what we want to do when we encounter them. Our focus in this book, ..."
"...We often can’t control events, but we can plan for what we want to do when we encounter them. Our focus in this book, of course, is on career, employment and vocation. Many expatriate spouses make tentative plans for how to continue their career in another country and then adapt this goal to the environment and circumstances they encounter. When it is impossible to obtain paid employment, these partners find and create opportunities for developing their professional capabilities through volunteering and community activities. ..."
"...Planning is aided by research, and happily it’s now far easier to prepare for the exigencies of expatriate vocational adventuring than it was even ten years ago. Reliable information about nearly every country in the world is now easily available. A recent check of a popular online bookshop immediately turned up almost 50 current titles on working in foreign countries. Whether or not a partner has worked ..."
"...Many accompanying partners, depending on the country they are in, are unable to obtain remunerative employment. If you can know before you move that your country of destination restricts expatriate employment options, you can spare yourself the frustration of developing unrealistic pre-departure expectations. This will also give you the time to gather information about the alternatives to paid work – alternatives that will engage and advance you vocationally, if not financially.
..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 10:
Talking to a professional
281.
"... what it available and can match the client up with the resources that will be most helpful to the particulars of his search.
- Career Consulting For expatriates -
As this book amply demonstrates with its numerous personal stories, pursuing vocational goals can be both more complicated and ..."
"...very helpful in gathering and interpreting this information, both before and after your move. Although native-born consultants may have a close acquaintance with the pertinent rules and regulations governing the work options of foreign nationals, you may find it easier to work with somebody who is part of the expatriate community and well connected with other expats.
..."
"...or not, it’s naturally important that your career consultant be familiar with all of the formalities of the classic job search as well as the informalities and idiosyncrasies of the national and local culture. She should also be able to network you into relationships with both nationals and other expatriates who can help you from the ‘been-there and done-that’ vantage point.
..."
"...One of the themes of this book is that even in the absence of formal employment, expatriates have a wealth of opportunities with which to enrich themselves personally, socially and vocationally. Even if the vocational enrichment doesn’t include monetary recompense, it can add to what you will offer your next employer upon repatriation. Experienced expatriates, including those who have spent many years abroad in different countries, ..."
"...nationality or first language will depend on the country and on language compatibilities. Even in countries where the profession of career consulting is formally unknown, you may be able to find local citizens who can fulfill many of the functions we have identified in this chapter. If not, the expatriate population may boast several people whose experience, insight and counsel can help you to determine your direction.
..."
"...The nature of your expatriate experience depends partly on whether your new home shares your native country’s cultural history. For example, Americans who move to France or Italy normally have a smoother transition than their counterparts who spend several years in Zimbabwe. No matter where you are, you will probably have opportunities that will ..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 11:
The male accompanying partner
"...emancipation, women’s rights, laws against sexual discrimination and the growth of political correctness – men still usually earn more than women, rise more quickly and higher up the corporate ladder, are thought to be more career minded and have a much greater likelihood of being sent abroad as an expatriate employee. Women, on the other hand, may be thought more family- than career-oriented and more willing to let their husband’s career take precedence over theirs.
..."
"...Slowly but surely the number of female expatriate employees is increasing, and some surveys have indicated that almost 23 per cent of expatriate employees are now women. Consequently, as more women do become expatriate employees, as opposed to expatriate spouses, more men are becoming accompanying spouses – though a larger percentage of female expatriate employees, compared to ..."
26.
"... about the new breed? -
As the employee, leading expatriate women face different issues than when they are an accompanying spouse – and their accompanying partners face different issues from those that male expatriate employees have traditionally faced.
For many of these couples this ..."
"...For example, a female expatriate employee whose husband stayed at home to look after their children faced constant criticism from her mother, who thought that it was wrong for her to work while her husband ‘lived off her’. Women employees can also find themselves commonly assumed to be the bilingual secretary in the office, ..."
"...For female expatriate spouses there is a plethora of women’s support groups to assist, encourage and, yes, support relocated women. Dedicated support groups for men are rare, however. STUDS (Spouse Trailing Under Duress Successfully), in Brussels, has been active for many years, but the London branch has faded from view.
..."
"...No matter which partner in a couple is offered an expatriate position, and which one would be expected to accompany him or her as the supporting spouse, the change in status of either individual will affect the balance of the relationship. The change in status does not have to be negative to adversely affect the relationship. A promotion may seem ..."
"...For the parents of the expatriate couple, though, it can be anathema for the woman to work and the man to stay at home. Any resulting loudly voiced negative reactions from family and friends can cause additional and unwanted stress during what is already a difficult transition. Of course in-laws can be notorious sources of ..."
"...Becoming an expatriate involves many changes, all of which are stressful. There will be a new home, new country, new culture, new job, new social circle and often a new language and climate to adjust to. But when a couple relocates abroad and there is also a significant change in role and ..."
"...The host culture may also be less familiar than the home culture with the concept of a woman taking the lead career role in a relationship. This can cause difficulties both personally and professionally in some countries, though in many parts of the world expatriates are expected to be different anyway, so it may cause less comment than at ‘home’.
..."
"...him down and he mistakenly said, ‘The baby has no mother.’ The matriarch’s attitude changed from concern to sympathy and praise for taking on such a hard role – thereafter the man always repeated this explanation and his life became much less frustrating. In much of East Asia, however, expatriates look and behave so differently from their hosts that a male accompanying partner would not often attract much additional attention.
..."
"...expatriates often sense their differences from the local community, but a couple consisting of a working woman and an accompanying male partner is likely to be different not only from the local community, but from the rest of the expatriate community too. This complete sense of difference can be an isolating experience and can become problematic, especially for the male accompanying partner who doesn’t even have his job to base their joint identity on. Problems are most likely to arise when the male accompanying partner feels undervalued by his ..."
"...An expatriate couple embracing the ‘trailing male role, having carefully thought through the implications of doing so, is going to have a better chance of successfully setting themselves up in their new lifestyle than one who takes it on with little forethought. Approaching the experience with a positive attitude will go ..."
"...Once a couple is abroad, the fact that the spouse is a male accompanying partner becomes an obvious and unavoidable fact. At parties, social gatherings and in daily life, the initial batch of questions asked of newly arrived expatriates always includes, ‘So... what do you do?’ The answer ‘nothing’ provokes various reactions, and almost always involves some element of surprise – though it can include disapproval or downright derision. Being confident and proud of your answer will increase the likelihood of a positive response – whatever you decide ..."
"...much of his personal sense of worth through his job, this lack of status can be demoralising. Starting from a position where he feels himself in some way to be less than the working men around him, he can then find it hard to integrate himself into the male expatriate community.
..."
"...So I made the first adjustment of many in my career aims. I decided to write some non-fiction articles (because they’re much quicker to write) and get them published while I was writing the novel. Being an expatriate it seemed like a good idea to write travel pieces and articles about expatriate living.
..."
"...Over the years the expatriate living articles got published fairly regularly, but it takes a lot of effort to sell a travel article on a city that gets visited by less than five per cent of all tourists who visit the country. Mind you, I did sell a few destination pieces on Ankara. Getting ..."
"...Not many people seemed to take my writing career seriously during that first year in Turkey, though with the friends who were supportive, the subject of writing a handbook on expatriate living was also raised quite a lot. Among those who were less supportive it seemed to be a common idea that writing was easy and something that anybody could do, so it was really not that impressive. Somehow, during that first year in Turkey, the idea of writing a ..."
"...Then, a year after we arrived in Ankara, a new family arrived and I was no longer the only expatriate with a young child on the campus. When I’d been the only parent of a pre-schooler I had spent a lot of time wandering around the city, shopping in the markets and enjoying the wonderful food of the little restaurants in the narrow streets of the old town. With ..."
"...The new spouse, Michelyne Callan, also seemed keen on the idea of writing the handbook for expatriates and we agreed to work on it together. I bought a few books, notably How to Write A Book Proposal by Michael Larsen, The Writer’s Handbook (UK publication) and The Writers Market (US publication) – and started to write the outline and book proposal.
..."
"...Being at home with a pre-school child has its good points, but intellectual conversation isn’t one of them. So to meet people, I volunteered to edit an orientation handbook for newly arrived expatriates in Ankara, and also participated in orientation programmes every summer as the new expatriates arrived. At the time I offered to take part in this for the benefit of my sanity, but in the long run the volunteering had other benefits too.
..."
"...was able to send out press releases via the Internet to businesses, consultants and my friends across the globe. By encouraging people to forward my announcements to their friends as well, it went even further. As the book was available from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Amazon.fr, Amazon.jp and other online bookstores, expatriates and potential expatriates all round the world could get hold of the book, even though it might not be in their local bookstore.
..."
159.
"... Although I write mostly on the subject of expatriate living, I have found a niche that not many other writers on this subject can fill: I am a male accompanying partner. I don’t always write on this subject – but I can offer a different point of view on many aspects of international living.
..."
"...The most important factor in making my endeavours successful, though, was my wife. Everyone expects the accompanying expatriate spouse to be supportive to his or her working partner, but it needs to work both ways. Seonaid was very positive about my ambitions and without that support it would have been much harder to create a niche for myself with which I was comfortable. However, if I hadn’t ..."
"...easy to put into practice. What to do, where to find clients, how to manage the business, how to make sure you get paid? The practical aspects are challenge enough in your own country, but abroad they can seem insurmountable. A good start is to take advice from other expatriates and your embassy that can guide you on local business conditions and services. Though other expatriates are a good source of information, try to make sure you ask people who have actually tried working for themselves (preferably in that location) and not just thought about it – there will ..."
"...You need a product to sell, whether it’s a physical object or your own knowledge that other people want. As an expatriate, certain markets will be closed to you, while others are much more open. For example, unless you have good foreign language skills, or the language of your host country is the same as yours, you may find it difficult to market your product to locals – unless the foreign ..."
"...Fortunately, there are some huge markets out there perfect for expatriate entrepreneurs, as is discussed extensively in Chapter Seven , ‘Working for Yourself’ – your home country, other countries where they speak your language, as well as other expatriates. English happens to be the language of international business, so the fact that you’re reading this book means you can also ..."
"...Locally produced English language newspapers and magazines seem to be available in most countries around the world, produced by the British and American Chambers of Commerce, local investment agencies and expatriate entrepreneurs. These publications can be an excellent source of contacts, clients and ideas – as well as markets in themselves if you want to be a writer.
..."
"...The Internet has supposedly revolutionised many aspects of our lives, and for expatriate entrepreneurs it certainly makes life much easier. The telephone directories of most countries are now online – both white and yellow pages. There are numerous electronic directories of companies, classified by function, product, nationality, domicile and language, that are accessible from your desktop – use search engines such as ..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 1:
Introduction - setting the scene
"...During the first decade I made and sold chutney, and taught French, creative writing and computer skills. I became a journalist, wrote manuals and newsletters and self- published a cookery book. When I noticed how desperate the local expatriates were for books I turned to network marketing and sold Dorling Kindersley books and CD-ROMs. When I heard my dinner guests commending the delicious curry our Indian housekeeper had prepared, I ran a small take away service. I soon realised problems are opportunities in disguise.
..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 2:
Find Your Passion
"...maid service in the apartment, so I had little to do. Shorts and tee-shirts didn’t need much ironing. Despite the fact I soon had a driving licence, I was nervous about taking to the roads alone. I felt like a ‘hollow woman’ as Valerie Scane, writer and speaker on expatriate issues, would say. I didn’t feel whole without my computer and some work to do.
..."
38.
"... buy him his own birthday present.
‘You need guts. You need to have the courage to say “I am going to do this.”’
Belinda, Dutch, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
‘It is like this everywhere, change. Everything is new, so your confidence needs to be very strong just to say “Okay, ..."
42.
"... do I do here? And you just feel you don’t really know where to go, what to do, or if you are doing things right.’
Flavia, Italian, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
‘I have only been here for two or three months. My role has changed… because my wife is here [as the lead employee]. ..."
46.
"... it starts to open up the whole empty space, that I haven’t seen [before] and I don’t want to look at it.’
Wong, Malaysian in Europe, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
‘The reality of experience was different from our expectations. Although I consider myself extremely lucky to have ..."
"...and newspapers. I love writing and in order to give me the most satisfaction, I needed to write about subjects that interested me. It became clear I had picked up a few more skills and passions to add to my list. I could now call myself an expert on expatriate living and portable careers. I began in earnest to look for opportunities. Within a few months I was writing for Resident Abroad (later called FT Expat), The Weekly Telegraph, Women’s Business Magazine and the Smart Moves section of The Independent on Sunday.
..."
"...about their food. Not content to be ever the tourist, for me, studying French meant I also lived in France and had French friends. As a teenager I had many pen pal friends, and visited them on my own, in Germany and France, each summer. My potential love for expatriate life was written in my stars long before I chose to study French at university.
..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 3:
What Can You Do?
67.
"... us, to fit in … The concept of work, of career, you have to redefine it all again.’ (Paraphrased from original.)
Wong, Malaysian in Europe, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
Recycle
In Dubai I (Jo) taught word-processing, but when I moved four hours down the road to Muscat I found there ..."
85.
"... and got moved here… same thing. The system’s so different… none of the qualifications are registered.’
Julia, British in the Netherlands, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
Re-use
Some skills transfer more easily than others from place to place. There are few dates in Norway and ..."
"...at discount. The discount increases as you sell more products. Cabouchon is a good choice of party plan product because jewellery is relatively easy to post. It is also quite affordable. By inviting people to host parties in their homes you help to add to the social scene. Generally expatriates have a bit of spare cash too.’
..."
"...or service to a range of markets. He may sell from business to business (B to B), from business to institution (B to I) or from business to consumer (B to C). Those who are living outside their passport country may like to consider a fourth option, that of expatriate to expatriate (E to E). My (Jo’s) own workshops and books are a case in point. I specialise in teaching people to write about their overseas experiences so my market is expatriates. However, while marketing to the expatriate community may seem like the most sensible option, ..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 4:
Creating Your Career
55.
"... last and you’ll have another chance in another country.
‘Finding a job in Nigeria when everyone had said it was impossible [was my greatest moment]. I was, at the time, the only expatriate wife in full-time employment.’
Els, Dutch in Oman, www.careerinyoursuitcase.com
- Cultural ..."
"...many careers are open to the artist. You can teach, you can become a tour guide of artistic areas and even charge more because of that expertise. You can write about your work or local traditions. Of course you can produce your art and sell it too, and most expatriate locations have several annual craft fairs, it is a marvellous career. My father says that you can never have too much education, and by that he means that knowledge and experience are totally portable. My kiln may not fit in my suitcase but my knowledge weighs nothing.’
..."
338.
"... money, coming home with the wrong thing and then not having the courage to go back and tell the shop.’
Belinda, Dutch and now in Holland, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
Problems that exist here and have caught my attention:
Keep your eyes open
It’s important you don’t ..."
362.
"... who are going to work there. They call me to give lessons in our language… usually 20 to 30 hours or so.’
Zohra, Malaysian in Holland, The expatriate Archive, OAC5/3/3
Look on the Internet
Many country or city-focused websites advertise local information and job ..."
469.
"... expatriate spouse expert Robin Pascoe says, ‘Many expatriate women’s organisations in foreign countries organise welfare committees to allow members to channel energy, money and resources into local causes in a way that won’t overwhelm them. Frontline volunteering is not for everyone.’
..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 5:
Networking
115.
"... www.expatwomen.com www.expatica.com www.paguro.net
To help you to connect with other expatriates in your new location before you arrive. Try www.newcomersclub.com to find out about existing networking groups.
Online networks
Of course, there are plenty of networks out ..."
"...the editor to connect you with the author or search for them online yourself. The editor will be delighted to get some feedback and know the articles are of interest. Magazines such as Transitions Abroad, American in Britain and Global Living Magazine tend to be written by and for expatriates. If you want to make new friends, try contacting the people who write or feature in these and other similar magazines, blogs and newsletters.
..."
"...‘Many of the problems men encounter are not dissimilar to those experienced by women,’ says expatriate Australian Leonie Elphinstone, who conducted a survey into the male accompanying partner. ‘What makes the difference is that men are brought up to be the breadwinners and when things go wrong they find they have further to fall.’ While men need to make new friends on location as much ..."
"...humorous and immensely useful. Six months later I (Jo) found myself being the guest speaker at a WIN meeting, talking about my pet subject: portable careers. Three months later I was paid to develop and present a three-hour workshop on the same subject to a group of about 20 expatriate women. A year later I presented the same workshop to more than 100 people at the 1998 Women on the Move Conference in Paris. Since then I have offered keynotes, seminars or workshops to networking groups, companies and conference delegates all over the world.
..."
"...will be no opportunity to take questions. In this case you may need to work a little harder at your pitch, in order to make it memorable. When I am in this situation I tend to tailor what I say to the audience. So, if I am speaking to expatriates I may say something like:
..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 7:
Working for Yourself
"...Many expatriate wives lose their identity and self-confidence when they go round the world. Many [women] lose the same when they have children. But for the trailing spouse they often have both of these to contend with. I have never suffered from this because I have always known that I ..."
"...expatriatedecided to write Gardening in Oman and The Gulf I had to learn to use a word processor. expatriate life is full of talented women who are not working full time and a friend taught me how, for free. Another friend taught me how to take photographs. Sometimes we bartered ..."
"...‘I really enjoy teaching people new things and there are always plenty of people on the expatriate circuit desperate to learn from an English speaker in a relaxed environment. I worked out of my home and had two computers so I could teach up to four people at a time. I taught beginners and intermediates about computers, operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets and graphics. I charged ..."
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 8:
For the Journey
"...‘expatriates often sense their differences from the local community, but a couple consisting of a working woman and an accompanying male partner is likely to be different not only from the local community, but from the rest of the expatriate community too. This complete sense of difference can be an isolating experience and can become problematic, especially for the male accompanying partner who doesn’t even have his job to base their joint identity on. Problems are most likely to arise when the male accompanying partner feels undervalued ..."
"...the local language. Culture and language are inseparable. The key to understanding most cultures lies in the languages spoken there. The standard greeting in most Asian countries is ‘have you eaten rice yet?’ What does this tell you about the importance of food in these cultures? Yet, strangely, many expatriates will decide learning the local language is unnecessary, too much work, impossible, or all three and not attempt it. Showing a curiosity for the local people and their culture through learning the language demonstrates respect for them and where you are now living.
..."
577.
"... person; do they inspire your confidence and trust?
Do they listen well and are they collaborative in their approach?
Career development professionals for expatriates
As this book amply demonstrates with its numerous personal stories, pursuing career goals can be more complicated and ..."
"...area you will be moving to. The professionals based in the country you move to should have a close acquaintance with the pertinent rules and regulations governing the work options of foreign nationals. Nevertheless, you may find it easier to work with somebody who is also part of the expatriate community, who understands the expat experience and is well connected with other expats.
..."
