I’m very excited to introduce the new and greatly improved Expat Coach Association!  For any of you out there that are Expats, Expat Coaches, Businesses, anyone at all involved in the process of transitioning cultures for work, for love, for studies, for religion, for government….we’d very much love to have you on board!

Please click here to visit the new website where you will find an FAQ section, and a video tour on our homepage, and let us know your feedback!

Welcome back to the Working Wednesday series!  Today’s lesson will help you with ideas to make profit from your business.  You won’t want to miss this lesson.

Today’s resources:

Ezine Articles
Sample Products

** Want to further your expertise and get your own business in high gear?  Click Here! **

I don’t know if anyone else out there is a fan of the series “Charmed”?  Well, I still like it, what can I say – I’m a fan of magic and possibilities!  Quick synopsis for those who have no idea what I’m talking about – 3 sister witches who battle evil to save the world, and date demons along the way.  (Don’t we all do that, LOL!?)  So on a recent episode, I thought there was an interesting correlation to Accompanying Spouses in the culture transition process.  In this episode, Cole, who is a demon one of the witches is dating, loses his powers.  He is half demon, half human, and due to an “accident”, he loses his demon powers, and becomes fully human.  As a demon, he was able to “shimmer” (call it teleport) anywhere he wanted.

As he accepts this change within himself, he goes for a walk, and on the way home, realizes he can no longer shimmer home, and walking home takes a lot longer!  He says, “I’ev always been a demon, that’s all I know.”

Now, I’m not trying to compare working to being a demon! (though I’m sure we feel like one on some occasions) but for an Accompanying Spouse who relocates to a country where they can no longer work, the transition can be quite difficult.  Especially if your job has defined who you are and you suddenly don’t have one – you will confront an identity challenge.

On this particular episode of “Charmed”, the witch dating Cole tries to have a romantic date night with him, but he is so lost in his transition that he tries to brainstorm ideas of everything they should worry about and how to tackle it, so he cannot be in the moment with his girflfriend.  In a marriage, going through this transition will also cause some challenges that each partner needs to be aware of.  It’s important to not only expect the challenges, but also to prepare some ways to handle it.  Here are a few suggestions:

1. The Accompanying Spouse, if he or she cannot work, should, as best as possible, try to commit to creative ways to create income, or, look at alternate ways to provide for the family.
2. As the ego steps in, during the process, the Expat (the partner who is working) should be prepared to talk openly, and also be aware of any changes in how you view your partner, who was once a provider, and may now be a dependent
3. Consider money issues before you move – how will you handle them
4. Make joint goals together – perhaps non-financial related – and remember to CELEBRATE when you accomplish them.  Also check in on goals you have now, and check whether any of them need to be re-prioritized or shifted, to avoid disappointment going forward.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but as a couple, you should work together to figure out what methods you can put in place to be sure each partner feels heard, each partner remains committed to marriage goals, and there is some outlet for fun and nurturing your relationship.

* For more ideas on successfully transitioning cultures and avoiding relocation depression, click here! *

Welcome to Working Wednesdays – the 10-part video series designed to help you understand and implement the basic steps you need to start a new business!

Today’s lesson is about delving further into your business choice by looking at personal experience, qualifications, competition and more.  Just click below to get started:

Today begins our next video series!  I was so inspired by all the great feedback from the last one that I’ve put together a new series.  This one will focus on starting a new business.  Though anyone who wants to start a business can benefit, this can be especially helpful to those of you out there who are an Accompanying Spouse looking for meaningful work, as well as an Expat who might just have a great idea.

This series will cover just the basics of taking a great idea into reality – what you need to consider to start your business, getting your business online, and more!  This is a 10-part series and will take place every Wednesday.

Today’s video will discuss the idea stage – how to determine WHAT to do and what business to create:

My younger brother just returned from a summer in France, similar to one of my experiences as a teenager. I was reminded of the importance of music as we transition cultures.

Music tends to either remind us of past experiences, or catapult us into new ones. It may help us cry when we need to, or feel renewed, excited, and like springing into action. Sometimes it’s great for inner calm. All-in-all, music can have a profound experience on our emotions. On my first trip to France, I recorded every song I heard (virtually!) off of “NRJ” – my favorite radio station in France! (And I still don’t care that friends call my taste “Euro-Trash”, I love it! ) When I listen to those songs today, I am transported back to the wonderful memories of that moment in my life.

The other thing I have noticed, when living and traveling abroad, is that music varies dramatically from country to country – at least some of it.  If you focus on things other than the American pop songs that play everywhere, you can start journeying into the culture you’re living in.  Finding local music you enjoy can help you create new memories in your new home.  You may find yourself looking forward to hearing a certain song you love – thus creating some excitement, which can be especially helpful on days you’re feeling a little down.

Music, of course, can also lead to dance – whether you watch others such as a local cultural event, or whether you go to a dance club or bar – again music can create some enjoyment and activity for you.

So, as you transition to a new culture, here are a few ideas, revolving around music, that might help you:

1. Before you move, make a special CD or mix for your MP3 player/cell phone (whatever gadget you might use!) that reminds you of fond moments you have from home.  You can play this music whenever you feel a bit homesick to help you remember that you haven’t lost your connection to home.  You can be with it in spirit and memory any time you need it.
2. After you move, find local radio stations with the rhythms/beats/sounds you most enjoy.  (I don’t want to use terms like “rock, classical, etc.” as these may not correlate to what you have access to).  If you find any music you particularly enjoy, consider getting a CD of that artist, and going to a concert, should they play in your area – use your favorite music to get you out in the world.
3. If you hear a song several times you love, and cannot figure out the artist, then hopefully you’ll hear it one day in a local bar, cafe, etc – ask the waiter/waitress if they know the name.  This is a nice way to start a conversation, as well as helping you to connect with the local music.
4. As you find more and more music you love, make sure to collect some of the songs.  Should you eventually repatriate, you’ll have a wonderful collection of songs to connect you with the place you left

* For more ideas on successfully transitioning to a new culture, click here! *

My younger brother will soon be returning from his first summer in France.  I am overjoyed that he shares one of my first addictions and loves of France – “Le Monoprix”!

I’m not sure what it is that draws me, but I simply cannot stay away when I am in France.  Even worse, I want everything I see.  Kitchen gadgets that I cannot find in the USA, washcloths that are like gloves instead of flat squares, my beloved Timotei shampoo and Le Petit Marseillais body soap which remind me of happy memories in France.  Vache Qui Rit Apericubes in distinct flavors I cannot find in New York, Packages of lardons that I love to cook with and cannot find anyplace else, rows of foods that I want – not sure if it’s all the colors that appeal to me or the fact that the writing on the boxes are in French?

And who can pass up a jar of Amora – not only is that mustard some of the smoothest and subtly spiciest I know of, but you get a fun glass to use over and over after you’re done with the mustard!

So, musing over my joy that my brother is also addicted to Monoprix, I realize I’m not quite as crazy as I had thought.    Now, I do like Auchamps, and Chez LeClerc, but there is something so special about the Monoprix which offers you everything you need and didn’t know you needed in a small space.  Thinking about this addiction further, I realize that I also am quite fond of “Marks and Sparks” (food hall) and Sainsbury’s in England – perhaps it’s the plethora of Indian foods and spices, I’m not quite sure – and don’t get me started on Boots! (I know, it’s a drugstore, but that’s another one I find myself needing to visit on trips to England!)

Now that demand has brought some of my favorite foods and products from other countries to my “back yard”, I don’t have the same sense of immediate need that I once did, however, I cannot seem to escape this “need” I have to visit supermarkets, at least in Europe.  I’m not sure if it’s simply a question of being surrounded by fond memories that the products and places allow me to rekindle, or something more.  I mean, we have supermarkets in America that I certainly don’t have the same attraction to!

So, I wonder – does anyone else out there have a similar addiction – be it stores, supermarkets, or other – when you visit or live in foreign places?  Or, an addiction that you developed when living overseas, that you have to satisfy every time you visit that place after moving back home?