The Expat Coach Directory recently celebrated it’s one year anniversary and we’ve completely redesigned it to be more user friendly for you!  I am very excited to announce that you can now search for an Expat Coach by geography, languges spoken, and more!  Please come check us out at www.theexpatcoachdirectory.com

We are still the #1 result for “Expat Coach” at www.google.com and welcome your feedback, and if you’re an Expat Coach, would love to have you join us!

If you find yourself relocating alone and feel lonely or on your own, I cannot recommend enough the power of a local restaurant offering the possibility of dining at the bar.

For some reason, Japanese restaurants offer the most welcoming of bar dining experiences in many places I have traveled. Not only do you of course get to enjoy watching the sushi chefs preparing meals, but you’re very likely to find either another lone diner, or else other people very open to a conversation outside their party.

I found myself alone for dinner one recent evening in San Francisco, so chose a recommended Japanese place (Sanraku, if you are in the area!) and sat at the bar. At some point into my meal, I ended up meeting two gentlemen at the other end of the bar who were both well traveled and multi-lingual, so we had much in common, and much to share.

The beauty of this is that you stop focusing on feeling alone because you are instantly connected to other people. Even if you don’t end up the best of friends, or ever speak or see one another again, this is a wonderful way to surround yourself with the possibility of shifting from lonely thoughts to being more connected.

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!

This is the third and final article about moving to New York City and choosing the best method of staying in touch with your friends and family back home.

In the first two articles I focused on plain old telephone service, and VoIP. This article will cover cell phones, as well as how to stay apprised of current events back home.

Nowadays, many New Yorkers opt to skip a home phone, and just have a cell phone. Since WiFi is available almost anyplace, you can take your laptop and peruse the internet in a café, so this cuts out the need for an internet connection at home. Your cell phone, of course, allows you to be reachable almost anywhere. (Your location, literally as in inside a building, on the street, or at a concert with thousands of people that tie up the cell phone network in one location all influence whether or not calls will get through to you.)

Main providers of cell phone service in New York are AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, though many smaller companies exist as well. Unless you are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for an unlocked cell phone, you will have to commit to a minimum of a one-year contract with the provider you choose. Every one has different rate plans, typically of benefit for domestic calling, and the rate plan changes about once a year. On average, expect to pay $50 – $100 per month for your cell phone (depending what features you have, and whether or not you want a data plan), and add to that the charge for an international dialing plan – typically about $5 per month, which makes international calls cheaper than if you do not purchase an international rate plan. Some providers also offer a “pay as you go” option which could be of value if you want to lower your monthly fees.

The potential downsides of having a cell phone as your main means of staying in touch with people back home are:

•limited battery life which could cut into your talk time
•you will pay for calls received on your cell phone, as well as those you make
•often this is not as cost-effective as either a land line, or VoIP service

Finally, when you move to New York City, you may wish to stay informed about news back home. Major TV stations in New York will only cover local and domestic news, and provide highlights of major international stories. For better coverage of smaller, more local news, you’ll want to check out CNN as well as NYCLife which even offers news segments direct from other countries, in other languages – most frequently French and Italian news. Foreign language newspapers are readily available. Spanish newspapers are available at almost all newsstands, and there are many international media stores around the city where you can find virtually any newspaper you’re looking for.

* Looking for more information to help you adapt to life in The Big Apple? Click Here! *

After moving to New York, you will no doubt want to stay in touch with great friends, and family back home. New York is technology central! If they make the technology, you can probably find it here. Of course, with all the daily social activities you’ll no doubt get involved in, you may have a tough time finding the right time to phone home, especially if there is a different time zone to accommodate.

The toughest thing you’ll encounter when figuring out how to stay in touch with your favorite people back home is the plethora of options and providers that cater to your telecommunication needs in New York. Frequently, it seems that the best deal is to change providers every time your contract is up to get the best deals.

This is part one in a series to help you figure out the best methods to stay in touch with friends and family.

The Land Line

• This is the “fixed phone” that only works in your home. Advantages are that it can* provide the best reception of all the options, and you won’t have any dropped calls unless there is a blackout or fiber cut in your area. (* I say “can” because depending whether you get a cordless phone, or a corded phone, makes a difference.)
• If you’re in a large apartment building, you will want a DEC phone to put up with the least amount of interference from your neighbors phones
• You will need to buy dial tone service for this line. The two mainstream providers of dial tone in New York are Verizon and Time Warner Cable. Outside of Manhattan, there are more providers and cheaper rates. Both these providers are now competing to give you phone, internet, and cable TV service.
• It is much more cost effective to get all 3 then to choose only one or two, if you’re in need of TV, internet and cable. On average, it will cost you $90 – $100 per month your first year, and then costs will go up about $20 a month after that.
• Verizon DSL or FIOS is much faster internet service than Time Warner Cable modems
• Verizon has been requiring a 2-year contract, though it’s not evident in their advertising, whereas Time Warner requires only 1 year. Early disconnect fees are heavy.
• Both services work with your land line
• Verizon is a phone company at the foundation, Time Warner Cable is a TV company at the foundation. If you require lots of phone features, Verizon may be better – such as a fax line or two lines of service, or “distinctive ring” service which allows you to split one line into two for incoming calls.
• Typical packages include unlimited domestic calls in the US, and ability to add on rate plans to the countries you call the most.

Stay tuned for the rest of the series! 

* Looking for more information to help you adapt to life in The Big Apple? Click Here! *

Repatriation is a subject that is getting covered more and more, especially in the past year as the economy has forced many Expats to return home. Of course, other issues could force a return home – from divorce, to family illnesses and beyond.

The return “home” can often be harder than the original move. This is because Repatriates assume they are “returning home to the familiar” and are therefore unexpectedly surprised and dismayed to learn that they no longer feel at home in the place they may have spent most of their lives. Adapting to a new culture implies that you will shift perceptions and ideals in the process. So, what you once thought was familiar, will now feel foreign. And if you went from, say, living in the countryside, or on the beach and loved the outdoors and openness, and return to a big city full of tall buildings, the scenery itself could be an immediate source of disappointment every day.

If you are one of these people and decide that “home is no longer home” and you want to try and find another city that fits you better, here are a few tips, fresh from a coaching session I had recently, that can help you in the process:

1. As you think about places you might prefer to live, try not to focus on the cities themselves.  In other words, if you decide that based on your needs, you think Austin, Texas or Sedona, Arizona would be a better place for you to live than your hometown of Washington, DC, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.  Why?  Because after you visit Austin and Sedona, if you decide you don’t like either, you can jump right into depression, and feel there is noplace for you to live.
2. Instead of making a list of cities, make a list of qualities you need.  For example, open space, within 20 miles of the beach, easy access to transportation, friendly people that greet passerby, etc.  The more you can be in touch with the qualities that now make you happy, the more likely you will find what your seeking.  The other benefit of this technique is that if you visit, say Austin and Sedona, and find you don’t like them as much as you thought, you can look at your list and better understand what’s missing – this, in turn, will keep you focusing on the future, and coming up with alternate cities to consider living in.  Continuing to focus on your quality list will be very helpful in avoiding potential depression.
3. Try vision boarding – this is such a powerful tool.  Use images to help you get in touch with your needs.  You can share your vision board with your life coach, or with a good friend, and they can give you additional insights on what your images reflect.

* Interested in setting up a complimentary coaching session to work on your biggest repatriation or expatriation challenges?  Click here!  *

When you move to a new country, one of the biggest things that can impact your experience is an understanding of not only the language, but how hand gestures are used.

This may sound trivial, but take the sign for “peace” in America, which is 2 fingers raised, and try it in the UK facing the wrong way, you’ve completely insulted someone.  Taking it to extremes, you could find yourself jailed, or fined for something as “trivial” as raising the wrong finger.

For an example, check out this article about a British man in Dubai who has had his passport revoked for raising his middle finger, and may face jail time because it is considered a violation of public decency laws!  The same article mentions a British couple who are facing jail time for kissing in public.

Simply put, if you’re moving to another country, you must make the effort to learn about local hand gestures.  * To learn some important basics about hand gestures, and how to be successful at making new friends after moving to a new country (and not insulting them!) check out The Socialnaire Club *

Expats will always face cultural differences, but have you considered what it would be like if you moved someplace where corruptive business practices were considered normal or acceptable?

Click here to read a very interesting article suggesting that HR professionals need to prepare expats for questionable business practices depending on the assignment.

The holidays seem to fill the air with uplifted spirits (ok unless you’re trying to do last-minute gift shopping) and tons of people. 

In many places in the world you’ll find traditional holiday decorations and markets filled with happy passerby.

The other thing I’m noticing is how friendly many people seem to be. Last night I grabbed a glass of bubbly with a friend near Rockefeller Center and we chatted with our waiter, Jake, as we tried to figure out a place to eat. He recommended someplace which I have been before and liked and told us his roommate work there and to mention his name for a good table!

So it’s always worth being friendly and open to conversations with new people.

1. You never know how you can help each other out and who else you may meet through someone. 
2. I find that waiters/waitresses, if they are friendly, are easy to have small-talk with, and great resources if you’re looking for something to do in the neighborhood. 
3. If you hit it off, then, as happened to me, they might be able to “hook you up” with good seats, or good service through friends of theirs.

** want more ideas to meet new people and make friends? Check out The Social Success Method **

As you know, my mission is to help people relocating to adjust to and overcome the social, personal, and professional issues that arise after moving to a new city.  One of the biggest difficulties with moving is creating a new social network.  I’m always on the lookout for excellent resources and ideas, and recently found a great organization in Paris called Paris4U.net  I interviewed one of the founders to help you get more information about what it is, and the benefits of joining. 

Q. What is the mission of Paris4U.net?

A. The mission of Paris4U.net is to connect people from different types of backgrounds and cultures living and working in Paris.  We’re here to provide a forum for expatriates living in and around Paris to connect with each other and enhance their experience living abroad. 

Q. What inspired you to start your business, and how long have you been working on it?

A. I myself lived in several countries on various continents. I know for a fact how difficult it is integrate and build a social, personal, professional, and family life, when you arrive in a new country, especially one where the national language is not your mothertongue. It takes time to find out what there is to discover, what to do, whom to meet, where to go, how to find your marks, how to organize your leisures, etc… I hope the site will be a platform allowing all nationalities and cultures to gather, discuss, talk, meet, enjoy Paris together. The site itself is brand-new, it just recently started.

Q. What are some of the benefits of signing up to become a member at Paris4U.net?

A. Paris4u provides a venue for those living in and around Paris to communicate and interact with one another in English.  This includes the ability to put up classifieds, create events, and even the ability to communicate with each other via the forums.

Q. What expansion plans do you have – I think you may be offering your services in different cities soon?

Ultimately, we plan on creating a template using Paris4u as an example to expand to other cities globally.  Our next goal will be NYC.

Q.  Is there anything else people should know about you and Paris4U.net?

A. Paris4u is will be constantly evolving over the next few weeks and we want to provide our members with a more personal experience.  This means we are always looking for more input, suggestions, ideas on what the members would want/need or like to see.  We also plan on taking advantage of various social networks such as facebook and youtube to tap into a wider audience.

** Do you know of or have an excellent resource for networking where you live?  Post a comment here and tell me about it! **

** Want to relocate with ease, and avoid or overcome the social, personal, and professional challenges that you’ll confront? Check out The Relocation Success System!