This is our fourth post of the interview with Kate, the expat wife as well as entrepreneur and coach for other expat wives.
1st post is here.
2nd post is here.
3rd post it here.
-Many Expat Partners feel isolated in their new home. What are your recommendations to ease the loneliness and do some quality “me-time”?
Sometimes we are so busy with all the paperwork and furniture hunting that we forget to take time for ourselves. If you are feeling down and isolated I recommend you to go outside every day. It can be smaller things like adding a short walk before grocery shopping or treating yourself with a new haircut. Invest some time into networking and use days where you feel full of energy to sign-up for all kinds of events for the upcoming weeks. Many expats also start a new hobby or focus more on some exercise. Test out all kinds of different activities and see what resonates with you. You can also research some local magazines and website to learn more about the neighborhoods and nice places to visit.
-What are your 5 hands down tips to live a happy Expat Life without losing one’s own identity for professional development?
- Reflect on what is going on right now in your life and acknowledge that moving abroad is not a small thing to do.
- Research: There is a lot of information out there about expat support and career planning. The key is to find that kind of information that resonates with you. It’s also a great time to read about something outside your normal expertise. Ask yourself: What did I always want to know more about?
- Find a creative outlet: For many expat partners, this can be a blog or a podcast. Do not worry if anyone will read or listen to it. It’s more about starting something and learning something new. If you find joy in it, the readers will come eventually.
- Get your elevator pitch ready. The question “What do you do” can be a tough one. When we are in transition, introducing ourselves to others is not an easy thing to do. Practice different versions and see what feels most authentic to you. This topic is closely connected to finding your own identity abroad – the reason why I dedicated a whole chapter to it in my workbook.
- Remind yourself what you have already accomplished. Write down small achievements in a journal to remind yourself.”
-What would you recommend Expat Partner who just moved abroad and realized that they can’t continue in their old profession but have to find something new to themselves?
Take your time with this! Deciding on your career is nothing to rush and a more reflective decision will serve you much better in the long run. Continuing in our career path is the go-to approach, our default action step. What you would need now is thinking outside the box and realizing there are other possibilities than simply following the known path. If you are in this situation, coaching can help you with the process of reflection.
Interview to be continued!
Go JVs!
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