The Ins and Outs of Expat Careers: From Human Resources to Writing

This is the first post in the series about expat careers. To kick off the series I thought I would share my expat career experience with you.......

I moved from the UK to the Netherlands in 2000 and at the time I was a Human Resources (HR) professional. I had studied for a Post Graduate Diploma in HR Management and intended to continue practicing HR when I moved abroad.

Within two months I had a new job with a large international company in a HR role. But to start earning again I’d made many compromises. The position was lower than my UK role was, the salary less. It was a temporary role and working through an employment agency.

Despite the number of international companies based in the Randstad in the Netherlands I found that the job market for my niche was relatively small because my Dutch was nowhere near good enough to work in a Dutch company – and that reduced my options considerably.

Feeling insignificant in a big
office block
Photo: Ryan Smart

After years of working on a specific contract in the same company, having been given a permanent, direct contract with the company the project came to an end and I was moved within the organisation to another team. It went downhill from there.  I felt like a number not a valued team member, a face in the crowd. I started reviewing my career options. I needed creativity in my daily work life. I wanted to write for a living but didn’t really see how.

I considered how I could combine HR and writing and then I discovered Jo Parfitt and attended one of her courses. It was the springboard that took my career on a new direction. During the course, Jo made a general statement to the group which stuck with me,

“You can make a career of writing and you can earn well with it. But you need to be passionate about what you are doing.”

I knew I wasn’t passionate about HR anymore. It hadn’t fulfilled any of the hopes I’d had, especially for much of my time in the Netherlands. But I was passionate about writing.

When I went on maternity leave it was the opportunity to take stock and make the change. I never went back to my HR role nor the international company. I set up The Writing Well instead.

The main barrier was financial but my departure from my former HR position left me financially secure for a number of months so I had a safety net – plus the income provided by my husband’s role gave us enough security to support the inevitable drought times.

Setting up a business in the Netherlands turned out to be straight forward, particularly given the nature of my company. I visited my local Kamer van Koophandel (Chamber of Commerce) to register The Writing Well and then registered the company with the Dutch tax office. That was the administration taken care of.

I undertook a web design course with NTI so I was able to design and build my own website for the launch of The Writing Well. And then I began networking and producing articles for various expat websites and publications – for free.


It built up my name and portfolio and then paid work started to steadily flow in.

A while after I started writing, I started a distance learning course at the London School of Journalism to boost my professional skills and keep my personal development going.

For expats wanting to make a move into the world of writing, my advice is this:  choose a niche, know your market and grow your networks.

Working virtually is vital if writing is your chosen
expat career.  Photo: Maripepa

Grow a platform for yourself (or as Anastasia Ashman and Tara Agacayak call it – a global niche). Writing is a great expat career because it is portable. Your clients can live across the other side of the world and it makes no difference so long as you can work virtually in an effective manner. I would also add that you should make the most of distance learning courses.

You do need the support of those around you. My husband enables me to take the time to disappear into my home office and work because he takes on the household and looking after the children. He has motivated and supported me from day one and even before – and takes an active role in decisions I make, and activities I undertake relating to my business. Jo Parfitt has also been a great support over the years – somebody who remembers her network at every possible chance and points clients in the right direction.

To succeed in a career overseas I think you need to be able to effectively network, both virtually and face to face. You need to be passionate about what you are doing and it certainly helps to be creative – to think outside the box. Finally - believe in yourself.

• Useful links for an overseas career in writing:

www.joparfitt.com
London School of Journalism

• Here are just some of the websites that welcome articles which enable you to build a portfolio - 

www.expatica.com

www.expatarrivals.com

www.iamexpat.com

www.expatwomen.com

www.expatexchange.com

And for inspiration to build a creative career doing what you love, no matter where you are visit Tara Agacayak's site - Turquoise Poppy.


Next week Louise Wiles shares her expat career story.

Mama and Papa or Mummy and Daddy?

Photo: Dirk Herrmann

An interesting post caught my eye on the networking site Insego this week. A member asked if other parents preferred to be called mama or papa, like the Dutch use, or whether other expats preferred to use the terms of their native language - so in my case mummy and daddy. It struck a chord because it is something I have thought about since becoming a parent.

I speak English to my sons. The idea is that they speak (and in the case of my youngest, will speak) English back to me. However, my eldest calls me mama, which is what he learnt to call me from me and his 'papa'. I never really thought anything of the term mama, nor particularly consciously decided on mama instead of mummy, until one day my son called me mummy. And it felt weird. it somehow did not fit.

He had called me mama since the day he could talk and after an extended trip to the UK, he came out suddenly with mummy. I didn't react instantly because it took a second to realise he was actually addressing me. I corrected him with "mama" and he looked confused. Everyone else in England had used mummy when referring to me - "Shall we see if your mummy wants to do that?" "Maybe ask your mummy before you eat that." So he had adopted it and begun using it back in Holland. To my dismay. And I still am not sure, even now, why it dismayed me. But it did. And he now, generally, calls me mama. Every now and then he reverts to mummy but it is so infrequent it doesn't bother me.

I think I got used to hearing mama from him so when he used mummy it sounded alien. However, there is also another part that prefers mama because it reminds me of who we are as a family. My children are Dutch and no matter what my nationality is, they are currently more Dutch than English. And so, somehow, it seems more natural for them to call me mama.

What do your children call you? Do you use terms from your host or birth country?

A Dutch Decade: Q&A with Kate Berger

As part of the Dutch Decade week I threw the floor open to you to ask any question you liked about expat life or life in the Netherlands.....

Kate Berger* asks:
For an expat living in Holland for ten years now (!), I am wondering about your socio-cultural participation within Dutch society: how have your social groups (and participation in them) evolved during your years in the Netherlands? Have you integrated and/or assimilated? Do you find yourself interacting with mainly Dutch people or English-speakers/people from your home country? And, how have you found that your involvement with different groups has changed at all over time? Do you see your children experiencing similar evolutions in social participation?


My answer: There has definitely been a change in the groups I seek interaction with over the years. As a newbie in the Netherlands, not speaking the local language, the tendency was to target social interaction with English speakers or other expats. Going through culture shock and knowing that those around you can relate to how you are feeling is a big comfort. In the beginning, I interacted in a number of expat groups but was so affected by one particularly negative social expat get-together that it put me off trying any others. I actually loved living here, even at an early stage, but the rest of the group obviously didn’t..... I came home, from what I thought would be a fun night in a pub, shell-shocked, and in the words of Forrest Gump “that’s all I have to say about that”.

The reality is that expats live abroad for many reasons and there are different types of expats; being an expat does not automatically mean you have anything in common with every other expat you meet. Those that have moved abroad on a permanent basis to be with a partner face different issues than those that are transferred temporarily overseas with their family. Obviously, this doesn’t rule out social interactions but it does mean you look in different places (more locally in my case) for relationships and not necessarily through the traditional methods of established expat groups.

As my working life changed and my language skills developed, it became easier to socialise and network with Dutch people. As my writing career developed it also led me to new social interactions – meeting others first virtually through networking groups and through this blog. I now have a good bond with some people I have never even met in real life!

The biggest motivator to get out and socialise locally was having a baby. I participated in an expat mother and toddler group for a while but there was a temporary nature to it as others moved back home, or moved on and a huge culture gap in some cases. Suddenly it was no longer about being an expat, a foreigner in the Netherlands, but about being a mother so the relationships with those I am now closest to came about through the common bond of motherhood.

In one case we met through an expat forum, in another case it was through a Dutch mother’s site – both are English speakers though. Having children definitely widens social interaction in the local community. My son has a varied pool to socialise in: Dutch children in pre-school; the daughters and sons of friends who are themselves expats but bringing their children up ‘locally’ (i.e. local schools, speaking Dutch and a long term plan to stay in the Netherlands); children of friends back in England.

How has your social circle evolved whilst living abroad?

*Kate Berger, MSc Psychology, offers emotional health services for expatriate children and adolescents in the Amsterdam area through her practice, The Expat Kids Club. Individual and group sessions are offered, and target issues including anxiety, family & peer conficts, and socio/emotional adjustment to non-native lifestyles & cultures. For more information visit http://expatkids.weebly.com, or contact Kate directly at: +31614832702.

A Dutch Decade... Ten Highlights of Ten Years

This week I celebrate the milestone of ten years living in the Netherlands. There have been highs and lows. There have been tears and laughter. Here are my top ten highlights from a decade in the land of the Dutch - in no particular order.

Birth of my First Son: having a baby in Holland is not like having a baby in other Western countries. Almost 30% of births here are home births compared to 1% to 2% in the US and UK. More than a third of Netherlands based women plan home births but end up in the hospital for medical reasons. I am one of those women. Despite this, planning for a home birth was a memorable experience and one that I would not have had if my son had been born in England. His arrival into the world is most definitely a highlight to cherish, regardless of where it happened.

Birth of my Second Son: There was no home birth planned the second time round - there was no choice. The experience though was a great one - with a doula on hand, an amazing maternity nurse and a birth plan followed to the letter. Within a few hours of the birth we were all at home as a new family of four.

Kraamzorg: What made both births particularly special in the Netherlands was the postnatal care from the kraamverzorgster. I am in no doubt that this is the best thing to come out of the Dutch healthcare system, or any other Dutch system for that matter. For someone who doesn't have their direct family and best friends round the corner, such support for the first week after a birth is invaluable.

Photo: Anouschka Rokebrand

My Dutch Wedding: we married in the Netherlands in a beautiful setting in Hauwert where the houses have thatched roofs and you can still picture horse and carts on the quiet roads of the village. My brother flew over from the US, my family and friends came over from England and the Dutch contingency made the trip upwards for a day that could not have gone better. It even stayed dry, which for July in the Netherlands is proving to be a miracle........

Starting my Own Business: There is nothing like a complete change of career to test your character, nerves and wallet. But in 2008, that is exactly what I did when I set up The Writing Well and left the world of human resources behind. It was the best career move I ever made and I have never looked back. Without my expat life this is a move I would never have made so I have my Dutch surroundings to thank for a happy, creative work life.

My Husband's Career: It's not only my career that changed because I moved to the Netherlands. My husband also made a challenging and daring career move to an international organisation where the principle language spoken is English. His English has obviously developed astoundingly over ten years, so much so it became his working language. Thankfully, his Dutch is still quite good too.......

Mastering Dutch: Of course, whilst my husband was improving his English, I have spent ten years coming to grips with the Dutch language. It has been a real highlight to move through the journey of the eight steps to learning a language:

1. avoiding eye contact and refusing to speak
2. admitting you have to talk to somebody at some point and speaking English everywhere 
3. getting through the mumbling 'dank u wel' and nodding enthusiastically stage,
4. saying 'wat zegt u?" a hundred times a day with a blank look on your face
5. reeling off automated responses to set questions you know you will be asked (such as "Wilt u koopzegels?" or "Wilt u een tasje?") 
6. reaching the stage of being able to hold a basic conversation
7. realising you can read Dutch newspapers, watch Dutch films and talk to the neighbours quite confidently as well as accepting Dutch grammar for what it is and no longer asking why there are so many exceptions.
8. feel practically like a native if it weren't for that accent you have whilst speaking Dutch......

My 30th Birthday: Without a doubt one of my best birthdays ever - the highlight was a flight over some of the Netherlands in a Cessna C172. The event was a total surprise arranged by my husband, who wanted to show me a little of his homeland from another viewpoint. I should also mention that I find having only the floor of a little aircraft between me and a drop of up to 800 feet a little daunting. However, fears of death aside, it was an amazing experience. 

My Flight Certificate - a record of 

my survival

We took off in Lelystad with an experienced pilot and flew over the Ijselmeer to Texel where we stopped for hot chocolate (though a stiff drink may have been more appropriate). We then took in the view of Friesland, took a tour over Zwolle and headed back to the airfield in Lelystad. I even had a go at flying the plane myself, but freaked out after seven seconds so passed the control back to someone who knew what they were doing. My husband however, revelled in flying the plane for most of the flight back to the airfield - he had ambitions to be a pilot in his youth but the fact that he can't see past his nose without contact lenses put an end to that dream.  To say it was cloudy and bumpy that day is an understatement - however the view I saw from the back of the plane over a paper bag was beautiful.

Expat People: During ten years living in another country I have met people, both in real life and virtually, who have had an enormous impact on my life - people who have guided my career, inspired me to reach higher, become trusted and treasured friends and supported me through the lows. An expat life forces you to look for a network in places you wouldn't look back in your home country. The result is a colourful and rich group of contacts.

Nurturing Bilingualism: Realising that your offspring can speak two languages by the age of three is a rewarding experience. Hearing a little voice switch languages depending on the audience is truly amazing and one gift of expat life that is priceless.

Guest Post: "Why Expat Women Make Great Entrepreneurs" by Karen Armstrong Quartarone

Expat women are a special breed… adventurous, resilient, open to new experiences, and just down right sassy. They also happen to make great entrepreneurs. Here’s why…

Expat Women are Risk-Takers

Whether you’re an accompanying spouse or you went to live abroad on your own, as an expat woman you’re a risk-taker. You left the comforts of home and ventured out into the world. You took a leap of faith and stepped out into the unknown. There was risk involved because you didn’t know what was waiting for you as you crossed the border into expat life. Entrepreneurs know that risk-taking is part of the game. They know that in order to build a successful business they have to take calculated risks and accept responsibility for the outcome. They know it’s true: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Expat Women Know the Meaning of Perseverance and Determination

Your first few months in your new country probably weren’t very easy… a new language, a new culture, new sights and sounds. You committed to going abroad and you were determined to make it work. Despite the times you wanted to pack your bags and catch the next flight home, you pressed on. Entrepreneurs are faced with good times and bad, but they don’t give up when the going gets tough. They remember why they started their business and dig deep for the strength to persevere. They know that the brick walls are there to test their determination and they know that “failure” is just a temporary setback that tests their resolve.

Expat Women are Organised and Focused

I don’t care if your home looks like it was hit by a tornado. The fact that you got everything together and made it out of your home country proves that you have at least some sense of organisation. With so many things to arrange prior to your departure and everything else that needed to be done upon your arrival, you had to be organised. And you had to be focused while taking care of it all. Successful entrepreneurs cut through all the clutter and organise their resources. They have a lot to get done, but they focus on the task at hand and see it through to completion.

Expat Women are Adaptable

No matter how well organised you are, your expat journey has likely taken some unexpected twists and turns. You were a bit thrown off by unforeseen events, but you quickly shifted to plan B and rode the curves of the windy expat road. Entrepreneurs don’t enjoy the predictability that most employees do. They have to adapt to changing markets and create new products and services. They shift gears easily as the wants of their clients and customers change.

Expat Women are Growth-Oriented

You wouldn’t have explored new lands if you weren’t open to new ideas and experiences. In leaving your familiar surroundings and venturing into the unknown you had to stretch beyond your comfort zone. These are clear signs that you’re growth-oriented. Successful entrepreneurs are lifelong learners. They continuously seek to expand their awareness and test themselves with challenging projects. They know that in order to grow their business, they have to grow themselves.

Expat Women Seek Out a Support Network

Unless you’re still in the “honeymoon” phase of your expat journey, you’ve probably reached out to other expat women. You enjoy connecting with like-minded women who share your adventurous spirit and can relate to your experience. As an entrepreneur, the road can be a lonely one. Successful entrepreneurs know they can’t go it alone. They seek out a network of kindred spirits who support their success. They brainstorm ideas, give feedback, share wins and victories, and cheer each other on during the uphill times.

There are many other reasons that expat women make great entrepreneurs – these are just a few. If you’re an expat woman entrepreneur, I imagine you can relate to these and come up with a few of your own. If you’re an expat woman who’d like to become an entrepreneur, know that you have what it takes to start your own business – because every entrepreneurial venture starts from within.

Karen Armstrong Quartarone is the founder of Expat Women Entrepreneurs, a worldwide community of entrepreneurial women living abroad who want to thrive in their expat life.

Dutchies Meet Expats - Family Picnic 7 July in Amsterdam

If you have no plans for 7 July, then pack up your picnic basket, grab a blanket and head over to Westerpark in Amsterdam for the first expats and Dutchies picnic. See the flyers below for more details. For any questions, please contact Lexia (her details are below).

Design Your Life: A Course for Women Entrepreneurs

Expat life can be a challenge - that is a given fact, but it can also be a chance to make changes in your life that you ordinarily wouldn't make. Expat life opens doors for you, doors that you would not normally even notice the existence of. Sometimes opportunities come along in life that we don't recognise as life changing events and looking back we realise that one little decision we made set us of on an exciting new life journey. It is recognising our opportunities that is sometimes the difficult part.

Expat life can be confusing - also true. The feeling of "where do I belong?" is a common one in the expat community. Wondering where to lay down roots, and questioning where home really is, is something we all do at one time or another.

Expat life can disrupt your career - I know from experience. Moving overseas often means that you have to pursue a new career, take a step backwards or start all over again. However, it can also be a chance to follow your dreams and be the time to base your working life on your passion. It could be the time to take a bold step, try something new and go into business for yourself.

If you feel like you could use some help to design the life you want to live as a woman expatriate then consider a Life Design Course lead by Karen Armstrong Quartarone. Karen gives expat women the tools to focus on areas of their life (not just career) that could use an overhaul, or even just a little tweaking, and make changes for the better.

I was lucky enough to attend a course she ran last year and I am still using the tools she provided on a daily basis - and I am able to clearly focus on the things that are important to me in all aspects of life. It is not a course you attend, nod enthusiastically and then forget.... it becomes a way of life.

Her next course starts on 26th January and you can take part wherever you happen to be in the world. For more information visit http://expatwomenentrepreneurs.com/wordpress/?page_id=1743

You can contact Karen at Karen@expatwomenentrepreneurs.com and please feel free to contact me should you wish to know more about my own experiences with the course.

Swap ‘Til You Drop in Amsterdam

Clothes swapping events have spread like wild fire across the United States and are all the rage in London; Amsterdam is the latest city to catch the clothes swapping fever. If you like the idea of refreshing your wardrobe in a party atmosphere in a manner that is good for the environment, good for your pocket and helps a local charity, then the “Swap and the City” event is just for you.

From private clothes swapping parties to major events in international capital cities and the growth of specialised internet sites, the trend to swap clothes instead of throwing them out has grown in popularity. Of course, internet sites such as eBay have been prime places to sell unwanted clothes for some time now, but swapping events add a more personal element to getting rid of unused garments.

Swapping clothes, instead of disposing of them, is also more in line with our desire to see items recycled and reused. We are a generation more and more concerned about the world we live in, eager to reduce our carbon footprint where we can. We are more conscious of the effects we have on the environment, but these are often ideals that conflict with today’s disposable and ever-changing fashion trends. Whilst we are used to recycling glass, cans, paper, and plastic, clothes are often thrown out without a second thought about the environmental impact this has, with only a small percentage of used clothes even reaching charities. Ensuring clothes enjoy a longer life is one small way of reducing the environmental impact of the clothing industry.

“The idea of a clothing swap isn't a new one, however, I wanted to create a fun afternoon out for women in the Amsterdam area, around the theme of fashion, beauty and charity. I am passionate about the idea of green fashion: clothing nowadays has become disposable, but with “Swap and the City” perfectly good quality clothing finds a new home rather than gathering dust at the back of a closet or being dumped in a landfill,” explains Colleen Geske, who is co-organising the event with Tamara Raab.

The design of the Swap and the City event in Amsterdam to be held on 29 November is simple. In every woman’s wardrobe there is a long forgotten dress; an abandoned skirt confined to the depths of the clothes cupboard that looked great on the rack but which never quite made the grade back home; or boots that seemed perfect in the shop but which crushed your feet if you actually walked in them - each participant brings a minimum of five such items to the party, and leaves with as many items as they like. Shoes, clothes, jewellery and purses are all swappable as long as they are in great condition.

However, it is not just about swapping clothes; fun, beauty and socialising are also on the agenda.

News of this first event has been greeted enthusiastically, and a follow up for early next year is already in the planning. Colleen reveals that there is also interest to hold similar events in other Dutch cities in the future, including The Hague and Utrecht.“Women can expect a fabulous afternoon of fashion, drinks, delicious snacks and socializing. The first 2 hours of the event, guests will have a chance to enjoy drinks (cointreaupolitans), snacks and visit the stands of our beauty specialists who will be offering complimentary treatments like massages, mini-facials, threading, makeup and manicures. All guests will go home with a fabulous goodies bag full of great treats thanks to our very generous sponsors. We also have lots of excellent prizes, which will be given away throughout the afternoon,” Colleen explains.

At the end of the afternoon, clothes without a home will be donated to a local charity, namely the Blijf Groep, which is a Women’s Shelter supporting victims of domestic violence in Amsterdam and the surrounding region. The donation of clothing is particularly welcome as many women arrive at the shelter in emergency situations with only the clothes they are wearing.

The Cultuurhuis Diamantslijperij in Tolstraat 129 (the Pijp) will be the venue for the first event. For advance ticket purchases and more information, visit www.swapandthecity.com or follow news as it happens on Twitter at www.twitter.com/swapandthecity. Note that only a limited number of tickets will be available on the door on the day.

The Rewards of Networking as an Expatriate

Through Expat Women Entrepreneurs I recently connected with a Dutch expat living in the US, Linda Hemerik. She is the CEO of US Unlocked, and recently launched worldwide shipping so she was looking for people all over the world to put some articles together to help her spread the message. Linda started looking for writers in her inner network; people like me who she had met through networking and support groups, and then she cast her net wider.

I am now working on a series of articles about Linda, not just about her as a business woman and the CEO of US Unlocked, but about Linda the expat and mother of four, about a Dutch woman currently living in the US.

By interviewing her I found out she has a fascinating story to tell as she has also lived in India and Mexico - two difficult expat locations. She has so many experiences and tales to share, and tips for others living overseas. You can read the article about Linda called "Making the Most of Your Expat Life: Linda Hemerik's Journey through Three Countries" on Expat Women.

You can also read an interview I did with Linda for this blog.

Networking is a powerful tool, and essential to expatriates. By linking in to different groups through social networking you get to meet some fascinating people, hear some amazing stories and you could find it also boosts your business.

20 Interesting Expats to Follow on Twitter

A big thank you to Matador Abroad for compiling a list of expats worth following on Twitter.. and even more for including me! Check out 20 Interesting Expats to Follow on Twitter for the complete list, which I hope you'll agree is a great compilation.

Twitter is a great place to share tips, your achievements, advice, stories and links - or just let off a bit of steam.

You can follow me on Twitter by going to http://twitter.com/TheWritingWell. I look forward to tweeting with you.

Cristina Corduneanu in the Hot Seat - Interview with an Expat

Cristina (Serni) Corduneanu was born in Romania and lived under the communist regime a great part of her life. During those years, she wondered how freedom felt. She found the answer living in the Netherlands. Travelling the path of self-discovery, and living through culture shock led her to photography, her lifetime passion.

How long have you been living in the Netherlands?

It feels like an eternity because so many things happened – in fact it’s just 5 years.

What brought you initially to the Netherlands?
I was on my back from UK and decided to visit a good friend. It felt good and because I was in between jobs I decided to stay.

What is your profession?

My basic education is engineering but now I have my own company http://www.cristinacorduneanu.com/ that provides photographic services. I started with horse photography, which is still my favourite, and now I also do photography for websites, companies and product photography.

What is the main difference between your country of origin and the Netherlands?

If we speak about the country itself then it’s the variety of the landscape. My country of origin has mountains, sea, hills and lots of forest – I miss them all. As for the people, Romanians are warmer and more welcoming than Dutch. Hospitality - it’s a word to define ourselves in Romania.

What was the most surprising adjustment you needed to make when moving to the Netherlands?

It was a phase of the culture shock, which I was not aware of. I had to learn to communicate with Dutch people, in their way of communication, not mine.

What would you miss most about the Netherlands if you were to leave tomorrow?

The Dutch mentality (hands-on) and the way people respect each other.

What do you like least about the Netherlands?

The lack of space. Too many people, too many cars, too little nature.

What is your favourite Dutch word?

Kakkerlakken – for me it sounds very funny. It means cockroaches. Happily, there are not many of them in the Netherlands.

How would you describe the Dutch people?

Quickly adjusting to new situations (see the economic crisis), open-minded, unpretentious regarding comfort, goal oriented, born networkers.

Do you have any blogs or websites that you find enjoyable about the Netherlands for people living here?

http://www.twenteinside.com/ - I am the community manager. I have made many friends there and we have a lot of activities like: weekly coffee meetings, Yoga and jewellery making workshops, walking, clown training, fitness and photography trips and many others. It’s great fun!

Inside Twente - For Global Minded People

I recently joined an online network which I feel warrants some shouting about. A direct quote from the main page sums up why I want to mention the group here:

"Inside Twente is the network for people who think globally, who are open and ready to help each other. We warmly welcome everybody.If you consider yourself to be global-minded join Inside Twente."

Open people. Ready to help each other. Warm welcome. All things I experienced the day I joined!

The community is the most active and positive I have seen on an expat networking site.... even the forum section is upbeat and full of members looking for advice, opinions and help rather than teeming with negativity like I have seen in some other forums......

The site was set up by Bea Stanford to fill the gap that expats were experiencing in the Twente region and is a great place to meet others, not just those living in Twente, or the Netherlands for that matter, but global minded people based everywhere and anywhere.

The site offers blogging, a chat function, reviews, events, groups, forums, videos, photos, applications and a chance to add friends (in the style of Facebook). New features are being worked on (such as a marketplace) and there is a definite feel that things don't stay still for long on Inside Twente.

Want to join the club? Pop over to http://www.twenteinside.com/ and say hello.

Any Expat Women Entrepreneurs Out There?

Karen Armstrong is a life coach who believes in fostering and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of expatriate women. To this aim she has founded Expat Women Entrepreneurs, an online community of women who share an entrepreneurial spirit and want to connect with each other.

Living abroad, let alone setting up a business as an expat, has it own unique challenges but drawing on the experiences and advice on others can really make a difference.

Karen is an American living in Italy, married to a local and runs her own life coaching business, so she knows first hand the issues facing expat women in both life and business.

Within weeks of the launch of Expat Women Entrepreneurs, Karen contacted me with useful information and links relating to the challenges facing me personally as a writer in the Netherlands. She is pro-active, motivated and passionate about helping others.

If you are a female expat entrepreneur and want to know more visit Karen's website at http://www.expatwomenentrepreneurs.com/ or contact Karen by email at karen@expatwomenentrepreneurs.com

Facebook

I keep my Facebook activity strictly on a social level and my friends list comprises family and friends only. I do not use it as a business tool but some people do and Facebook is flexible enough for you to choose to keep lists separate and use it to promote a business or club.

Positive Aspects

1. I am now in touch with extended family and old school friends that I had previously lost contact with, or had not had communication with for years. I now know what they are all up to, can see photos and videos they post and exchange news easily.
   
2. Facebook allows you to post a a status - basically to let others in your contact list know what you are currently doing or thinking.


3. Photos and videos can easily be posted and you no longer have to send pics by email or send out notifications. You can also make and receive comments on your postings.


4. Facebook is also fun. It has applications that you can post to your profile ranging from simulation games to music, quizzes and blog feeds.


5. It suggests people you may know based on your networks and profile.


6. The site can check your email contacts to see if people you know are already active on Facebook.


7. It has an email box and an instant messaging tool.


8. You can join groups and fan clubs and receive relevant updates.

Negative Aspects

1. It can be addictive and you find you are spending a lot of time doing very little that is actually constructive.


2. Beware of contact requests from people you really don't know. It is known that Facebook is used by some undesirables to gain access to personal details - the answer is simple of course - if you are not sure then decline the request.


3. The search option fields for contacts is limited compared to other networking tools. e.g you can not search on maiden name (correct me if I am wrong!).


4. Facebook was recently given a make over and some applications are struggling to keep up which can be frustrating.

Anyone else got any plus or minus points about Facebook?

Keeping in Touch - Expat Online Networking Tools

Whether you are networking for your career, business or social club, or just want to keep in touch with your family and friends there are many online tools at your disposal. These tools can help you build a network or keep up to date with loved ones, no matter where they are in the world.
Here is a list of those I use;
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Ecademy
InterNations

Over the next few blog posts I will write about the pros and cons and some of the features of these networking tools, starting with Facebook.

Your comments and input on other tools out there in cyberspace are most welcome.

Expatica – “I am Not a Tourist” Fair

If you have unpacked your bags and are planning on staying in the Netherlands a while, or even if your suitcases were abandoned long ago and you are a seasoned expatriate, here's an event for your calendar this weekend.

Sunday (12th October) sees the annual Expatica lifestyle fair "I am not a Tourist" taking place for the fifth year in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam.

The purpose of the "I am not a tourist fair" is to provide expatriates in the Netherlands with information, an opportunity to network and a chance to be entertained. From expatriate banking, insurance, taxation, buying a house, looking for a job or learning the language experts will be on hand to give advice and share their knowledge on a variety of stands.

In addition, there are workshops and presentations planned throughout the day on a wide range of subjects. Here are some of the highlights:

• Curious Orange, a live radio recording by Radio Netherlands Worldwide
  
• Living in Holland – Rent or Buy presented by makelaar.com
  
• Having a Baby in the Netherlands hosted by Truus Gale for ACCESS
  
• Author of 25 books, expatriate and career expert Jo Parfitt is presenting "Forced to Fly" and "How to Have a Career in Your Suitcase"
  
• Down to Earth Meditation for Busy People by Barbara Rogoski


• Women in the Dutch Workplace by Suzy Ogé, Founder and Director of the Women's Business Initiative International
  

Entertainment includes dancing by Extremos on the main stage, stand up comedy from Lambros Fisfis and improv from The Dog Ate my Scenework. The kids have not been forgotten - a bouncy castle and arts and crafts will undoubtedly keep them out of mischief.

For the full programme and timings, visit Expatica. Free tickets are available in advance, or pay 10 euros on the day.

See you there!

ACCESS for All

Last week I got involved with the editorial team of ACCESS magazine. During my eight years in the Netherlands I have heard a lot about ACCESS but have had very little contact with the organisation. As a result of sending in an article I had written, I have suddenly become an ACCESS volunteer and have been doing some proof reading of articles for the autumn edition of the magazine. I hope to do some writing too for the next editions of the publication, and whilst attending a meeting last week I was asked if I could help out with some copy writing in the future. All this was started with one click of the enter button on my laptop!

All in all, ACCESS is providing me with a great opportunity to gain experience in other areas of the writing and publishing world, as well as a chance to network with other expatriates and writers.

ACCESS are looking for volunteers with all sorts of skills and backgrounds, both in the Amsterdam and The Hague offices. If you are interested in helping out then get in contact with the ACCESS team.

Both offices also offer courses and workshops designed for expats living in the Netherlands;

• Dutch language courses
• Orientation for newcomers in the Netherlands
• Childbirth and baby courses
• Personal development
• Job seeking help
• Health & safety
• Caring for yourself
• Legal and tax

Check out the ACCESS website and quarterly magazines for more information.

People People Everywhere, and Not a One I Know...

Moving to a new country, away from family and friends, away from a life you have built up takes a lot of courage. It can be thrilling, there is no doubt about that; meeting new people, creating a new career, experiencing new cultures and learning a new language. It can also be extremely daunting. The key is to get out there and mingle!

There are a number of ways to meet new people who are in the same boat. An expat friend of mine, recently relocated to Ireland, has combined one of her passions with the desire to get to know new people - she has joined a book club. Another friend, not long after becoming a mother, set up a toddler group in her host country Belgium.

From personal experience I know that the Internet can be a treasure chest. I have found other English speaking mothers where I live using expatriate forums and a Dutch site for 'stay at home' mums.

Author, Jo Parfitt, swears by networking. She told me in a recent interview that one of the first thing she does when she moves to a new country is join a professional network, like Connecting Women which is a Hague based organisation.

Here are a few ideas for expanding that social and business network when you land on the watery shores of The Netherlands:

• Join a Parent & Toddler group, and if you cannot find one then start up your own (Parenting in Holland website has a good national overview)
• Women's Professional Networks


• Spouse networks (like the Global Outpost services of Shell)


• Voluntary work (Access is a good place to start in the Hague or Amsterdam areas)


• Book clubs or reading groups (Check out The American Book Center in the Hague and Amsterdam)


• Maternity classes (Access offer English language prenatal courses)


• Sports clubs


• Expat forums


• Expat groups (see the list of clubs and groups on Expatica)


• Take a language course


• Get involved at your children's school with after school activities


• Indulge your hobby - join a choir, a photography or art group


• Sign up for an evening class


• Local libraries have ''story time'' sessions for the children - a win win. Junior is happy and you meet other parents in the area

If you have other ideas you would like to share, or a personal experience that may help others get out and meet new people drop me a line at info@thewritingwell.eu