I’ve met people who, on hearing about all the countries my family have lived in, suggest that I should be worried that our children are doomed to an adult life spent in therapy to recover from their peripatetic childhoods. In reality the things my husband and I worry about for our children are no different than they things that most people worry about: Are they happy? Are they doing well in school? Are they spending time with people who influence them positively? and so on. (If you are reading this, you are probably a parent so you know the drill!).

I have no doubt that their experiences are shaping them as individuals who are fundamentally different than they would have been if they were growing up solely in either of their passport countries.   more ...

We all need support sometimes and I’m not talking about the type of support offered by Spanx that makes you look super-svelte in your figure hugging cocktail dress. I’m talking about the emotional and practical support we get from our families, our communities and our friends.

As accompanying partners we often find ourselves in new countries with an overwhelming list of things to do and emotional issues to deal with but we are doing it all without any of our familiar sources of support. Sometimes we even feel that, because many of the tasks are should be simple (they would be if we were on familiar territory) or perhaps because we are no longer bringing in an income, we should be doing everything ourselves.   more ...

Last month, I wrote about acceptance of your life as it is today as the starting point for creating a fulfilling life overseas. In this month’s article I’ll be discussing building from that foundation and I’ll be focusing on three key elements:

• Mindset
• Values
• Action

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~ Mary Engelbreit

MINDSET – MAKING A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO MOVE FORWARD

Of all the variables which affect an accompanying partner’s happiness in an expat assignment, mindset can be one of the most powerful. Simply put, if you think you are going to be happy, you will most likely be happy.   more ...

The initial flurry of unpacking and getting settled has passed, the excitement of the holidays is over and a more normal routine has begun to prevail.

For many accompanying partners, the realisation of what “normal” life will entail in a new country comes hand-in-hand with a true understanding of what overseas relocation means for their lives on a personal day-to-day basis. Many, even the strongest proponents of the decision to move, find that reality significantly different from expectations and many may doubt the wisdom of their decisions.

You may have thought that it would be a relief to have some time off from the daily grind of managing two careers and all that comes with it or that you would welcome a break as an opportunity for change. Instead you discover that you miss the satisfaction of an intellectual challenge, the independence of your own income, the fulfilment that comes with completing a project and the part of you that is separate from your partner and children.   more ...

January - the beginning of a new year; the time when we look at our lives and resolve to do things differently. Most people set resolutions in January but have often broken them by February. In this article, I’m going to discuss the use of more rigorous goal setting – akin to that used in the workplace – to get more out of expat life. For accompanying partners, whatever your employment status, goal setting can be a meaningful process of evaluation which enables a critical look at life and creates an intention of how to use your time. The article will also give you some tips on how to make your goal setting more effective and pass on some resources that you might find helpful in my own annual goal setting process.   more ...

An expat coaching column at Expat Focus - what a great opportunity to talk about ways to create a fulfilling life and maximise your experience of living in another country. However, if your December is anything like mine, the big picture and forward thinking are distant memories as the focus is on making it through the holiday season with your sanity intact. So with my apologies to those who don’t celebrate at this time of year, this month’s article talks about strategies for a lower stress holiday.


It’s important to acknowledge and recognise that being an expat can add an extra degree of stress to the holiday season. We often travel during the holidays. We celebrate in other people’s homes and need to fit in with their traditions. We live in countries where shopping for gifts is not that easy or postage is expensive. We need to think of luggage allowances when we purchase presents and we’d really like our family members to do the same. Here are some of my strategies (many learned the hard way) for addressing some of those issues.   more ...