Everyone knows the drill; a rising star is tapped by the boss to fill a new position overseas. The rising star comes home with dollar signs in his eyes but his partner breaks into tears. How can I give up my career? What about schools there? And, where will we live?

These are some of the pressing problems for today's international business executives. Corporations invest heavily in executive relocation and expect the employee to perform. The problem is if the family is unhappy, his productivity is lowered and an unhappy family frequently leads to adjustment problems and assignment failure.

So how can companies get the family to "buy in" and save their investment? New research reveals a more family-centred approach is the best answer.

According to results of the "Many Women, Many Voices" study by the Interchange Institute, women who adjusted better were well prepared with language skills, cultural understanding and career strategies. The study also showed that, while practical advice about every day living is important, it is critical to offer women emotional and social support throughout the entire assignment, not just during the pre-departure planning. Finding that support can be tricky but there are new and exciting resources on the market for expat family members.



Finding Support

A new book titled, "The Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad" is a real how-to manual for newbies as well as veterans. The authors know of what they speak. Melissa Hess and Patricia Linderman are both dependent spouses who have transferred around the world to support their families. The book is filled with practical tips and advice for every situation from the "Ups and Downs of Adjustment" to the "Crash Landing." This book is different from other previous works because it tackles all the taboo topics such as: "what to do if you're still not adjusting," and "confronting poverty and suffering" in your host country.

The chapters on employment are quite valuable and incorporate use of the internet for job opportunities. But the author's notes on transferable skills are remarkable in light of their own success story. The book itself was a project completed while both authors lived abroad. Hess was posted to Kiev, Ukraine while Linderman was posted to Leipzig, Germany. Hess explains, "Patricia and I wrote the book completely over the internet without ever meeting in person. We would send each other drafts of our chapters and make revisions until we completed the manuscript. We finally met in person shortly before the book was published in Maine! It was a wonderful experience for both of us!"

The importance of educating people about what to expect cannot be underestimated, according to Hess. "Clearly, the media has taken notice of expatriates as a target market. I am delighted to see so many new expat resources. I see this as a trend that positively affects the quality of life for expatriates." Some of those new media resources include the monthly section, "At Home Abroad" in The International Herald Tribune (www.iht.com/athome) which was launched in February of this year. Following the competition, The Financial Times has also launched a new expat web page found at www.ftexpat.

com.

The internet was the birthplace of virtual expat networks. Early trailblazers such as www.expatexchange.com and www.tckworld.com have been steadily improving since 1997. Expatexchange.com was a Master's thesis project for creator Betsy Burlingame. She saw a way to use the technology of the internet to reach far-flung expats in order to help one another. The website now lists networks for 140 countries and has helped 500,000 visitors. It is still the best resource to connect with real people currently living in your country of interest.

www.tckworld.com is the home place for Third Culture Kids, a moniker used to describe children of career expats - usually raised outside their own culture, in a series of second cultures, and when assembled together, they then create their own culture, a third one respectively. The site boasts a database of research about TCKs and caters to military brats in a special section called "Operation FootLocker." For anyone who has grown up as a global nomad there is even a special notices area for international school reunions.

Another important website is Tales from a Small Planet, www.talesmag.com. It has become a critical information exchange and a great resource for expat fiction. One vital section is "Real Post Reports" which "offers the real scoop on what it's like to live in more than 100 cities from Accra to Zagreb."

Founder Francesca Kelly says, "Now you can instantly access the informal, honest comments of people who are already living at post. Just one small piece of information, such as "make sure you bring an air cleaner because of severe pollution," can make a huge difference in morale upon arrival, which can set the tone of an entire tour overseas. We also think our email groups and message board are a great place for support and information - they've become, in many cases, online communities of people who feel they know and trust each other. Some have even made an effort to meet each other in person after chatting online." How's that for networking?

Even before September 11, the U.S. State Department website, http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html provided the most up-to-date news about travelling abroad. Now it is an assumed bookmark on every international businessperson's computer. This is the definitive site to learn about recent conflicts. It's also important for a quick read of your destination country's crime scene - everything from pickpockets to carjackings and residential theft.

For those more interested in prevention, "StaySafe!" is a new offering from the publishers of Hello!USA. "StaySafe" lists some good safety reminders and includes a special section about protecting children while overseas. The publisher, Judy Priven, made her mark internationally with "Hello!USA: Everyday Living for International Residents and Vistors" in 1996. It's sort of how-to manual for anyone moving to the US and covers everything from obtaining a social security number to finding a job. Perhaps her most unusual product is "Pets on the Move: A Guide to Moving Your Pet." Priven says "you'd be surprised how many people want to move more than dogs and cats overseas. While writing this I learned all about horse relocation and more!"

Moving pets is nothing compared to moving children. All expats know every age group presents different problems. Disorientated toddlers and depressed teenagers are common challenges to expat families. A big help is the "Let's Move Overseas" (1999, BR Anchor Publishing) children's colouring and activity book. Exercises encourage children to share their feelings and create memory books to carry treasured photos as well as learn about their new country. An equally helpful book by the same publisher is "Home Away From Home," a workbook for adults. Pre-departure checklists include every item and a few you may not have thought of, like choosing an elder care option for your parents while you are away. The back pages even have plastic holders for all the business cards you will accumulate - the movers, the insurance company, the international school principal.

A final resource is a great magazine titled, "Transitions Abroad." Their annual survey of expat resources cannot be matched. Whether you are interested in backpacking your way to Bangladesh or studying at the Sorbonne, this is it. Student internships, language training and exchange programs, they've got it all. But they don't limit themselves to students, this is also the best resource for elder hostels, independent travel and special needs (handicapped) travel options.



Resource List

The Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad, by Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman (2002, Intercultural Press)

International Herald Tribune At Home Abroad at www.iht.com/athome

Financial Times Expat Page at www.ftexpat.com

The Expat Exchange at www.Expatexchange.com

Third Culture Kids at www.TCKWorld.com

Tales from a Small Planet at www.talesmag.com

U.S. State Department Travel warnings at http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

"Hello!USA: Everyday Living for International Residents and Vistors," "StaySafe!," and "Pets on the Move: A Guide to Moving Your Pet" (Hello America Publishers, 2002) at www.hellousa.com.

"Let's Move Overseas" (children's workbook) and "Home Away From Home" (adult workbook (BR Anchor Publishing) at www.branchor.com

Transitions Abroad Magazine at www.transitionsabroad.com

The Expert Expatriate website located at www.expatguide.info/