Expat interviews
Lauren loves life. You can even feel it in her writing. And it is not like she has not had a few challenges. Just this year, she has had it pretty hard being on lockdown with three children and her husband. But this expat mom, trailing spouse and writer is resilient. She tells us about life in Barcelona doing things that she loves.
Switzerland
Sara is a pharmacist specialising in medical cannabis, who comes from Abruzzo. She has been living in Thurgau, Switzerland, for nearly two years now, where she works in an elderly care home. She talks to us about how hard it is to find a job in this part of the country as a non-German-speaking expat, and about the importance of learning the language before relocating.
Spain
Silvana left Sicily to travel the world. And after living in London and Barcelona, it is in Ayamonte that the young singer decided to try her luck at her craft. Navigating between jazz, swing, bossa nova, pop and rock, Silvana tells us about her expat life as a singer.
Health system
With current travel restrictions and many countries locked down a second time, many expats will have to spend the end of year alone, far from their loved ones. If you're one of them, you might be feeling anxious or depressed by this situation. Gabriela Encina, an expat coach and psychologist, talks to us about the impact of the second lockdown on mental health and gives out some tips to get over this.
USA
Mum, Sabrina and daughter Paola left Rome a year and a half ago to settle in Massachusetts, United States. They moved because Sabrina's husband, an Italo-American, has been working there for some time. And it was an important change to say the least. Both mom and daughter had to adapt to new habits and customs, and Paola joined a college in the perfect American style, like those you only see in movies.
Australia
"If Brexit is voted, we will move to Australia". With these words, Valentina chose to fly to the Land Down Under with her boyfriend in 2016. Originally from Italy, they both lived in London for six years. She talks to us about her everyday life, her plans, and the COVID-19 crisis in Sydney.
Brazil
“We sleep and wake up to the rhythm of the forest”. Lorenzo, an artist and writer and Iside, a naturopath, are an Italian expat couple. Tired of their traditional life in Italy, they chose to relocate to a small ecological village on the coast of Bahia, Brazil, with Leone, their 6-years-old son. In this interview, they talk to us about their choice, their everyday life in the heart of nature and their projects.
USA
Andrea comes from Calabria. After living and studying in Florence for many years, he booked a flight to Portland, in the United States, where he has lived for 13 years now. Driven by his passion for music, he even founded a music band there. In this Interview, Andrea talks about his everyday life and shares his views about the recent US protests and the COVID-19 crisis.
Sweden
Steffy comes from Naples. She left Italy in 2016 to settle in Sweden with her children. An avid blogger, Steffy is also the founder of a non-profit organisation that takes care of children with special needs. She talks to 天美麻豆 about her everyday life and challenges as an expat mom of an autistic child.
USA
The USA is one of the most affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 1.4 million cases and a death toll of over 83,000. While the lockdown is being eased in many countries, it doesn't look like the situation is getting better anytime soon. Anna, a Bulgarian expat, who lives in Chicago, shares her views about the pandemic with 天美麻豆.
England
The coronavirus pandemic has brought many expatriates around the world on the frontline in various fields. Nilesh Sewpaul is a Mauritian doctor practising in Birmingham, UK. He talks about how the UK has been dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak and shares his personal feelings, away from his family.
USA
Like most countries around the world, the USA haven't been spared by the coronavirus pandemic. This unprecedented health crisis is having a significant impact on every sector of the US economy. Sylvain Perret, a real estate specialist from France, talks about the slowdown in the USA and gives out some precious tips for those looking to do business abroad.
Health system
The COVID-19 spreading like wildfire all over the world is taking its toll on the global economy. The unprecedented health crisis is currently paired with an economic crisis with significant repercussions on practically all sectors. Hervé Gindre, a French entrepreneur in Morocco, shares his views about the economic slowdown.
Malaysia
He left his office job to become a stay at home dad in Malaysia while his wife is a teacher in an international school. And he has been pretty busy since: from following people into supermarkets because he might have spotted new friends for his young daughter, to his very first dress up day… David tells us about being able to take his children swimming everyday and about the difficulty of not being the breadwinner anymore, among others.
USA
Francine Prewitt is the founder of Prewitt Law, a New York law firm specializing in business law and immigration law. Francine mainly helps foreign entrepreneurs and start-ups to set up their company in the United States.
Moving
A bit more than a year after moving back to France, Caroline Szipira tells 天美麻豆 about the process of moving home from living abroad.
USA
Moving abroad on your own is no easy feat. Some might argue that it is particularly hard when you're a woman. So on this International Women's Day, 天美麻豆 celebrates the wonderful women who have made the big move abroad. Here's Lisa… she's a French girl who pursued the dream of studying Film in Los Angeles!
USA
The American professional etiquette bears no secret for Gilbert Croze. Building on his thirty years experience in professional dealings, the French man, who started as an engineer, has even co-written a book on this subject. After a training course at Stanford, Gilbert Croze was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Matra Aerospace Inc. in Washington. Back in France, he specialises in intercultural management and has trained executives from some of the most prominent French companies.
Other Types
Schools & studies
Starting at a new school used to be about standing in lines, printing folders of documents, and going on campus tours. Today, in many schools, the enrollment process looks very different. Lots of things can be done online – and sometimes the first time you and your child will step foot in the new school will be on the actual first day. For expats and their kids, this is a trend that works in their favor. Because now they can explore, apply, interview, tour, and even enroll in a school before they are even there. Here's how it works.
Work
More people than ever are considering entrepreneurship abroad. While securing a visa, funding and the right legal status are important, long-term success depends on much more. Before launching a business overseas, what are the key questions every entrepreneur should ask themselves?
Everyday life
The biggest difference between moving counties and moving continents is the distance. Duh, you might think. But it's not only the physical distance itself. It's also how this distance feels. Moving from Spain to Germany is a big life change. But not quite as big as moving from Germany to Brazil. You are now a Transatlantic flight away from everything that you used to know as home. And even if the culture may not be that different, everything else probably is.
New Zealand
Since June 1, foreign workers seeking certain work visas in New Zealand have been subject to new English language requirements. The government says the changes are intended to improve migrant integration and help prevent workplace exploitation.
Work
Working in an office can feel really isolating. True, you are surrounded by people. But everyone around you is busy, working on their projects and meeting their deadlines. Take this situation abroad, and you are adding in language barriers, cultural differences, workplace misunderstandings… Before you know it, you may find yourself turning to ChatGPT for social comfort, and liking it. But in this article, we want to explore why human connection in the workplace still matters, especially for expats. And why you absolutely should have a work buddy, and how to find one.
Sweden
Since June 1, Sweden has tightened its work permit regulations. The new rules introduce higher salary requirements, stricter conditions for seasonal workers, mandatory health insurance in some cases, and increased scrutiny of employers.
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