Tuesday, November 30, 2010
...Have Been Sent
Sucking up to the old man… To My Best Friend Santa Claus
 |
| Chloe's letter was sealed... she doesn't trust us! |
 |
| Quick iPhone picture before it is sent to the North Pole |
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
...Do You Recognize Yourself?
A couple of articles from the Expat Info desk make me laugh... So what kind of expat are we? I would say I recognized myself most in the ‘Seasoned Expat’ but have to say that while most of the description of the ‘Pampered Expat’ made me cringe…I’m totally guilty of 5-star hotel treatment in Asia and we did indeed enjoy Champagne Brunch at a International Hotel a couple of time in Beijing!!
5 Expat Types You May Meet When Living Overseas
Many people believe that expats are the same the world over. Is there really a typical expat type?
In this article we take a lighthearted look at some of the expat types you may bump into when living overseas. The article is included as a bit of fun and is certainly not intended to cause any offense!
The Ruthless Career Expat
Your sole objective for living abroad is to further your career and get rich. You don’t care where you’re based and what conditions you may have to live in; the worse the conditions the more money they’ll have to pay you, right? You’re not really interested in the culture or history of your host country, just what fringe benefits are on offer and how much danger money you can expect. If you’re asked about what attracted you to the prospect of living in your host country you will probably reply: “Nothing. My company sent me here.”
The Pampered Pooch
You’re keen to live abroad and experience life in a different country but have no interests in living like a local and expect luxury and indulgence all the way. You probably live in a top-of-the-range luxury apartment and spend all of your time with people from a similar background to your own. You have taken the time and effort to learn some of the local language but have done so with the express aim of showing-off to your visiting friends and relatives. You travel quite frequently but have seen the majority of the world from the comfort of your five star hotel with a personal driver/tour guide in tow. You are most likely to be found enjoying champagne brunch at an international hotel on a Sunday afternoon.
The Seasoned Expat
You are addicted to the excitement of relocating and have lived in several different countries. Moving abroad at the drop of a hat does not faze you in the slightest. Each time you tell yourself that this move is your last but every time a new opportunity arises you simply can’t say no. Your Facebook friend list consists of people all over the world and the majority of your relatives have lost track of where you actually live. It’s rare that you can spend the entire evening in someone’s company without uttering the phrase, “When I lived in…”
The Hippie
You’ve moved abroad with the hope of discovering yourself and achieving true karma. You avoid the other expats like the plague, choosing to immerse yourself in the local culture and language. You consider yourself an expert on the “real” experience in your host country and you live quite comfortably on less than $5 USD a day. You find it difficult to have a conversation with someone without noticing the color of their aura but that is rarely an issue as you are happier in the company of your entourage of stray dogs anyway. You can be identified by your tie-dyed shirt and oversized canvas shoulder bag, which you believe are organic and sustainable but are, in reality, mass-produced imports from India.
The Party Animal
You’re young and single and living life to the max. You work hard and party hard and, for you, life abroad is all about one thing; pleasure. You’re most likely to be found in an expatriate bar, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and sharing stories of drunken debauchery. The only elements of the local language that you have bothered to learn involves rude words and insults and you regularly shout these across the bar at your fellow expat party animals. You certainly do enjoy life but there's an inherent risk that you won't remember much of you're experiences overseas when you do eventually return home.
Do you see yourself in any of these expatriate types? Are there any other types that you have come across during your own experiences living overseas?
Another article was about the personality traits of a happy Expat. ‘Being Open and Ready to Embrace New Challenges’ has been the one thing for me that made the moves easier and I also ‘Work at It’. I have also learnt to ask for help. I talked a little about the Expat community
here
6 Personality Traits of a Happy Expat
Earlier this year The Economist Intelligent Unit issued a special report on expatriate life entitled, Up and Out. Next Moves for the Modern Expatriate. In the report they looked at expatriate personality types and questioned, “What makes a successful expatriate?”
According to their research findings, a staggering 73% of expatriates surveyed believed that cultural sensitivity was the most important contributory factor for successful life abroad. Other traits such as foreign language skills, ability to network, previous experience of living abroad and ability to lead by example were also named as being important qualities for expats.
In this article we provide our own insights into what makes a happy expatriate and explore some of the personalities traits that the average successful expatriate seems to possess.
Expat Personality Traits
1. Organized. Planning ahead can remove a significant amount of stress from the process of moving abroad and will assist you to settle in much faster. Remember that you are planning for two major events; leaving an old life and starting a new one, and both of these require a great deal of attention. When you first start to make planning for international relocation it can be overwhelming and you may start to question if the move is even possible. The best approach is to remain calm and divide the plans into small manageable chunks. If you feel that you could benefit from a sample plan then please see our free moving checklist template. It contains a 90-day planner listing common tasks that expatriates need to complete when moving overseas and can be a valuable starting point for your own planning activities.
2. Open and ready to embrace new challenges. Moving overseas means facing changes, and unless you are ready and willing to accept these changes then the move will result in a complete disaster. Successful expats are often those who look forward to new experiences and lifestyles and are ready and willing to embrace them. No doubt things will be different in your host country but, instead of focusing of what your temporary home isn’t, you should be accepting of what it is. Don’t complain about bureaucracy or how things are don’t differently, just accept that this is the way it is- for now at least. You can’t exactly recreate your previous life in your host country and the sooner you realize that, the better. Open yourself up to the life and culture in your host country and give as many new opportunities a go as you can. No doubt things will sometimes go wrong but be prepared to roll with the punches, put any unexpected difficulties down to bad experience and quickly move on to find out what else your new life overseas has to throw at you.
3. Prepared to ask for help. Being proud and refusing to ask other people for help and advice will get you nowhere when living abroad as an expat. Everyone needs help and guidance and the sooner you start to approach others for insights into life in your host country, the quicker you will be able to learn about all the idiosyncrasies associated with it and how to avoid unnecessary obstacles. Expats are generally a friendly lot and the majority of them jump at the first opportunity to help a new arrival. Join online expat networks or social groups and introduce yourself as a newbie. Feel free to ask all those burning questions that you have and you’ll quickly be surrounded with willing volunteers who are more than happy to share their pearls of wisdom and show you the ropes. Through being prepared to ask others for help you will save your own valuable time and potentially make some friends in the process.
4. Willing to take a risk. When you first move abroad you really do not know what awaits. You enter into an unknown territory where anything could happen. This is a significant risk, especially if you are very happy in your home country. The most effective expats are the ones who embrace this risk and acknowledge that the move may not be permanent and that there is no harm whatsoever in sampling life abroad. At the end of the day, if it all goes pear-shaped, you can always return home. Through taking that step into the unknown you have the potential to enjoy a unique experience and truly alter your perception on life. Embrace it as a positive thing and let life take you where it will.
5. Ready to embrace the culture of their host country. Quite often the most successful expatriates are those that wholeheartedly embrace the culture and traditions of their host country. Instead of moving overseas and forming associating purely with other expats, they are ready and willing to mix with the local people and integrate as fully as they can. Through doing so, these people start to adjust much more quickly as they are in a better position to understand the country they are living in and can begin to make the most of the opportunity that has been presented to them. One of the best methods of demonstrating to the local people that you are making an effort to fit in with them is to attempt to learn the language. You don’t need to be fluent, but simply trying to communicate in your host country’s language will demonstrate your efforts and the local people will appreciate it.
6. Prepared to work at it. Every change and challenge requires work and effort and you would be naive to think that moving overseas is any different. Don’t expect everything to be right first time and do expect to have low points when you feel frustrated or lonely and just want to get on the first flight back home. Being a happy expat means accepting that sometimes you will feel sad. The work you put into making a new home for yourself abroad will be rewarded many times over and every challenge you overcome will make you feel stronger.
Have you experience of relocating to a new country? What personality traits do you think were the most effective in helping you to settle in and enjoy life in your host country? We’d love to know what you think.
And finally a last one on the fantastic reason why you should pack up and relocate overseas. ‘Broadening our horizons’ (and the kids’) is probably our main reason. I personally love to experience new culture and meet new people I wouldn’t have met (I talked about it
here) which links to point 2: ‘Travel and Explore’. We do a lot of this and again I think because of those opportunities Chloe and Jeremy have a better view and understanding of the world around them.
7 Fantastic Reasons Why You Should Pack up and Relocate Overseas
If you are considering international relocation but seem to be able to formulate more reasons why you should stay at home than why you should move overseas, then let us step in and provide you with some reasons why moving abroad may be the best thing that you ever do.
7 Fantastic Reasons Why You Should Pack up and Relocate Overseas
1) Broaden Your Horizons - When you relocate overseas you are often forced to experience a new culture and form social networks with people with whom you would previously never had an opportunity to mix with. These experiences will teach you a lot about yourself and the life you lead, and you will often gain a new perspective of what matters in life. Seeing the world from a different place will force you to look at things differently and question previously held assumptions. Overall it will be a truly rewarding experience.
2) Travel and Explore - Living overseas as an expat offers you an opportunity to travel extensively and, once you have gained confidence by making the initial leap abroad, you will probably be keen to explore the surrounding countries and areas. The majority of expats have travelled extensively and they are interesting people to spend time with. You may only have one chance at life so make the most of it by exploring the world you live on.
3) Gain Confidence and Independence - There is no two ways about it; moving overseas for the first time can be daunting and stressful. However, as the old adage goes, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. By taking the leap into the unknown you will learn more about yourself and your capabilities and ultimately you will gain in confidence. You will quickly learn that you are capable of anything you put your mind to and you will be more likely to take more rewarding risks in the future.
4) Advance Your Career - In a 2010 survey by The Economist, it was revealed that 80% of respondents were of the opinion that a stint abroad in a major emerging market would aid career progression. While this may not be guaranteed, time working overseas will undoubtedly improve your resume and offer you learning experiences that you would not have had in your home county; this can only be beneficial to you in the long run.
5) Save Money - A great deal of expat opportunities abroad offer individuals an opportunity to save money. This could be because the cost of living is lower in the host country, and/or there are lower taxes, and/or you are offered an attractive salary for relocating overseas. If this is the case, a few years living and working abroad can offer you an opportunity to really boost your savings and, in many cases, it can set you up for life.
6) Improve Your Standard of Living - In a recent survey by banking giant HSBC, it was revealed that a large number of expatriates have chosen their host country as a permanent abode and plan to remain there for many years to come as a result of the higher standard of living they experience there. According to HSBC, expats experience shorter commutes to work, enjoy better weather and benefit from shorter working weeks.
7) Have More Fun - For the majority of people who experience it, life abroad is fun. Expatriates are generally a very sociable group and often use the fact that they are away from home as a base common denominator. It often appears that there are an endless stream of parties, social events and activities. Getting involved is very easy and the majority of expats have a hectic social calendar.
Source: Expatinfodesk.com/news
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
...My Little Canon
Photography has kept me sane here and on days like this I don’t mind freezing my butt to take picture around the fjord.
 |
Hafrsfjord
Click to enlarge |
|
Friday, November 19, 2010
...Bear Hunt Girls SPA Weekend
Flight leaves at 5.40am...!!!
Uz redzēšanos Stavanger ... ...Sveiki Rīga.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
...Coffee In the Afternoon
Lazy day at home and eating the rest of last night French Patisserie Class!!
 |
| Morning tea & "Petit Fours" |
 |
| Afternoon coffee & "Tartelettes" |
.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
….If I Want To
Today was one of those days where I didn’t recognize myself.
Monday is usually ‘Me’ day; meaning I can stay in my comfy jeans & tshirt combo and do whatever I please. This usually implies lazing around the house, tidying the house after the weekend in between session of intense computer catching up (blog, photography, photoshop, gossip and everything in between) but lately my scheduling skills haven’t been very good and I find I have to go grocery shopping on that day (apparently I have a husband and 2 kids to feed… every.single.day).
Anyhow I also learned my lesson not to go to the grocery store first thing in the morning (read 9am) because that’s a total waste of my time. You see the stores open at 9am which mean everybody who works at the store also starts at 9am… yep you read that right and since the stores are closed on Sunday, there aren’t a lot of customers at 9am (locals know that kind of thing) but a lot of people restocking shelves. I went once at 9am and had to go again in the afternoon since fresh produce where almost non existent and I went home with only half of what was on my shopping list.
Long story short, because I didn’t intend to talk about my experience of grocery shopping but rather on getting pissed off!! As I was driving back home after my trip to the store, I was about to pull onto my little neighborhood and because we live near a school I drive very slowly, especially around 1.30-2.30 since it’s end of school day. As I was turning a corner I saw two kids walking on the sidewalk and about to cross, so I stopped. One of the kids crossed and I looked at the other kids and made eye contact. He shook his head to tell me he wasn’t going to cross. As I started to drive again he feinted to cross (‘pretend to run in front of the car’) with a smile (or was it a laugh?) on his face. My heart jumped in my chest and that’s when I think I got a out of body experience because I could see myself looking at my right hand pulling the hand-break while my left hand was opening the door. I told the kid to NEVER.DO.THAT.AGAIN. He replied with a ok, yes. Not sure he understood me but I’m pretty sure he’s not going to pull that trick again.
As I was continuing my journey home I realized how un-me this was. I would usually look back at the kids and give him the evil eye and that’s about it… I don’t know what possessed me but I think he learned his lesson. I of course prepared a little story in my head in case the mom would come knocking on my door to tell me to mind my own business and I would have a great response of how I don’t let my kids run around free and decided to be a stay at home mom and blah, blah, blah… but I think I got carried away (well at least in my head) about another issue of how most people makes you feel guilty because you’ve decided be a stay at home mom and wonder what you must be doing all day long --fyi: we eat cake and drink tea/coffee while watching old reruns on TV and only starts ‘working’ 10 minutes before Dear Husband comes back home so we can pretend we are exhausted ;-))--. Told the kids my little story when I picked them up from the bus stop; that’s what we do us stay at home mom, we pick up kids from bus stop/school and take them home and tell them NEVER TO FEINT STREET CROSSING IN FRONT OF A CAR EVER.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
...Farsdagen
Thanks you Google for letting me know that today was Father’s Day in Norway.
We were already aware that we celebrated multiple
Mother’s Days with Argentina celebrating their Mother on the
third Sunday in October (
Día de la Madre - that’s for Chloe), The UK celebrate theirs on
4th Sunday of the Lent or
3 weeks before Easter Sunday (
Mother’s Day - that’s for Jeremy) then we have the French one
"Fête des Mères” (
last Sunday in May) and for the USA it’s on the
second Sunday in May.
For three year we also celebrated with the Chinese (
母亲节 Mu3 Qin1 Jie2) and thankfully it’s the same Sunday than in the USA and we now had to adjust to the
Second Sunday of February to be in accordance to the local customs!
Father’s day had always been easier to keep track since it seems that it’s mostly celebrated on the same Sunday in June. Well not in Norway apparently so
Happy Farsdag!!.
Friday, November 12, 2010
...Vs New York
After last post I came upon the website of this French graphic designer illustrating the differences and/or similarities between New York and Paris.
Un match visuel amical entre ces deux villes, c'est le regard d'un amoureux de Paris sur un New York rempli de détails, de clichés et de contradictions : suivez le guide.
A visual but friendly match between those two cities seen by a lover of Paris wandering through New York's infinite details, clichés and contradictions : this way, please.
You can follow his chronicle of the 2 cities on his
blog or
facebook
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
...Silhouettes Making
I had a little free time and I’ve been back into making silhouettes; mostly as a little extra birthday present for Chloe or Jeremy’s friends. But here’s mine:
A few years ago I made this silhouette type to illustrate a “East Meets West” invitation card with a “Paris Vs Beijing” landscape
Last year I made this family silhouette:
 |
| The Suiter's in 2009 |
This is this year version:
 |
| The Suiter's in 2010 |
.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
...Baby Shower
Hanging out with the young crowd of Stavanger means I’m back on the Baby Shower Circuit. This time it we were celebrating Cynthia’s baby with a Surprise Baby Shower. Cynthia is from Singapore and is married to a Norwegian.
I was probably one of the oldest if not the oldest but it’s a great group.
 |
| Surprise! |
 |
| Cute present |
 |
| Group Picture |
Thursday, November 4, 2010
...Eleven!
This cracks me up. I would never go anywhere with my (cute?) accent!!.
Letters To Santa….
