The Grrreat Goal Review, Autumn 2009 Edition

Posted on 09. Oct, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Announcements, Blog, Tools & Resources
4 comments

If you’ve ever hired me for coaching sessions, you know that every few months, I’ll ask you to review your goals and make sure that they are still in line with what you really want.

Every now and then, I even take my own advice (you know what they say about the cobbler’s children!) and have a good, hard look at my plans for the future.

The results of the Grrreat Goal Review, Autumn 2009 edition?

A new look for the blog and the main site

In fact, the overhaul goes way beyond looks, but I am a little bit in love with the great design and sleek interface that the wonderful Men With Pens created for me. If you ever need help with your blog, ebook design or any kind of copywriting, I highly recommend the Men – they are super professional, reasonably priced, and funny to boot!

If you are reading the blog entries via RSS or email subscription, 1) thanks for subscribing, you rock! and 2) click here to have a look at the new design.

New services and products in the works

As of next month, I will be devoting less time to one-on-one sessions, in order to focus on creating a bunch of new stuff that I hope will make a difference in your life abroad.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE one-on-one sessions. I love talking to you individually, finding out what makes you tick, what is holding you back, and putting our heads together to find ways to make your expat life better. It’s fun, it’s powerful, and we’re getting great results.

But there’s no denying that these sessions are a significant investment in time, energy and money. I know lots of expats who need support, but cannot see themselves investing in ongoing individual coaching. So it is my hope that through small-group sessions, 1-hour targeted consultations, and ebooks/workbooks, they will be able to get the help they need.

Next steps?

All right, now that I have publicly announced all of this… I’d better get writing! (<– in pompous management jargon, this is what is called building accountability and commitment. In other words, I told you I’d do all this just to ensure that I stop procrastinating and actually do it. Because if I don’t, you guys will laugh me off the internet, or something. Note that I – craftily – avoided committing to a timeline or a launch date. That’s the kind of trick you’re not allowed to use when I am coaching you, but hey, this is my blog so I’ll cheat if I want to! I wonder how much longer this parenthetical aside can go on. This is getting silly. OK, I’ll end it here.)

And on that note, I’m off to start cooking for our Canadian Thanksgiving, which is this weekend. In true expat fashion, we’re going to a potluck where none of the guests are originally from Canada, and we’re all bringing a dish from our birth country.

Our East Indian hosts are making lamb masala, my significant other is bringing his favourite South African wine and boerewors sausages, and I am putting together a spread of Provencal-style appetizers: cold cuts, grilled vegetables, tapenade, pissaladière and ratatouille.

Have a great weekend!

Emmanuelle

Images by jazzmasterson (top) and alasam (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons.

Short Trips: The Best Cure For What Ails You?

Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Musings & Inspiration
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Feeling homesick? Wondering if your host country will ever feel like home?

Fight fire with fire: take a short trip!

No, I haven’t lost my mind. I know you may feel that the last thing you need right now is yet more travel and commotion. Yet a little road trip is exactly what the doctor ordered, as it will help you:

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Road Trips – They’re The Best!

Posted on 05. Oct, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Musings & Inspiration
2 comments

I just came back from a glorious road trip to Seattle, complete with a Sex Pistols sing-along in the car, a rockin’ Loaded show in Capitol Hill and an epic attempt at siphoning gas out of our own tank (don’t ask!)

If this post sounds more rambling than usual, that may be due to lack of sleep, residual giddiness at seeing one of my favourite musicians on stage again after a 17-year wait (!), or the overall feeling of adventure and lightheartedness that, to me, goes hand-in-hand with a road trip.

If you’re suffering from the dreaded expat slump, if you want to expand your horizons or if you just need something to put a bit of excitement back in your life, pick a destination, hop in the car and go on an adventure!

Road trips are a fantastic way to create lasting memories of your host country. You’ll fondly remember them years after you’ve moved on to your next assignment. And if you’re settled for the long haul, there’s nothing like a little jaunt to a nearby region – or country! – to remind yourself why you became an expat in the first place. Give yourself a rejuvenating shot of travel, discovery and anticipation!

Have a safe drive, and don’t forget to pack good music for the road…

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Emmanuelle

Image by Wolfgang Staudt, via Flickr Creative Commons

Connecting: Expat Skill Par Excellence?

Posted on 02. Oct, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Musings & Inspiration
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You may remember that a couple weeks ago, as we were exploring some unexpected benefits of culture shock, I listed some traits that make expats in general a cool bunch of people to be around.

Well, another one occurred to me recently, while I was hosting an expat meetup. I watched complete strangers effortlessly break the ice and get deep into discussion of their life stories, their hopes, their dreams, and sometimes their fears.

It was a beautiful thing to see – instant fellowship, immediate connection. Skip the small talk, go straight to the meaningful stuff. All because we had gone through similar experiences, had faced the same challenges and had had our share of eye-opening moments while living abroad.

If that ability to reach out, establish rapport and connect in a meaningful way is not an amazing asset, I don’t know what is.

Don’t forget to subscribe via RSS or email to get new expat tips and resources, three times a week!

Emmanuelle

Image by Micah J. Walter, via Flickr Creative Commons