Bastille Day party in Vancouver

Posted on 03. Jul, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Announcements, Blog
3 comments

Voulez-vous danser avec moi ce soir?

The ADFE (Association of French Expats in Vancouver) is throwing a big Bastille Day party at the Rowing Club in Stanley Park.

Everyone is welcome, so come celebrate with us on July 14 – even if you didn’t support the French team during the World Cup ! (Truth be told, I didn’t either..)

Admission is $10 for members of the Association, and $15 for non-members.

For more details, please contact info@francevancouver.ca
ADFE Facebook page: “francais du monde a vancouver”

See you on the 14th!
Emmanuelle

Canada Day barbecue? Cultural Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on 01. Jul, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life
3 comments

Are you going to a Canada Day barbecue today? Chances are it’ll be a potluck meal, which means that everybody brings a dish to share with the other guests.

Potlucks are fantastic. Everyone makes enough food for a small army, you end up with 7 cheese platters and 6 different desserts… life is good.

However, if this is your first time bringing food to a Canadian party, there are a few do’s and don’ts to keep in mind – after all, you don’t want to be “that guy” who brought the weird dish, do you?

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Being an introvert abroad

Posted on 28. Jun, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life
2 comments

You may remember that last year I was wondering about expatriation and introversion.

This article from the excellent Matador Network touches on the same subject. Be sure to read the comments, as they add a lot to the discussion.

I find that Vancouver has a lot to offer to both extroverts and introverts.

The laid-back atmosphere and the huge numbers of fellow foreigners should give the outgoing folks plenty of opportunities to strike random conversations with strangers.

And what’s not to like about a city where even cab and bus drivers will go out of their way to be helpful and answer your questions?

But Vancouverites can be reserved, too. People generally mind their own business. They don’t pry and they don’t stare at passersby.

For a city its size, Vancouver strikes me as a very gentle kind of place. The pace is unhurried, and there’s enough room for everyone to be who they are and do their own thing.

And then of course there’s the serene, majestic beauty of the landscape, which to me is like instant meditation.

I can’t think of a better place to get lost in your own thoughts, sitting on a log on the beach with a good book, or journalling about your day by the bamboo grove in Dr. Sun Yat-sen Park.

Emmanuelle

PS: Falling squarely in the middle of the extrovert/introvert spectrum myself, I had never realized how many introverts felt pressured to become more extroverted. Is that something you’ve ever experienced personally? How do you cope with that kind of social pressure?

Image: Tofino, author’s own picture

Is The Weather Getting To You? Take A Break!

Posted on 04. May, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life
3 comments

Brrr – it’s been really cool out lately in Vancouver, and the weather doesn’t know what it wants to do.

If the lack of spring weather is getting to you, remember to stay active.

Exercising and getting enough natural light – even when it’s grey out – are the best ways to shake off the winter blahs. So go for a bike ride in Stanley Park, a long walk on Kitsilano beach, or a nice (indoor !) swim at the Aquatic Centre on Beach Avenue.

Need a longer break somewhere sunny?

Do like the Canadians, and book a vacation down in Mexico or Cuba, two favourite destinations for the sun-starved Vancouverites. All-inclusive stays in a beach resort can be pretty inexpensive, and you will soak up enough sun rays (not to mention fruity drinks) to recharge your batteries within a week.

Last-minute update: the Cuban government has just made health insurance mandatory for all foreign tourists. According to the new rules, your insurance policy will only be accepted if it covers medical evacuation by air, which means that MSP (BC health insurance) coverage isn’t enough. Ask your travel agent what additional coverage is available for your trip – if you travel abroad, you should have travel insurance anyway.

Have fun, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Emmanuelle

Image by eNil, via Flickr Creative Commons

Expat Entrepreneurs: A Little Fear Is A Good Thing

Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs
1 comment

While you don’t want to be worried all the time (what a life that would be!), a little fear isn’t a bad thing.

Why? Because it tells you that you’re serious about your business. Especially in the beginning, you’ll notice that fear rears its head when things are about to become very real – launching your first website, making that important phone call, or signing a contract with your first big client.

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Expat Entrepreneurs: Kiss Panic Attacks Goodbye

Posted on 08. Mar, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs, Tools & Resources
0 comments

[Disclaimer: It goes without saying that this post is about your garden-variety work-related worries, not mental health issues. It is not meant as medical advice. If you believe you suffer from actual panic attacks or depression, please seek professional help immediately.]

If you want to get ahead with your business, you can’t afford to let negative feelings affect your productivity and concentration. It’s all too easy to lose hours, if not entire days, to worry, guilt, and sometimes even sheer panic. So what do you do when your stress levels get out of control?

Here’s the method I use to nip negative emotions in the bud – give it a try next time you’re having a bad day.

Play out the worst-case scenario (more…)

Expat Entrepreneurs: What Are Your Emotional Triggers?

Posted on 05. Mar, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs
0 comments

The least you can say is that being an expat entrepreneur gives rise to some strong emotions, especially when it’s your first time running a business or living abroad. You go from stressed out to panicky to strangely euphoric within the same minute. And you desperately yearn for some peace of mind.

The problem is, you cannot productively deal with your feelings unless you define them clearly. It’s like the old management axiom: “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.”

Identify your feelings

So your first course of action should be to put your finger on what it is exactly that you’re feeling.

“Stressed out” is too vague. “Overwhelmed by the number of tasks I have to complete before tonight” and “Afraid to make that important phone call” are much better, because they point to two concrete issues: time management and procrastination. That’s useful information.

Recognise your triggers

The next step is to identify your triggers. When exactly do you switch from your normal mood to Overwhelmed and Afraid? What are the circumstances and the associated feelings? What’s the pattern here?

Be as specific as possible. You may want to take notes, even if some of your triggers may look silly once you write them down – I know mine certainly do! Keep a record of the information you’re uncovering, because it will come in handy further down the line.

In case you’re wondering, you’re not just playing detective for the fun of it, or for the sake of self-knowledge.
Recognising your triggers is important, because with a bit of practice, you’ll be able to take a deep breath, pause, and calm yourself down before your emotions become too distracting. In a matter of minutes, you’ll be back to working efficiently and building a successful business, instead of wallowing in negative feelings and self-pity for hours, if not days.

In the next post, we’ll look at a technique you can use when things get really bad – when you’re not just scared, but downright panicked and unable to focus on your work.

Was this post helpful? Subscribe to the Winning Away newsletter to receive exclusive expat tips and resources in your inbox every month.

Emmanuelle

Images by n0r (top) and Phil Romans (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

Expat Entrepreneurs: How Are You Feeling?

Posted on 03. Mar, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs
1 comment

Do you ever get that unnerving feeling that you’re the only business owner in the world who occasionally gets tired, discouraged or overwhelmed? I know that I do, especially after reading too many high-profile business blogs or Twitter feeds. In those circles, it seems like everyone is cheerfully working 80-hour weeks, and launching new product after new product without the slightest trepidation.

We all know that’s not how it works. Running your own business is often hard, and it can be downright scary. So, enough with these displays of entrepreneurial bravado – it’s time to accept the fact that we’re human beings, not robots.

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Fear And (Self-)Loathing in Expat Entrepreneur Land

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs
0 comments

Scared. Overwhelmed. Freaking out. Guilty. Lost.

Sounds familiar? Welcome to the club! Being an expat is a full-time job, and being a business owner often feels like two or three full-time jobs – combine the two, and something’s got to give.

Fear and stress aren’t glamourous topics. Yet they’re very real, and they can have a disastrous impact on your business. How many talented entrepreneurs have prematurely thrown in the towel and gone back to the perceived “safety” of a day job, just because they couldn’t take the pressure anymore?

Self-employment gurus and glossy business magazines carefully avoid this subject, simply because they don’t have a clue how to deal with the emotional impact of having your own business. Thankfully, there are some quick, easy techniques that can help you manage your stress levels, just like you would manage any other aspect of your business.

Want to know what these techniques are? Stay tuned for our next series of posts (better yet, subscribe by email or RSS in the right sidebar), where we take you from this:

… to this:

(aren’t otters the damn cutest – and most relaxed – critters on earth?)

Do you want more expat tips and resources? Subscribe to the Winning Away newsletter to receive exclusive content in your inbox every month.

Emmanuelle

Images by Flipped Out (top) and mikebaird (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

From Mexico to Vancouver: Expat Interview With Christine Delano

Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Entrepreneurs, Interview
1 comment

Christine Delano is originally from Mexico City, and her mother is Canadian. She has agreed to answer a few questions about her experience as a graphic designer and expat entrepreneur in Vancouver, BC. Through vivid images and evocative words, Christine talks openly about the fear, the loneliness, and the growth we all go through.

A very rich interview, full of inspiring lessons for expats not only in Vancouver, but all over the world.

- Can you tell us what brought you to Canada, and how that move has shaped your career? (more…)