When you first moved to a new country, what were the top 3 things that helped you the most to settle down and adapt to your new life?

Most of the answers given by LinkedIn users revolved around 3 themes:

- The practical stuff: utilities, paperwork, finding a permanent place to live
- Doing your homework: getting the lay of the land and learning about your new country
- Making new friends, and finding people you can learn from

My Top 3 would be:

1. Getting my bearings as soon as possible
2. Exploring the city on foot
3. Learning where / how the locals socialize… and joining them!

What about you?
If you had to move on to a new country tomorrow, what would be most useful for you to do or know about?

Please share your own Top 3 in the comments!

Was this post useful? Subscribe to the newsletter to get more expat tips and resources, delivered straight to your inbox!

Emmanuelle

Images by NickPiggott (top) and johnbullas (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons

1. Learn to sell yourself

Forget about letting your resume do the talking – especially if it’s the dry, chronological curriculum vitae type. The sad truth is that foreign credentials and work experience just don’t mean much to employers here. Even with a top degree and an exemplary career path, you must learn to sell yourself.

If you find this idea uncomfortable, grab a copy of Brag! by Peggy Klaus. Her no-nonsense, step-by-step approach shows you how to talk about your own accomplishments and skills without being pushy or obnoxious about it.

Keep selling yourself once you’re hired. If you want a raise, more shifts, or a better job, doing excellent work isn’t enough – you have to make sure your boss notices you.

2. Broaden your horizons

Make a habit of accepting invitations, suggestions, and new ways of doing things. Attend a variety of events, even if you think they’re “not your thing” – you never know who you’ll meet at the gallery opening or at the Chinese New Year parade.

If someone suggests a new way to network or to look for a job, try it! And do give it a good try, even if you have your doubts about it. There’s plenty of time later to keep what works and stop doing what doesn’t.

Reach out beyond your own community for support. Expats from other countries understand what you’re going through just as well as your fellow countrymen. And because they come from a different background, they can bring you new insights, or open new doors for you.

3. Seek consensus and harmony, not conflict

Conflict makes Canadians very uncomfortable. This may be particularly true in Vancouver, which has a reputation for being a laid-back and tolerant city.

So if you have a problem with, say, your bank or a utility company, being calm, polite and cooperative will get you much further than yelling or being rude and demanding.

When you talk to Canadians, emphasize the positive and refrain from criticizing too much (even harmless complaints about the weather or the traffic – the point is you don’t want to be seen as a negative person). Similarly, avoid sarcastic humour, friendly barbs, or playing the devil’s advocate, unless you know the other person well.

At work, seeking consensus, and being generally friendly and likeable are very important interpersonal skills.

4. Remember that Vancouver isn’t Montreal or Toronto

Vancouverites take their work/life balance seriously, and cultivate an informal workplace culture – which doesn’t mean unprofessional, just casual and relaxed. Don’t expect a city as businesslike and work-oriented as Toronto, or as sophisticated and “European” (for lack of a better word) as Montreal.

If you used to live in another Canadian province before coming to Vancouver, it could take time to adjust to the laid-back style of the West Coast.

You may have to tweak the job search strategies you’ve used in other parts of the country. Keep an open mind, and take your cues from other expats who’ve been here for a while.

5. Have a contingency plan

Do you have enough savings to see you through the first year, including any medical emergencies? Remember that BC health coverage will only kick in 3 months after you apply for it, so you’ll need private health insurance in the meantime.

If things get tough, how will you know it’s time to call it quits? What will you do then – go back home, or move on to another country? How will that work on a practical level?

It can take about 6 months to find a stable, “interesting” job, and 3 to 5 years to get back to a position comparable to the one you had back home. Finding little jobs to pay the bills is easy; building a career is a completely different ballgame. This is the #1 reason why expats end up leaving Vancouver, so keep that in mind, and plan accordingly.

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images via thehoneybunny (top) and jypsygen (bottom), via Flickr Creative Commons

Since other expats (you, maybe?) may have similar questions, I have decided to compile a little FAQ over a few posts, and to put said posts up permanently somewhere on the website for easy reference.

All right – let’s rock and roll! For starters, here are a few things you need to know about Vancouver.

Is Vancouver really such a great place to live?

In a nutshell: yes, yes and oh yes!
Vancouver consistently ranks among the best places to live in the world, and with good reason.

- Natural beauty
Vancouver is a stunningly beautiful city. The landscapes and the greenery are so arresting that they’re part and parcel of the quality of life here.

The many beaches, hiking trails, provincial parks and ski resorts minutes away from downtown are a nice perk too.

- Quality of life
You’ll find all the amenities of big-city life here, without the rush and crowds of your typical major city.
Vancouver is clean, easy to navigate, and very safe for a city its size – a definite plus if you’re a woman.

- Diversity and tolerance
40% of Vancouverites were born outside of Canada, so you’ll feel right at home among other expats.
Tolerance is a fundamental Canadian value, and you’ll fit in no matter what your skin colour, your religion or your sexual orientation.
And of course, you’ll get to enjoy the fantastic food and captivating celebrations that come with such ethnic diversity.

What Vancouver isn’t

- An Eldorado for young professionals
You don’t come to Vancouver to build up your savings, or to advance your corporate career. Rents and real estate are very expensive, and there are comparatively few “good jobs” to be had (most corporate headquarters for Western Canada are in Calgary, not Vancouver).
It’s not a bad place to start your own business, though, especially if you’re building a location-independent career.

- A nightlife hotspot
My friend Melanie summed it up perfectly in our recent interview: Vancouver is a great place to raise children, but if you’re young, single and wanting to party, keep looking. Early closing times, antiquated liquor bylaws, and a focus on outdoor activities translate into a lacklustre nightclub scene.

- Sunny
While Vancouver weather is ridiculously mild by Canadian standards, it does rain an awful lot here. If you suffer from SAD, that’s definitely a concern.
On the other hand, if you want to live in Canada but extreme temperatures aren’t your thing, coastal BC is just what you need!

Do you have other questions about what it’s like to live in Vancouver, BC? Leave a comment or send me an email!

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized relocation advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by Road Fun (top) and janusz I (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

Or what if you hate your current job and would rather gouge your eyes out than go for the same type of position, thank you very much?

Great points. As always. Please keep the questions coming; I love to hear what’s on your mind! Also, we’re in luck today, because generating ideas is one of my favourite activities in the world, and I do have some good resources for you.

Resources, from the predictable to the unexpected

- Work your way through “I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was” by Barbara Sher (I reviewed it here). You can also try “What Color Is Your Parachute?” which takes a slightly more conventional approach. Personally, I prefer “I Could Do Anything”.

- Download “Focus” by Betsy Burroughs, and try some of the exercises she suggests. This is a book about creativity and idea generation, not job-hunting. Highly recommended if you feel completely stumped, or if you want a career change and need to think creatively about what to do next.

- Follow a lot of very different people on Twitter – no, you won’t be able to keep up with every update, but you’re bound to find interesting resources there. Or watch a bunch of TED talks on YouTube. When you stumble across people whose job or ideas you think are really great, Google them and find out how they got there.

- Use mind maps to organise your ideas. They’re much better suited to creative thinking than ordinary lists, because they’re not linear. You can break down, branch off or expand on any idea/keyword on your map, and then you can link them together to stimulate further brainstorming.

- Dig up forgotten dreams. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a teenager, what field did you want to study, before you opted for something “more reasonable”? Is the passion still there? If so, start making plans to rekindle the dream!

Still nothing?

- Coming up empty? Getting overwhelmed or discouraged? Walk away from it – go do something completely different, like gardening or yoga. Allow your brain to relax, and it will reward you with fresh ideas when you least expect them – keep a notebook handy so you can jot them down.

- Along the same lines, distract your brain from the issue at hand by giving it something else to puzzle over. Preferably something that uses different thinking modes. When I get writer’s block, I play online sudoku – the more difficult the better. Ideas usually start flowing again within 10-15 minutes.

- Get help from other people. Why not ask your friends to suggest careers that would be a good fit for you – things they can tell you’re talented at, or jobs you’d be happy in?

- If you’re brainstorming on your own, find an accountability partner, and commit to a minimum number of new ideas you’ll come up with weekly. 15 ideas? What about 30? And why not try for a hundred? The idea here is to stretch your brain – setting an outrageously high goal will, paradoxically, make it easier to pull out all the stops and get truly creative.

- Hire a coach for a couple of sessions to help you brainstorm, clarify your goals and narrow down your options. I offer a special 3-session package just for that – the first session is all about generating ideas and picking the best ones, then the other two sessions are for follow-up and implementation. Less expensive than ongoing coaching, and a worthwhile investment with immediate results!

Parting words of wisdom (or something close)

OK, I know I’m getting dangerously close to Tony Robbins, rah-rah you can do it territory here (as an aside, if I ever turn into one of these over-the-top “motivational coaches”, please feel free to beat me with a large stick. Or at least shoot me an email so that I can beat myself with a large stick.)

Alright. Where was I?

Oh yes – there is something that you absolutely must do, and that is trusting your own creativity. None of that “But I don’t knooow what I wanna dooo!” or “I’m not good at coming up with new ideas!”

Nonsense. Come on, we expats solve problems and come up with new ways of doing things all the darn time. Expats have been proven to be more creative than average. So stop self-censoring the ideas you already have.

Leave behind your fear of making the wrong choice. Pay closer attention to your true aspirations and desires, and you’ll be amazed at how many ideas you spontaneously generate – promise!

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by sirwiseowl (top), khilwat (middle) and chiefmoamba (bottom), all via Flickr Creative Commons

This approach has a certain mystique among international job-seekers: the thrill of the unknown. Earning your expat stripes the hard way. Demonstrating your flexibility and your determination. Isn’t it glamourous?

Well, maybe but it is also dangerous. Not foolhardy dangerous, no – you will find a job once you get there, I am not worried about that – but the unintended consequences kind of dangerous.

Taking whatever entry-level job you can find is a double-edged sword. In fact, it has far more edges than that, but that would be a funky-looking sword, a bit like those 20-sided dice used for Dungeons & Dragons… let’s not even go there!

Sure, supporting yourself and paying the bills is good. But if you have a bit of a financial cushion (which you definitely should), going after menial jobs is best avoided for at least three reasons.

High competition

Every unskilled worker out there is competing with you for entry-level jobs. As a result, these positions may in fact be harder to get, just because of the sheer number of applicants. And very often, the job will go to a friend of an employee, or someone who already worked for the company two summers ago.

I don’t need to tell you how bad it can be for your morale to feel like you can’t even get a job waiting tables or selling shoes. It’s devastating – even if you know that it has nothing to do with your skills or your real value on the job market.

How will it look on your resume?

Before you take a job that’s way below your qualifications, ask yourself how it will look on your resume when the time comes to apply for a better position. What will your potential future employers think?

There is no clear-cut answer here. It varies from country to country, and it also depends on what stage of your career you’re at.

In my experience, North American employers tend to understand career ups-and-downs, especially if you’re still young(-ish) and only stayed in an entry-level job for a short time.
Emphasize that you were “doing what it takes” to get settled in the country and acquire local work experience. In countries where immigration and social mobility are the norm, you won’t be the first applicant in that situation.

On the other end of the spectrum, proceed with extreme caution if you live in (or will eventually move back to) a country where careers are expected to be more linear, with a clear progression from one position to the next.

Many Western European employers, for example, will be puzzled to see an administrative assistant job on your resume if you’ve held a corporate position before. And a puzzled employer always says no. So think twice before you take the first job that comes your way.

Stuck!

I know that you have every intention to look for a job better suited to your experience and your background. Don’t fool yourself, though. It takes a lot of willpower and self-discipline to actively keep looking for a better job when you’re already working full-time.

It’s all too easy to find yourself in a rut with that kind of job. You’ll be tired, you’ll be busy, you’ll sort of squeak by financially… before long you’ll get used to it, and you’ll lose your impetus to get out there and look for something better.

How do I know? Because I made that very mistake when I first arrived in Canada. Years later, I still kick myself when I look back at the time I wasted in a dead-end job.

All things considered, I would only advise you to take an entry-level job if:

- You are in dire straits financially – not just stressed out because you don’t have a job yet;
- You have exhausted every (and I mean every) other option, including temp work, part-time work, and networking getting to know new people like crazy;
- You are committed to keep looking for a better position, and you’ve already set a deadline to hand your notice in – ideally, no more than 6 months, but the shorter the better.

Otherwise, don’t put yourself through this ordeal. Aim higher – you’ll be all the happier for it.

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by kirk lau (top) and jk5854 (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

Or maybe you’ve already been in your dream country for several months, and you just cannot seem to get a job.

Now what?

One option, of course, is to give up, and shelve your plans to relocate – or go back home early, depending on your situation.

I have never been one for living with regrets, however, so rather than spending the rest of your life wondering “what if?”, here’s what I would suggest instead:

1. It’s completely normal to feel disappointed, scared, angry, or anxious under these circumstances. Acknowledge your feelings and allow yourself to wallow in them for a while if you need to, but –and this is key- decide ahead of time how long your pity party shall last, and when it’s over, move on!

2. Come up with a contingency plan: for instance, decide that if after 6 months you still haven’t found a decent job, you’re going home. Make sure that you have enough money saved (I’d recommend 6 to 12 months’ worth of living expenses), so that you don’t have to take the first menial job that presents itself.

3. Grab a pen and paper, and get ready to explore other options that will make living and working in your dream country possible.

Think laterally

- Come up with 15 different job titles that you could apply for.

If you’re stumped, take an inventory of your skills: List every single skill you can think of, be it technical (hard skills) or interpersonal (soft skills). Don’t forget to include skills you may have acquired through your hobbies, by volunteering or by becoming an expat.

- You can also take a career aptitude test offered by your local employment agency. The career paths they’ll suggest may or may not be a good fit for you, but pay close attention to any particular strengths or untapped talents the tests may reveal.

- No one ever said that you have to do the same thing in your host country as you’re currently doing. If you’re not in love with your job, this could be a prime opportunity to change careers.

Figure out what you’ll need to go after the job of your dreams: additional training, credentials, contacts within the industry, etc. Make a list, gather all the information you need, then write down your action plan and your timeline.

Be flexible

- Don’t discount temp agencies, part-time jobs or even apprenticeships/internships. They are great ways to get your foot in the door.

- You could also consider volunteering with an organisation you’d really like to work for. This is obviously a longer-term strategy that you could combine with other full- or part-time work. I highly recommend it if you are making a significant career change, or if your heart is set on a specific company / field that you cannot seem to be able to enter through other channels.

Think vertically

- If you cannot find a position equivalent to the one you had in your home country, why don’t you apply for a higher-level position in the same field?

This option usually strikes fear in the hearts of my coaching clients when I suggest it. All sorts of resistance come up. It’s true that as newcomers, we often see ourselves as the underdog.

Look at it this way, though: as an experienced employee, you already have industry knowledge and technical skills. As an expat, you’re constantly demonstrating your adaptability, willingness to learn, and ability to solve problems. As a foreigner, you bring a fresh perspective, presumably a better ability to work in multicultural teams, and fluency in a foreign language. That’s a lot of assets for one applicant!

- You may also face less competition for higher-level positions, the number of qualified applicants being, by definition, smaller than at the lower echelons.

- Still think you can’t do it? Try this little word trick, and answer the question as honestly as you can: why won’t you do it? What do you have to lose?

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by WilkiDotMe (top) and mezzoblue (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

We’re not talking about a cursory, general Google search here. You have to investigate the local job market as thoroughly as possible.

I know it sounds obvious. Yet many international job seekers do such a superficial job of it that they might as well not even bother…

Be specific

Checking whether there are job openings, say, in the IT sector in Vancouver is far too general.

If your dream is to work for a cool video game company downtown, and all the IT jobs are entry-level technical support positions way out in Burnaby… you’re out of luck.

There could be ten million jobs available in your field, and that still wouldn’t do you much good if they’re not the jobs you want, or if they’re in the wrong location.

So you have to be really specific. Gauging the demand for “finance specialists in Canada” definitely won’t do! Don’t snicker – I get emails almost every month asking me if companies are hiring for marketing positions in Western Canada…

Why so vague?

Why do people ask such vague questions? It’s not that they’re stupid, of course. And I bet you it’s not because they’re lazy or careless either.

The real reason is that no one likes having their dreams shattered.  We’re afraid of bad news, afraid of being discouraged. So we keep it vague enough that it doesn’t get too scary and real…

… which brings us to the other part of your due diligence. Put on your detective hat and get ready to conduct a thorough, 3-part investigation:

1. Write down the type of job(s) you are interested in. Be as specific as you can. Job titles can vary depending on the country or the employer, so for each position, list the salary range and responsibilities you’re aiming for.

2. Do a search on job banks such as Indeed.com, SimplyHired.com, CareerJet.com, Recruit.net, Monster.com or Experteer.com – or any other job search engine that has international job listings. Get a feel for how many positions would be a good match for you. Check whether the compensation package you have in mind seems realistic.

3. Turn to your local connections. Ask them about trends in your industry – what sectors are in decline, what sectors are booming, where have there been massive layoffs in the past year, etc. Ask several people and cross-reference different sources.

Unlike job listings that are more like a snapshot, your contacts can give you actual perspective on the local job market. Don’t forget to ask “politically incorrect” questions (How hard is it for foreigners to get hired? Are foreign degrees recognized at all?), because you won’t find the answers through the official channels.

If things don’t look too rosy in your field, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to shelve your dreams of working overseas. As long as you a.) are willing to be flexible, and b.) have a contingency plan in place, there’s no reason why you couldn’t give it a go.

We’ll explore a few of your options in the next post.

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by sleepy terry (top) and the|G|™ (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

That’s great advice. The problem is that 90% of the people who are out there networking are doing it all wrong.

5 tips to start off on the right foot

Tip #1: Forget about “networking”

Networking is kind of a loaded word. For me, it conjures up images of stiffly-dressed professionals, awkwardly trying to shove their business cards into your hand at some boring BNI meeting.

It reeks of predatory behaviour: “working the room”, “playing the numbers game”… it’s all about using people. Not a good thing in my book.

I suggest that you think of it as getting to know people instead. Because that’s really what it’s all about. As simple as that.

Tip #2: Start connecting with people NOW

The idea is to start connecting with people before you need anyone’s help. To borrow Harvey Mackey‘s brilliant metaphor, you have to dig your well before you’re thirsty.

If you only start approaching people when you’re in dire need of a job tout de suite, you will come across as desperate. Not good. Desperation is never sexy, whether you’re dating or looking for gainful employment.

So if you’ve been thinking “But I can’t start now, I’m not even sure what I want to do once I get there”, you’re actually in good shape! Invite your new contacts to brainstorm with you and give you input. Much easier – and more constructive – than asking them to help you finding a job, only to get the stock answer, “I’ll keep my eyes open and let you know”.

Tip #3: Cast your net wide

You want to make your new connections as diverse as possible. Don’t restrict yourself to your own field or your own profession. Get to know people from all walks of life, all ages and all backgrounds.

You never know who may have the information or the contacts you need. You never know who will come up with the genius suggestion or the fresh perspective (“Hey, did you know about this? Sounds right up your alley”) that will lead you straight to your dream occupation.

Besides, folks who work outside of your own field have no reason to feel threatened. You’re not directly competing with them, so they can give freely of their advice and support. By contrast, those in your field may be less forthcoming with help… just in case you end up going after their own job!

Tip #4: Where to find people

So where do you find all these new contacts? Social media platforms make it very easy to connect with strangers, but how do you avoid getting overwhelmed and frittering away entire days online?

I advise picking one or two such social media platforms (I like Twitter and LinkedIn) and maybe one message board relevant to your destination– and that’s it. You’ll get better results by focusing your efforts in a few places rather than spreading yourself too thin and not making an impact anywhere.

Once you’ve picked your online communities, what do you do next? Who do you contact, and how?

The “Who” part is relatively easy: do a search on members who live in your future host country. Then, try to identify people who can give you expert advice – relocation specialists, expat coaches, job search / outplacement experts, and even people who don’t live in the country but have a strong interest in it.

The “How” part isn’t too complicated either: if you’re on Twitter, following the updates of complete strangers is the norm – so do just that, then send them a few replies/comments, and get a conversation started. On LinkedIn, join common interest groups (based on geography, profession, or hobbies), and get to know fellow members within these groups. On message boards, you can post your questions for all to see, but you can also identify the moderators and most helpful members, and send them direct messages.

Tip #5: Cultivate your relationships

- Build trust: take the time to get to know people and earn your stripes as a reliable, helpful member of the community before you start asking for favours. If you promise something to someone (even if it’s just a link to a silly YouTube video), try to always follow up in a timely manner. Make it easy for others to trust you.

- Be consistent: you can’t Twitter up a storm for three days, then decide you’re bored and not update for two weeks. You have to be persistent and keep at it until you register on other users’ radar and they start engaging you in two-way conversations.

- Give before you ask: now that you’ve dug your well, it’s time to prime it. There’s no better way to do so than by helping others. You may not have expert advice to contribute (yet), but maybe you can share information about your own country, a recipe here, a translation there… be on the lookout for opportunities to help others, and everyone will be much more inclined to share their resources and leads with you.

- Don’t discount the people you already know: in this flurry of new contacts, it’s easy to forget that you already have connections. Have you asked every single one of your relatives, friends, old classmates, ex co-workers, and your dental hygienist if they knew anything about your target destination? I bet not. So go do that right now. If you have your heart set on moving to Kathmandu, ask everyone you meet about Nepal. People enjoy giving advice and feeling helpful, so if they have any connections, they’ll be happy to share them.

All right. That’s probably enough to keep you busy for a couple of days!

What?!?, you ask, you have us do all that “connecting with new people” stuff, and we haven’t even touched upon finding job openings and sending resumes and cover letters and oh my…

That’s right. We’ll get to that later. In the meantime, there is more important work to be done, so stay tuned for our next post on Friday (how’s that for a cliffhanger? )

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Images by Patrick Havens (top), www.PCharlton.es (middle) and takuya miyamoto* (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

Maybe you’re a corporate expat whose job in Dubai has been downsized, and you aren’t ready to go back home yet.

Maybe you’re a young graduate eager to experience life abroad, but your current employer doesn’t have international positions to offer you.

Or maybe you’re an accompanying spouse who’d rather keep working than sit at home all day.

In other words, a big part of your happiness as an expat rests on your ability to find the right job abroad.

So it stands to reason that you’d want to go job-hunting the smart way, right?

Alas, I am seeing too many international job-seekers failing to prepare and plan adequately, thinking that they’ll “find something once they get there”.

It’s true that the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach does work. Yes, you will find a job once you get there – as long as you’re not picky about the type of work.

But why get stuck flipping burgers or manning the cash register at a convenience store, when a bit of strategizing could land you a much more fulfilling job?

Self-employment expert Pam Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation has a motto: “Hating your job”, she writes, “is not a business plan.”

If I may paraphrase her, moving overseas is not a career plan.

From now until the end of November, I will share practical tips to guide you step by step through your international job search. So stay tuned (you may want to subscribe to this blog to make sure you don’t miss anything), and all the best with your quest for your dream job!

Was this post helpful? Do you need more personalized job search advice? Contact me to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Emmanuelle

Image by JIPs_STiCk (top) and Amor de Cosmos (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons

Last week, I met a British expat who had recently relocated to Vancouver. A bit uneasy, she confided that she would have expected the transition to be effortless, given the historical ties (we are, after all, in British Columbia) and the common language.

Instead, she found that it was almost as much work adjusting to life in Canada as it was back when she moved to Germany for her very first assignment.

As I am always on the lookout for expat success strategies, this got me thinking.

No one will dispute that speaking the language is a big asset – it makes your everyday life a lot easier and spares you untold amounts of frustration. But that doesn’t mean that you can sit back and think that your work is done.

You still have to learn a different way of life. You still have to adapt to a different worldview. You still have to find your place in your new country.

Having a perfect command of the language can make us complacent. When we understand and are understood easily, we forget how much we still have to learn. We don’t try as hard as we could. We feel a little too comfortable, and this, paradoxically, can leave us more vulnerable to culture shock.

An even bigger pitfall is unrealistic expectations.

For example, many French immigrants choose to move to Quebec “because it’ll be easier there than in the rest of Canada.”

When some of them come to me for advice, it becomes clear that they expect Montreal to be full of French people who happen to live in North America. What they find instead are North Americans who happen to speak French. That’s a big difference in terms of culture!

By contrast, we French immigrants on the English-speaking West Coast are constantly reminded that we are surrounded by a different culture and that it’s up to us to adapt. It’s all about being willing to do the necessary work, and approaching our new environment with a certain humility.

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

Emmanuelle

Image by Image by antolozaZD (top) and andreasmarx (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons” target=”_blank”>minxlj (top) and Canadian Veggie (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons