Meet 4 Expat Professional Women
Saskia Meckman
Meet Christine, Marlo, Nathalie, and Simone. All four professional women have chosen to live in a foreign country, taking on the adventure of a lifetime. Some are accompanied by their husband, some have brought along their children for the ride. They openly discuss why their family thought they were crazy to move, their fears of the unknown, and why they were ultimately selected for this international assignment.
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Name: Christine
Industry: Banking
Title: Senior Vice President
Relocated from: Boston, MA to Milan, Italy
Current Assignment Length: 2 years
Time on Assignment: 11 months
Family Status: Married |
Name: Marlo
Industry:Insurance
Title: Assistant Vice President, Insurance Manager
Relocated from: Boston, MA to Bermuda
Current Assignment Length: 3-5 years
Time on Assignment: 5 months
Family Status: Married, no children |
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Name: Nathalie
Industry: Accounting
Title: Senior Associate
Relocated from: Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Boston, MA
Current Assignment Length: 2 years
Time on Assignment: 12 months
Family Status: Married, two children |
Name: Simone
Industry: Biotechnology
Title: Senior Global Product Manager
Relocated from: Brazil to the US
Current Assignment Length: non-determined
Time on Assignment: 19 months
Family Status: Separated, two children
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Saskia Meckman interviews four women and discovers the many facets of their expatriate lifestyle.
1. Is this your first international assignment?
Christine: No. . . (I was in) Buenos Aires, Argentina for three years.
Marlo: This is my first international assignment, so I am new to this process and learning a lot very quickly. I have been in Bermuda for 5 months now and I love it.
Nathalie: Yes, this is our first assignment.
Simone: Yes.
2. What were your first reactions/emotions/thoughts regarding this international assignment?
Christine: I had enjoyed my first assignment in Argentina so I was looking forward to another opportunity to live and work abroad.
Marlo: My initial reactions were based on the fear of the unknown. I asked question after question, but nothing really prepares you until you are there and in the process. I was extremely excited but also nervous about moving to a new country. What should I expect? How could I pay for this? What was I giving up? Once I accepted that not everything was in my control and not everything would move as smooth or easy as it did in my home country, I was able to relax and enjoy the ride. Everything fell into place, just not always the way or in the time frame I was accustomed to. I had to learn to adjust.
Nathalie: Excitement, fear of the unknown, curiosity about the new country and its habits and customs.
Simone: This would be fun but I was scared because I decided to come alone and spend 6 months before I brought my kids.
I've been working for (my company) for almost 5 years and was expecting to have a lot of fun because I knew most of the people (from) before.
3. What were your immediate and extended family's reactions to your international assignment?
Christine: My husband was somewhat hesitant as it meant closing his business temporarily to accompany me. For the most part my family was very enthusiastic and supportive but my elderly mother was worried about whether or not she would be able to make the trip to visit us in Italy.
Marlo: My family thought that my husband and I were crazy. We hadn't had too many family members live outside of the states, and since they had never been to Bermuda, the thought of living on a small island in the middle of nowhere concerned them; they had a lot of misconceptions about Bermuda. Mostly, they were concerned we would loose touch. I assured them this wasn't the case. To ease their worries, I brought my mother over for two weeks once we got settled. She loved it and now thinks we made the best decision. Having an ally to help alleviate other family members concerns has been a big help.
Nathalie: My husband was very involved in the whole process of arranging the assignment, so we both had time to think about the idea and get used to it. It was always his dream too, so he was very open to it. My daughter is too young to know. My son thought it was exciting, but he did not really understand what he was getting in to. Responses from extended family were very diverse, from anger/frustration [especially with the grand moms] to very strong support and understanding why we would like to do this.
Simone: Happy and concerned. They were proud of my new job/responsibility but were suffering because (they) couldn't imagine my life in the US without my family around and their life in Brazil without me (and special without my kids J).
4. How did your international assignment come about ~ did you initiate it or was it company initiated?
Christine: It was company initiated. A need was identified that senior management felt would be best filled by a US-based employee.
Marlo: Over the years, I had thought about working abroad, but the opportunity never presented itself. In this case, my company approached me about the job assignment. They were looking for a unique skill set and over the years, I was able to demonstrate most of the key elements needed for this job. Looking back, if they hadn't initiated it, knowing what I know now, I would probably pursue an overseas assignment on my own.
Nathalie: My husband and I both initiated it with both our companies.
Simone: I had said to the company that I would be interested in an international assignment but the company actually came to me and offered (me) 3 different positions (first in Canada and later in the same year, 2 here in Boston).
5. Why were you ultimately selected?
Chistine: My prior international experience combined with a very solid track record.
Marlo: I think I was selected for the job for a variety of reasons. I am a very flexible person and I have moved around a bit (although never internationally). There was concern about finding someone who could acclimate into the culture, and I believe I asked the right amount of questions to indicate that I was willing to work the extra mile to make this work. Additionally, I have always been told that the "more tools you have in your toolbox" the better off you will be. Because of this, I have strived to take advantage of almost every educational and job opportunity I could. This has made me a more rounded person, which I think is important for an international assignment.
Nathalie: The Boston office had a very strong demand for people my level. Furthermore I had been working in the international department in the Amsterdam office and I have a lot of experience in my field.
Simone: Because I would bring international and country experience to (my division)
6. What challenges have you encountered while on this international assignment and which of these do you believe are based on your being a woman expatriate?
Christine: The biggest challenge is staying connected to my US-based colleagues and my UK-based manager. I tend to have phone meetings late at night to accommodate time zone differences. Additionally, I work at a small branch of a very large company so my access to corporate resources – people and information – is not as fluid as I would like it to be. My situation is somewhat unique because I am the most senior person in my current location so I don't report to anyone locally. I think international assignments are most challenging for women when they report to men who may not have an open/contemporary view of women in the workplace. From a personal standpoint, the biggest challenge is really my husband's. He is constantly asked what he does all day as a trailing spouse. It seems to be OK for a wife to follow her husband's career but it's still not accepted behavior for the husband to do the following. It works well for us and he's very happy – and actually does a lot of very interesting things all day - but educating others has proved challenging.
Marlo: One of the bigger challenges faced was learning how to adjust my personal style to work better with the various cultures in Bermuda. Bermuda is a melting pot of a variety of cultures, but there are subtle differences in how everyone interacts both personally and at business. Some of these cultures do view women in business very differently, and while it hasn't been an overwhelming issue for me, occasionally, I have run across the "can she do it as good as a man could." Proving myself has taken time.
Nathalie: As a mother expatriate, working on a part-time schedule, it was challenging to adapt to the working culture. In the US (it) is not yet as common to work part-time and people were sometimes very surprised when I told them about my hours.
Simone: Understanding the local corporate culture. Understanding the local culture and finding new friends (and boyfriends). None. The fact of being a woman doesn't change these challenges.
7. What have you and your company done to overcome these challenges?
Christine: My company has asked me to lead a project team to look at the expat process from A to Z so that we can build a truly global workforce and maintain a common corporate culture globally. My husband and I talk about the personal challenges while enjoying a bottle of Italian wine. . .
Marlo: My company has been very supportive in the change. They have provided extra training when needed – particularly on understanding different cultural differences. Reading books on the issue and talking with other expatriates regarding my concerns has been extremely helpful. I have found that you need a support system to work through these differences, but because there are so many people in the same situation as me, everyone is extremely open to helping.
Nathalie: I tried to prove that a part-time schedule can actually work, when both parties are committed. But still I believe on both ends it is tough sometimes.
Simone: Asking questions, reading, going through the challenges. I think my company doesn't help too much (with) this. Except they paid for my cultural training but on daily basis, nothing.
8. How many expatriate women do you work with?
Christine: My company currently has close to 50 women on expat assignment (out of 1200 expats in total).
Marlo: On this assignment, there is one other expatriate woman in our company. Fortunately, other companies that we closely work with on the island have a strong women expatriate contingency. While I am often looking outside of company for the extra support, there are people to turn to.
Nathalie: I have worked with three expatriate women, but since my company has a big population of women and has a very extensive exchange program, I am sure there are more around in the office, I have not met.
Simone: I know about just one woman who went to South America before.
9. Who are your mentors (men or women) while on this international assignment and why have your chosen them?
Christine: I've worked for my company for almost 18 years so my network is extensive. I don't have a specific person I look to for expat related concerns. Interestingly, on this assignment, my manager is also an expat (but located in a country different from me) so we are experiencing similar issues.
Marlo: So far, I have two mentors on my assignment. Internally, I have one male mentor; he has a strong position in the company. I choose him as a mentor to help keep me tied to the company. Because I am somewhat isolated by this assignment, I didn't want to loose perspective on the company's overall objectives nor did I want anyone to forget about me. I trust this individual to keep an eye on me and remind everyone about the good things I am doing and what is going on here. I have also chosen a female mentor in Bermuda. She doesn't work for the same company; however, I choose her because she didn't. I felt it was important to get an outside perspective on things. In addition to sharing with me the things she has learned over the years, she keeps me grounded with what is going on the island and in this market.
Nathalie: I have a good relationship with a female expat, who has been in the US for a long time already and has crossed many of the paths, I am crossing now. She provided me with a listening ear when needed and gave me tips and tricks.
Simone: I had one man as my mentor in the beginning (he used to be the head of my division) and now I have a woman who has experience in finance and international and we've been discussing careers opportunities/development.
10. Do you have a women expatriate mentor that you can rely on? What do you see as the benefits of having one?
Christine: I don't have a woman expat mentor but I mentor another woman who is an expat working in the UK. In addition to offering her professional guidance I have found myself supporting her as she rides the emotional roller coaster associated with expat life. It's easier for her to talk to me than it would be for her to talk to a man because she can more openly get emotional support from me and the issues are different for men and women living abroad.
Marlo: The woman mentioned above is an expatriate mentor and she has guided me on dealing with some gender issues faced in this environment. I think it is an excellent idea to find one inside of my company as well (which I will look to do). A women expatriate mentor offers a variety of benefits. First, they have been through this before (that alone provides significant benefit). It is all the little things that you don't know to expect that become a challenge – finding doctors, assisting your family with the adjustment to a new environment, coordinating work arrangements, etc. Second, an inside company mentor can help provide guidance on how to keep yourself in the spotlight and facilitate repatriation when the time comes.
Nathalie: I do feel it is very helpful to have a female expat mentor, as adapting to your new environment is a complex process and also since the culture may ask additional guidance as to how to be as effective as possible as a female in your job. A female expat mentor has probably had the same challenges and can assist in how you should overcome those.
Simone: No, (but) would be great to have one (man or woman).The great benefit would be the chance to share my concerns and learn with their experience.
11. What would you do differently on your next international assignment?
Christine: I'd spend more time learning the language before relocating!
Marlo: I am not sure what I would do differently. I would ask more questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions – even the ones you think sound dumb. The more you know, the better off you will be.
Nathalie: I would be more pro-active in arranging the relocation. We have had relocation agents who provided us with moderate service and charged a lot of money to our companies. Since we were inexperienced, we gladly accepted their help, but when we finally arrived in the US, it turned out that some things were not so difficult to arrange by ourselves and were much better and cheaper than what the relocation agent provided us with.
Simone: (I) would negotiate better according with the local culture (housing, child care, taxes) because I did accept the position without all the information I could get. I got a good relocation package but could negotiate to have more support on these topics.
12. What advice do you have for other women looking to be sent on an international assignment?
Christine: As Nike would say, "Just do it. " It is both personally and professionally a life altering experience.
Marlo: Be realistic about the job opportunity, the environment you are moving to and the challenges you will face. I am someone who likes control and I had to accept early on that a lot wouldn't be within my control. You just have to role with the punches sometimes and that is okay.
Nathalie: Connecting to the former point: take time to do research on different services provided by relocation agents and compare different agencies. You might be able to get a better deal if you are well prepared. Furthermore enjoy the country you live in and take sufficient time to explore. It is a cliché, but it is over before you know it.
Simone: Think, discuss details (especially) if they have family, get connected with different people in your work but also try to make friends outside.
Saskia Meckman is an Intercultural Trainer and Consultant. Ms Meckman works with Executives (including all four women above) as well as their partners and children, facilitating intercultural trainings that prepare participants for a smoother transition once on their international assignment. She can be reached at |
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