Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad [Paperback]

Andrea Martins (Author), Victoria Hepworth (Author), Robin Pascoe (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 2011

If you have ever wondered what it is like to live abroad, work abroad or accompany your working partner abroad, this book is for you. If you are already living the expat life but have mixed emotions about settling in, rebuilding your identity, relationship changes, successfully managing your money and career, raising children far from home or repatriating, this book is also for you. 

In Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad, experienced expats Andrea Martins and Victoria Hepworth share a wealth of wisdom and positive tips to motivate you at every stage of your expat journey. They cover popular topics like leaving family back home, transitioning quickly, intercultural relationships, parenting bilingual children and work-life balance. They also address more difficult issues such as expat infidelity, divorce, alcoholism and reverse culture shock. This unique book is the perfect addition to every expat bookshelf.

 

 

 *** "A terrific book! Real-life examples of the challenges expat women face, with insightful and practical advice, this should be on the must-read list for anyone involved with expatriate administration."Andrea David, Head of Global Mobility, Bloomberg LP

  *** "What a great book! For the first time, a real-life manual that will reassure every expat woman that she is not alone in her unspoken feelings and questions. I loved it!" Ruth E. Van Reken, Co-author of Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds

 *** "A must for anyone who is, has been or will be an expat!" Peggy Love, GMS, CERP, President, FIGT (Families in Global Transition)

  *** "This book is a great resource for all expat women." Leslie Brant Teixeira, Director, U.S. Department of State Family Liaison Office

 ***"Expat Women: Confessions is a wonderful addition to the literature on the experiences of women during their lives abroad. Andrea and Victoria answer difficult questions with empathy, an upbeat attitude, and wisdom. This is a book that every expat woman should keep at her bedside for the moments that inevitably surface when abroad - and even after repatriation." Elizabeth Perelstein, President, School Choice International and named one of Fortune Magazine's 10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs (2010)

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Dear Expatriate Women, Thank you very much for supporting this book!  We genuinely appreciate anything you can do to help spread-the-word, so that women living abroad know that they are not alone in their unspoken feelings and questions. Wishing you success abroad, Andrea and Victoria.

About the Author

Andrea Martins is an Australian who has lived in Jakarta, Indonesia; Mexico City, Mexico; and now lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Since co-creating ExpatWomen.com in 2006 with American Jill Lengré, Andrea has inspired thousands of expatriate women online. She has also been a guest speaker to audiences in Houston, Washington, Mexico City, Amsterdam, the Hague, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Marrakech.
 
Victoria Hepworth is a New Zealander who has lived in Miyazaki, Japan; Shanghai, China; Saint Petersburg, Russia; Gothenburg, Sweden; Mumbai, India; and now lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2004, Victoria founded and helped establish Lifeline Shanghai, a not-for-profit telephone hotline for the expatriate community. Victoria is a trained psychologist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Expat Women Enterprises Pty Ltd ATF Expat Women (May 5, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980823609
• ISBN-13: 978-0980823608
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Expat Living: The Questions and Answers to Know May 18, 2011

By Susan Lutz

Format:Paperback

Expat life - a true adventure in the making. Imagine the excitement of learning a new culture and language. The idea of living on the other side of the globe or landing on a new continent is stuff dreams and movies are made of. And yes, living abroad can offer all that. But wait there's more and it's called life.

Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad understands the big picture of taking on life as an expatriate. Andrea Martins and Victoria Hepworth tackle 50 questions to questions we all need to get a clue about when considering living abroad. I applaud the authors for opening up the very real issues of relationships, divorce, money, depression, domestic violence, and culture. The image we have of the tropical paradise or the glittery cosmopolitan life lasts only so long - cars need repairs, pregnancy happens, and money gets tight.

All those years ago, when I made the leap into living abroad, I wish this book would have been at my side, read again and again for the ideas and resources and hope it can offer when the knocks of life land at our door. The theme I admire most are the ideas on how to connect with others and reach out for help, thus perhaps resolving, reinventing, or re-igniting the excitement that can and does exist in living abroad.

Susan Lutz
writer & director Motherjungle.com

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for Expat Women Everywhere May 9, 2011

By Maria Foley

Format:Paperback

Expat life is great ... except when it's not. Now, thanks to the nice people at ExpatWomen.com, women who run into problems while living abroad can turn to this excellent reference for advice (as well as a comprehensive list of resources for further research.)

Because the book is organized around major themes (Settling In, Career and Money, Raising Children, Relationships, Mixed Emotions, and Repatriation), it's not necessary to read it cover-to-cover to benefit from its wisdom. Each of the 50 tricky situations is handled with empathy, tact, and a huge dollop of common sense. The authors are experienced expatriates who have seen and heard it all, which may explain their refreshing lack of moralizing. It reads like a chat between two good friends.

What I admire about Expat Women: Confessions that it dares to tackle topics such as teen suicide, depression, domestic violence, and infidelity -- subjects that are spoken of in whispers within the expatriate community, if at all. Here they're handled not with hysteria, but with dignity and compassion.

A thoroughly useful book for prospective and current expats alike.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Expat Life: Advice and Support August 8, 2011

By Karen van der Zee

Format:Paperback

I've been an expat most of my adult life and am quite comfortable relocating to yet another foreign country. I enjoy expat life -- well, most of the time, but is it always exotic and easy? No, not so much. Knowing what I know now, I am sure that Expat Women: Confessions - 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad will be a great help for many expat women. The authors are long-term expats themselves and their experience and knowledge is clearly evident in this book.

Especially for women who move away from home, family and friends for the first time, living in a foreign country may feel like floating rudderless on a sea of uncertainty and loneliness. Expat life, no matter how exciting and interesting at times, often puts great stress on marital and family relationships, and you'd better be prepared. Expat Women: Confessions offers insight, advice and resources that will give comfort and support. The book covers a broad range of issues and problems and does not shy away from the more difficult situations women may have to face when abroad.

The topics are arranged in a user-friendly order and are dealt with in a practical and realistic way. There is something here for new as well as experienced expats. Expat Women: Confessions is a great guide and reference and can be read in total or by topic. The authors have done an excellent job putting this book together.

If you're thinking about moving abroad or are already there and want some more insight and advice, get thee to the book store and buy this book.