‘Most of us have lost our capacity for enjoyment. I really believe that most people in affluent countries have lost that capacity. They’ve got to have more and more expensive gadgets; they can’t enjoy the simple things of life.

Then I walk into places where they have all the most marvelous music, and you get these record at a discount, they’re all stacked up, but I never hear anybody listening to them- no time, no time, no time. They’re guilty, no time to enjoy life. They’re overworked, go, go, go.

If you really enjoy life and the simple pleasures of the senses, you’d be amazed. You’d develop that extraordinary discipline of the animal. An animal will never overeat. Left in its natural habitat, it will never be overweight. It will never drink or eat anything that is not good for its health.

You never find an animal smoking. It always exercises as much as it needs. Watch your cat after it’s had its breakfast, look how it relaxes. And see how it springs into action.

We’ve lost that. We’re lost in our minds, in our ideas and ideals and so on and its always go, go,go.’

- Awareness by Anthony de Mello

During my work supporting people moving and working around the world for the last 14 years, I realized there was a missing piece in supporting expatriates, their families, global leaders and managers.

Your physical health.

Overworked, jet-lagged, exhausted. Overwhelmed. New languages, cultures, new homes, new responsibilities. Confusion. Changing time zones, isolation, self-doubt, loss, grief.

Time and time again, I found the physical needs of intercultural adjustment either weren’t dealt with effectively or not at all. This impacted the success of the expatriate assignment, their family, their work and satisfaction. I experienced this personally as well, as an expatriate living abroad in Germany.

Wondering what challenges expat living can have? Just how do all of those business trips, weekend getaways and coffee and happy hours add up? Read more about expat living and the healthy expat here.

If you take better care of your physical health, your intercultural challenges will start to improve.

This is the reason I started The Healthy Expat in August.

The Healthy Expat provides workshops, coaching and resources for complete and holistic support for the whole expatriate, professionally, personally and physically, with a focus on nutrition and health.

We give you resources and tools to manage your personal and professional changes as well as your physical transition during your time abroad.

Our approach and expertise focuses on:

• Intercultural Communication, Competence & Change
• Change & Transition Coaching
• Nutrition & Natural Juice Therapy

 What you get

The chance to live a healthier and happier lifestyle, personally and professionally, abroad.

If you take better care of your physical health, you will be better prepared to deal with intercultural challenges.

Have a look at the website or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Let us know how we can help you be (or get back to being!) a Healthy Expat.

How do you experience freedom?
How do you define freedom?

So, now that I’ve shared with you all of the wonderful ‘challenges’ expatriation can create,  I thought it would be helpful (and fair!) to share with you some tips in managing your time, working, living and leading, abroad.

1. Get involved. Plan activities for the week, the month and the year. You need to have something to look forward to.

2. Create traditions from home. Find a BALANCE between the two cultures. Understand that including the host culture in your life does not mean you are reducing your home culture.

3. Manage the amount of contact with other expatriates in the country. They can be helpful, but balance is the key.

4. Learn the language as best you can – keep your goals realistic.

5. Bring items with you which remind you of home, specifically sensory items such as sights, sounds and smells.

6. Reflect on how you have managed other transitions in your life (death, domestic moves, divorce, job change, etc.). This is life! Can you use some of the same healthy coping strategies to deal with cultural change and transition?

7. Listen more than you talk. Observe your surroundings. Listen and observe more than you describe and evaluate.

8. Be aware of your own cultural values, beliefs, behaviors and stereotypes. Acknowledgement of difference is the start in managing cultural differences. Differences are neither good nor bad; rather have opportunities and challenges that need to be managed.

9. Develop empathy. See it from the others person’s perspective.

10. Discuss repatriation NOW for your personal and professional life. You’ll be happy you did once you return.

Coming soon! We’re working on the new Caterpillar Spirit Blog, Culture Bumps!

We look forward to sharing with you the new site, articles and features soon.

Jamie Müller

www.caterpillarspirit.com