✨ Seeking Inspiration: Women Who’ve Dared to Relocate ✨

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I'm at a crossroads, considering a bold move from Singapore to explore career opportunities abroad, like the United States. But before I take the leap, I’d love to hear from those of you who’ve already made such a transition. What challenges did you face and how did you navigate this new chapter? Your stories and advice could be the inspiration and guidance I need to step out of my comfort zone! 🌍🚀

ColetteCote·Aug 28

Happy to chat! I made the move from the US to France (and stayed 12 years!). One of THE best decisions and most enriching experiences of my life!! No regrets (other than coming back to the States).

SharonChanXE·Sep 01

hey @ColetteCote wow awesome from america to europe, must have been such an experience for you. whereabouts are you based in US? i am heading over to washington in Dec

ColetteCote·Sep 01

I’m in metro NYC.

LaurenDolnick·Sep 09

@ColetteCote did you have any difficulty with continuous health insurance upon returning to the US? That's one of my biggest concerns with moving abroad--that I'll have issues if/when I decide to live in the US again. I don't even know if I really have any preexisting conditions that would be an issue, but you know how "healthcare" is in this country... 😑

ColetteCote·Sep 10

I didn’t have any issues with health coverage upon return but also didn’t have any preexisting health conditions. I would suggest consulting a specialized expert.

SharonChanXE·Aug 29

Awesome Colette -- lets' connect.

ColetteCote·Sep 01

Happy to!

laurenharvey·Aug 28

Can I ask how you did this? On a work, visa? This is something I’d love to do and I’m just not sure how to go about it

ColetteCote·Aug 29

I was hired in the US by a tech company to go work in Grenoble. They had to prove to the French government that no one on French unemployment was capable of doing the job…the JD was crafted to my personal background/resume that no one else on Earth corresponded to said profile. I worked 3 months in France while waiting for my work permit, then had to leave the country for a few days to reenter and then get my visa.

ColetteCote·Aug 29

The resident permit is dependent on the work permit and vice versa. Otherwise you can only stay 3 months at a time.

SharonChanXE·Aug 29

yea thats true. i do hope to be able to land a job but I know it isn't simple.

SharonChanXE·Aug 29

woooowwwwwwwww soooo awesome share more.

ColetteCote·Sep 01

There’s so much to say… what other questions do you have?

Iynna·Aug 29

Can we connect? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU! Also HAHAH at the no regrets part :) Also the most important question did you find a french spouse ;-)?

SharonChanXE·Sep 01

@iynna haha french spouse ..

ColetteCote·Sep 01

Ummm, yes, I did (and divorced him seven years later.) Also had a child there (who has both nationalities and passports) … and

Iynna·Sep 01

thank you for sharing and great to hear your child has both passports (having options is an amazing thing!)

SharonChanXE·Sep 02

@ColetteCote you're amazing .. keep going ... sending love.

arabataylor·Aug 31

I’m happy to chat too! I did the reverse move that you’re talking about from the United States to Singapore for a Senior PM role with a previous job. It was a great experience (it’s never a bad idea to step out of your comfort zone).

ColetteCote·Sep 01

There’s nothing more rewarding than stepping out of your comfort zone!! 🙌🏻

SharonChanXE·Sep 02

Yea! Love this

SharonChanXE·Sep 01

thanks @arabataylor hey, haha, we're switching here. am glad to hear you are loving it here. where are you right now?

arabataylor·Sep 02

I’m on the West Coast of the US now, but was in Singapore for 2 years. Honestly moving to the West Coast was also a major change (cultural and geographic) for me as I’m from the East. I’ve also lived a Switzerland and Kenya, so have had a few varied international experiences.

mjrebolledo·Aug 31

I am also open to chat!I am from Mexico and relocate to Japan, and now in Brazil while working remotely for a US company.Mostly the challenges are to start over again yo have “safety net” besides work. Making friends, and feeling the place like home. What I normally do to keep myself mentally optimistic, is to pursue hobbies outside work. I normally practice Jiu jitsu and flag football, so reaching out to a dojo, gym or a club to meet new people, has been positive.I hope it helps!

SharonChanXE·Sep 01

thanks @mjrebolledo thats so encouraging. thank you for sharing. this is really woman power. we get to do this together on this platform, so thankful for it.

ErikaTonhauser·Sep 02

While my situation was probably way easier in terms of visa etc as I relocated from Europe to UK pre-Brexit and I can imagine trying to go to the US must be more difficult generally, I would 100% encourage you to follow where your 'call' guides you! I think one important thing I've reflected on many times is managing your expectations from the start, perhaps admin stuff such as visas, getting a place to live or finding a local doctor will feel impossible before you even get there, or it might be that you will need to start quite humbly once in the new country (live in a small place, have lower paid job or a limited budget etc), but be patient, take one step at a time and you will probably get where you wanna get eventually (might be months or years) :) Definitely do good research on which part of the country you want to go to - I knew I wanted to live quite up north, and live in a spacious (not overcrowded) city which had a good international base, friendly locals and good events scene so I wanted to go Glasgow in Scotland. However, this was not possible right away as I had very little money to start with, so I first spent 6 months working and volunteering in northern England which I decided to view as a necessary sacrifice in my journey. It ended up being a good time! And as I was ticking off my personal and professional goals, I did make it to Scotland which, as I've always felt was where I was meant to be! It felt like home from day 1 - I've lived here now for 12 years now and ended up living in the national park further north.An important one - know your worth - not speaking the language perfectly or not knowing local 'banter' might undermine your confidence at times, be it in a workplace or among new friend groups, but never settle for less than you deserve in conversation and in actions!Challenges will be cultural, perhaps also personal such as getting used to a new food, some might be language related, and you will probably have a lot of feelings. But make sure to take care of your wellbeing and try to stick to positive thinking. And one last thing - get to know some people, make friends by joining local events or speaking to neighbours etc etc, this always helps when we move away from our families and friends!Good luck, happy to connect if you wanted to chat more :)

judithsoldyess·Sep 02

I also relocated from the US to Catalunya five years ago. Although, to be fair, I lived in Chicago for 30 years, but I'm originally from Catalunya. So, it was kind of like coming back home, except that I was an adult, and that made it entirely different.The advice you have received about doing your research but being patient about not being able to execute some of it until you actually get to the country is really good advice. I also recommend getting a lawyer for all the visas or citizenship papers or whatever you're going to end up needing.In reality, the move we made was good. We probably are in a smaller town than we should be. It was a huge change going from Chicago to a 20,000-person city. The biggest cultural adjustment has actually been for my husband, who does not speak the language. He is very much an introvert and does not socialize much with folks here anyway. That part has probably been toughest on him because he has become very dependent on me for just about everything, especially now that he's getting a little older. I regret that part, but not my part of it. I certainly enjoy my work-life balance a lot more now. I have work-life balance, and there are just things like socialized healthcare—things that you hear about but, once you are here and can take advantage of them and benefit from these things, it's pretty great. I think the mistake we made when we first came here was having the stereotypical American approach of wanting to have everything lined up in advance. That's just not realistic everywhere. Here, the culture is very local. You do a lot of things by word of mouth or following people's advice. So, we would not have been able to make the move directly from Chicago and have everything planned.One of the things we did before planning our trip was that I worked abroad for a month near the area to see if the time difference would greatly impact my consulting work. Maybe something like that as a trial period would be interesting, but you may have already done it.

SharonChanXE·Sep 03

hi @judithsoldyess thank you for sharing, this is so precious. and yes, i am already in touch with a lawyer on the relocation.

katerinc·Sep 03

Hi Sharon, I've lived and worked long term in 5 countries by now, so I guess I'm an expert on relocations 😊 I've always moved having the work contract though, and that was easier with the visa procedures etc (though they are never easy, when you're not 1st world countries national).I seriously think it's the best experience. Having lived abroad opens one's horizons, and you really start to think globally.First weeks and months might get lonely, especially if major time difference with your home place is involved (for all those video calls with family and video drinks with friends), so finding a buddy early on might be beneficial. Now you can easily join some new comers or expat communities and if not find real friends right away, then at least have someone who can relate to what you are going through.Good luck with your move!

SharonChanXE·Sep 05

hey @katerinc thank you so much for sharing, its so precious. it isn't an easy decision, but yea i am looking forward to it. i want to live a life without regrets, dowan to be hindered by fear.

Marianneo·Oct 15

Hello @SharonChanXE, perhaps you have a better idea now whether to make your move! I moved from Hong Kong to the United States first as anHello @SharonChanXE, perhaps you have a better idea now whether to make your move! I moved from Hong Kong to the United States first as an MBA student, then got my Green Card and settled down as a citizen here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Education is usually one of the best ways to get familiarized with the country and local environment. Visiting and talking to more people in the city you would like to move to beforehand is good, too. In the Bay Area, there are so many events and meetup communities that probably everyone can find something they are interested to do here. Take small steps but be sure to join a group with shared interest. It is worth a career jump. Happy to chat more, Marianne

SharonChanXE·Oct 23

Hi @Marianneo thank you for sharing and my apologies for the delayed response. I am unlikely to take the education route as I am already in my 40s, ahahah, not ready to go back to skool. how has it been for you?What are the things you've learnt in this journey? i will be heading over to Washington and would love to be able to meet, if you coming around.

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