Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Options for Spouses for Expatriates - By Marc Castro

Because of the increased economic interaction between countries and nations, many individuals of one country choose to work in another country. With this choice, the individual’s family is uprooted from their home and would start living their life for the next year or so in a country alien and foreign to them.

The move is just the first step for an expatriate’s family. Once they are in the foreign land, adjusting to the weather, conditions and other living issues are also matters that they all need to accept. For the spouses, it is the boredom of not being productive as the days pass by in their new homeland.

On the contrary, an expat’s spouse can have many options to make their days fulfilling and productive even when living in a far away land. Here are some suggestions that this can be achieved to make the stay in the foreign land better for all.

Being Employed. This can be done even before the expat spouse moves to the country of assignment with their spouse. Sending out resumes to known companies or recruitment agencies can help get the ball rolling in finding a job in the new country of residence. Once they reach the country, interviews can be done and an expat spouse can be employed in no time at all.
Working from Home. This is another option for expat spouses. Here, the individual can be employed online and make their home as their office for work to be done on the Internet. What is important though is having a computer and a dependable internet connection to be able to work online from home.
Joining a Charity. Many think this is absurd but joining a charity or activity can help channel restless energy and meet other people in a foreign land. As a foreigner, your presence would be very important as you can then solicit friends and relatives back home for support that the local charity so badly needs.
Engaging a Hobby. Pick up a hobby that you have been meaning to do but did not have the time back home. This can be as simple as cross stitching or as complex as modern dance, finding a way to pass the time while enjoying yourself is important to wile away the time far away from home.
Managing the Household. Since you are an expat, your living conditions would be better off compared to the average local family. So managing your household is important to make your new residence truly a home safe and comfortable for your family. If you have children, then participating in their activities is also one way to make your bonds stronger and better while living in a foreign land.

As can be seen, there are many ways for an expat spouse can be productive even on a dependent visa of an expat. Being employed, either formally or from home, undertaking a charity, taking up a hobby or managing your household are some ways that an expat spouse spend their days in a foreign and exotic location. Soon enough, after being engrossed, you would have been able to pass the time while on location and enrich yourself in the process.

For a more comprehensive discussion on the travails of an expat family, do visit us at Women Suffer Stress When They Move Abroad, Study Shows please visit the author’s site The Expat Forum

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