News From Our Members

Telling our stories helps to connect and remind us all that we have more in common than we know. I specialize in helping people who grew up or are currently living among worlds, who are tired of feeling unseen and unheard because they fear the rejection that might come when they tell the truth of their lived experience. Working with me, using my proven writing prompts and guidance on structuring a story, I transform their uncertainty and resistance into confident, truthful storytelling about their unique yet relatable lives, so they can stop having to choose between having their voice in the world and stifling themselves, and get on with the business of connection and expansion.

Dates coming up:

3-Month Immersive: Solo Show or Memoir online
   Mondays, March 20 - June 5, early evenings Pacific Standard Time (exact time TBD)

Memoir & Solo Show Workshop online
   Sundays, 11am-1pm, Pacific Standard Time      
   April 16 - May 21 (6 sessions)

Elizabeth Liang (aka Lisa) is an actress, writer, speaker, producer, and workshop leader who grew up in six countries. Her one-woman show about her multiracial TCK upbringing, Alien Citizen, toured internationally and was made into a movie, now on DVD and streamable. She leads online workshops on telling your own story, with participants around the world. Schedule a free chat with Lisa here.

Dear colleagues,

Many of you already understand how important it is for students to make the adjustment to university. The success in that transition reflects on how well they have been prepared by their sending schools. The highly mobile, cross-cultural lifestyles of third culture kids/cross-cultural kids have impacted them in ways they don’t often understand. What results is the feeling of cultural imbalance, not fitting in, inability to connect with their domestic-country peers. They can feel like a "fish out of water."

Just in time for graduation! You may already be familiar with my groundbreaking 2009 book, "The Global Nomad’s Guide to University Transition." I’m really excited about this new and updated second edition and here’s why:

New in the Second Edition:

• Articles by guest authors:

- Amanda Bates, M.B.A., M.Ed. on diversity, equity, and inclusion and building a career

- Lois Bushong, M.S. on mental health issues and finding a counselor

- Lauren Wells on dismantling your grief tower and romantic relationships

• Updates and new stories brought about by 10 years of cultural change and a pandemic
• Expanded parents’ chapter addressing the fallout of common parenting strategies as well as how parents can come alongside their students, prepare them for the journey, and support them throughout this major transition.

Now available on Amazon in most parts of the world. Please email me at tina.quick8490@gmail.com or tinaquick@comcast.net for bulk discounts which have been popular for international schools. If you find this second edition useful, please post a review on Amazon and share this press release with your networks.

I am also working to make available a new Training of Trainers course based on this new edition to help counselors and others working with TCKs put on their own school/organization workshops for the university transition, TCKs, transitions in general and more. Watch this space!

Tina Quick is a cross-cultural trainer, writer, and international speaker. Often referred to the “Transitions Expert,” Tina is also the author of "Survive and Thrive: The International Student’s Guide to Succeeding in the U.S."

As an organisation that welcomes researchers from around the world, the Expatriate Archive Centre (EAC) seeks high-quality academic works that improve our understanding of expatriate life. Expatriates as a group tend to ‘fall through the cracks’ when it comes to being represented in official government archives, as well as in global migration studies. With the EAC Thesis Award, we wish to support critical scholarship at the master's degree level that endeavours to shift and expand understandings of what an 'expatriate' is.

The deadline for the 2022 EAC Thesis Award is 31 March 2022. Please visit the EAC website for more information about thesis criteria, jurors, and how to apply.

Kristine Racina is the director of the Expatriate Archive Centre, a non-profit archive in the Netherlands with a global outreach.

In April 2021 author, Helen Ellis of DistanceFamilies.com published the successful, Being a Distance Grandparent – a Book for ALL Generations.

“Helen’s book was a huge comfort read. As a distance grandparent I often feel a disconnect with local grandparents, but this book filled in all the gaps.”

In 2022 Helen will publish, Being a Distance Son or Daughter – a Book for ALL Generations.

FIGT members will relate to this title: this is you. When guilt of the left behind family is such a dominant emotion for expats and migrants, this book will give YOU comfort, and as the reviewer above says, "fill in some gaps.”

Also coming in 2022 is the audio book version of Being a Distance Grandparent, narrated by Helen.

Like to be kept informed? Please register for the monthly newsletter.

Helen Ellis, M.A. is a New Zealand researcher, author, anthropologist, veteran of Distance Parenting/Grandparenting and the Founder of DistanceFamilies.com. Through her book series she helps ALL generations of Distance Families understand "how it is" for the other. This creates empathy which is a good thing for Distance Families. www. distancefamilies.com

Help your third culture kids build ongoing friendships and get consistent debriefing with TCK Club!

TCK Club by Kaleidoscope is for globally mobile kids ages 7-16 and is just as mobile as you are! Join a 6 week session and connect with third culture kids all over the world for one hour a week. Get started with TCK 101 to learn all about culture, identity and healthy transitions then choose from a variety of Clubs that are offered by theme (like dance, games and even computer coding).

There are three ways to join the Club:

1. Do you have third culture kids ages 7-16? Get them registered for the next TCK Club session, starting July 26
2. Do you have a TCK 16 and up? Encourage them to apply to be a volunteer TCK Club leader!
3. Looking for new and creative ways to connect with third culture kids yourself? Join the TCK Club team as a contracted, expert leader.

Kaleidoscope celebrates every third culture journey. TCK Club has a spot for you and your kids!

Jessi is a TCK, just like your kids. She started Kaleidoscope from her own desire for better community and consistent debrief during her mobile childhood. Jessi loves using creativity to help TCKs process their unique stories. Visit kldscp.org to find out how.

The first of a three-book series - the 'how it is' of Distance Familying from the parent/grandparent's perspective. With understanding comes empathy... and empathy is a good thing for Distance Families. Available via the FIGT Bookstore.

Helen Ellis is a New Zealand researcher, writer, anthropologist and a veteran of Distance Grandparenting. She is the Founder of DistanceFamilies.com and is an encourager of empathy within intergenerational, Distance Families. 

Anne Copeland, PhD, the founder and director of The Interchange Institute is announcing two opportunities for emerging and experienced interculturalists:

(1) A new online survey, Building and Nurturing Your Intercultural Career, focuses on how you got started doing intercultural work, what you’ve tried to do to promote our work and/or small business, and what worked and what didn’t. Please be part of this global survey by completing it and sharing the link with your community – the more respondents, the more helpful for all.

(2) We’ve announced our upcoming schedule for our training of trainers course, Crossing Cultures with Competence, both on line and (in the fall, in compliance with health advisories) in person. Many in the FIGT community have found this course an important stepping stone for launching their careers.

Next up: May 21 and 24-27, 2021.

See interchangeinstitute.org for details.

Anne Copeland, PhD, is founder and director of The Interchange Institute. She is a researcher and an intercultural psychologist, and former FIGT Program Chair and board member. interchangeinstitute.org

*You are looking for ways to amplify how you serve expats but you don’t know where to start.

*You’re ho-hum about your products and services because they seem invisible in an oversaturated market.

*You’re tired of the solopreneur grind because you can’t get ahead and need a breakthrough. FAST.

*You’re frustrated because you feel you’re wasting time and money creating content that doesn’t grab attention.

*You’re unmotivated because you lack a clear action plan, and there’s no one to hold you accountable.

*You’re insecure about your business operations because you’re not confident they’re efficient.

The excuse factory is closed. Empower yourself with Expat Coach Coalition, a methodology you can trust, be proud of, and that can provide you with financial independence for years to come -- regardless of where you live!

Expat Coach Coalition is more than a program, it is a community diverse exceptional solopreneurs working remotely around the world.

Our coaches have experience in Africa, Europe, North America, Middle East, and Asia. We fuse our individual superpowers into one international coaching dream fleet and we’re looking forward to adding coaches from even more locations!

After more than a decade of professional experience in the global mobility landscape as an intercultural strategist and solution-oriented coach, Sundae Schneider-Bean is sharing her proven methods, materials, and secrets for success to bring much-needed resources and support to our community right when they need us the most.

This is the first book written in Portuguese for anyone who is moving internationally or is supporting families in global transition. A practical guide and filled with real histories, it is a useful and fun book to have.

Guia prático para quem pretende se mudar para um novo país escrito por duas brasileiras com muita experiência no assunto. O livro traz dicas, depoimentos, indicações de leitura, sites de referência e uma pequena lista de prestadores de serviço que ajudarão o leitor em cada etapa do processo de transição internacional – desde a tomada de decisão até a formação de um lar em qualquer país do mundo. Uma ferramenta preciosa para quem pretende se lançar nessa aventura.

Carolina is a multi-cultural international transition coach, an author, and a seasoned expat. She serves international individuals and families through one on one sessions, works with corporations to support their expats, and is available for public speaking engagements. Carolina is a former board member of FIGT and currently serves as the co-leader for the FIGT Brazil Affiliate. 

Carolina é uma coach internacional multi-cultural, autora e expatriada de longa duração. Ela trabalha através de sessões individuais com pessoas vivendo fora de seus países de origem, apoia empresas e seus expatriados e esta disponível para apresentações e workshops. Carolina foi diretora da FIGT e hoje eh co-lider do Afiliados Brasil.

This workbook addresses the multitude of challenges that need to be mastered in order to find a job in another country as a migrant or expat spouse.

By giving step-by-step guidance and hands-on exercises to complete within each chapter, the book is an engaging professional tool that is clear, easy-to-use, and practical. While providing technical guidance and self-development tactics, the workbook also provides intercultural insights about why the Swiss labour market is often perceived as “more difficult to crack” than other labour markets.

"Switzerland" is an example for a destination where many migrants and expat spouses would look for a job. Most of the exercises are valid in any cultural context and in other expatriates hubs such as Dubai or Singapore too.

Angie Weinberger is a global mobility coach. She coaches expats and their partners through her programs. Angie has always worked in international human resources, specializing in global mobility throughout her corporate career. In 2012 she founded Global People Transitions. Angie is the author of The Global Career Workbook and The Global Mobility Workbook.