News From Our Members

#FIGTSponsor BAMBI regularly produce a beautiful digital magazine for their members.  This edition featured FIGT and the upcoming conference in Bangkok among other detailed and informative articles.  We look forward to learning more about BAMBI at #FIGT2019.

Click here, or on the image above, to read the article

#FIGTMember Lucy Greenwood, #FIGTMember David Hodson and #FIGTMember Jennifer Patterson are gathering feedback in advance of their FIGT Conference Early Bird Forum, How to Help You and Your Business Thrive Financially Through Good Times and Bad on Sunday, April 28th, 8:15-9:45 am. 

After listening to various FIGT conference delegates and FIGT members over a number of years Lucy, David and Jennifer all heard the increasing demand for different professional advisers to help FIGT members better understand some of the practical financial and legal aspects of living in so many countries. FIGT members have asked questions about the best way of keeping track of their various assets including pensions scattered around the world, what special financial planning their lifestyles require, about tax issues affecting them or their entrepreneurial businesses as well as the impact of separation or divorce on their legal rights in different countries.

It is for this reason that for the first time at the upcoming FIGT conference in Bangkok #FIGT2019 there will be a panel session of just such professional advisers (financial, tax and international family lawyers) addressing international aspects of your personal or business financial arrangements and how to thrive through good times or bad.

We want to make this session as helpful and actionable as possible for FIGT members and attendees. To achieve this we need to hear from you. Please take 3 minutes to tell us about the issues you want addressed so that we to can better inform other FIGT members who are likely to share or have similar concerns or questions.

The survey is anonymous. No contact information will be collected, and your responses will only be shared with the panelists so that they can coordinate content. Further, the panelists will not use or disseminate the information collected outside of the panel presentation.

Lucy Greenwood is a partner at iFLG (The International Family Law Group LLP) based in London, and has specialised exclusively in family law for over 20 years. She has a broad depth of knowledge in resolving family law issues for international families. She is conscientious, meticulous and always ensures her clients are protected as much as possible from the rigors of litigation. The Legal 500 described Lucy as 'accurate, commercial and fast', in previous years she was ranked as a 'Leading Individual'. Lucy writes for websites, legal journals, presents seminars and lectures for the legal profession around the world. She is also a member of various professional groups which look after the interests of international families. IFLG advise complicated international cases, involving jurisdiction issues, finances and children issues including child maintenance and its enforcement.

David Hodson OBE, MCIArb is co-founder and Partner at International Family Law Group. A highly experienced family law dispute resolution specialist, especially involving international elements or complex assets, in 2014 David was appointed an OBE for “Services to International Family Law." David is a mediator, arbitrator, Deputy District Judge at The Central Family Court in London and an Australian solicitor and barrister. He is Visiting Professor at the University of Law and Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Leicester. He is the primary author of “The International Family Law Practice,” the leading textbook for practitioners and is co-author of “When Cupid's Arrow Crosses National Boundaries: A Guide for International Families." David writes extensively on family law and speaks at conferences internationally.

Jennifer Patterson. After discovering that her professional training was in reality perpetuating an outdated model and failing consumers, Jennifer Patterson created a new model for life and wealth in today’s global village and delivered it in her best-seller Financial Planning for Global Living. On a mission to close the gap between what global families need and the ability of regulated financial services firms to serve, she founded the Cross Border Living Institute to teach cross-border technical and practice related topics to practitioners and be the hub where the globally mobile go for the information, tools and training they need to thrive both today and tomorrow. She is also the founder of Patterson Partners, an independent advisory firm specializing in cross-border tax and financial planning. Jennifer has lived overseas over half her life, is the proud mama of two tri-nationals.

'This Messy Mobile Life: How a MOLA can help globally mobile families create a life by design' is the debut book by #FIGTMember, Mariam Ottimofiore. She is pleased to announce its international book launch in Bangkok, Thailand.

Copies of 'This Messy Mobile Life' will be available for purchase in the Conference Bookstore.

Tina Quick, author of "The Global Nomad's Guide to University Transition" and "Survive and Thrive: The International Student's Guide to Succeeding in the U.S." will be delivering a two-day Training of Trainers course at NIST International School, Bangkok, Thailand April 24 & 25, 2019. A 15% discount will be offered to anyone who also registers for the Families in Global Transition 2019 conference April 26-28 at the same venue.

The "Transitioning Successfully for University" Training of Trainers Program is structured for individuals and organizations working with adolescent third culture kids (TCKs), cross-cultural kids (CCKs) and international students and their families, whether they are making the college / university transition or repatriating to their home country. 

Tina Quick is a cross-cultural trainer, author, and international speaker. Often referred to as the “Transitions Expert,” Tina is the founder of International Family Transitions, a consultancy with a focus on empowering individuals, students and families to successfully negotiate international relocations through cultural training, seminars, and workshops.

Stanford Online High School (OHS) is very excited to join Families in Global Transition as a Corporate Member.

A selective, independent school for grades 7-12, Stanford OHS serves a worldwide community of academically talented and intellectually curious students with placement by ability. Dedicated instructors, of whom 65% hold PhDs, help students pursue their passions in real-time, online, college-style classes. Through these vibrant seminars, the rigorous curriculum challenges students to reason analytically, think creatively, and argue critically. 

Complete with a robust student life, academic advisors, and counselors, the supportive environment fosters independence, strength of character, and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge while students cultivate lasting friendships. Stanford OHS also offers students the flexibility to explore other academic and extracurricular endeavors with options to enroll full-time, part-time, or single course.

Applications are currently open with the following admissions deadlines: January 16, 2019 for Round 1 and March 15, 2019 for Round 2. To learn more, please visit https://ohs.stanford.edu.

#FIGTMember Lindy Chapman is gathering feedback from relocation clients around the world to share with the relocation industry about what is done well--and how the process needs to evolve to better serve today's consumer.

As a former relocation client, we experienced both excellent as well as underwhelming service that made all the difference in the success of our transition.

Your feedback will be beneficial as I seek to help the industry become more aware of the challenges and where the process falls short in order to better serve families undergoing a transition to a new city, country, or repatriating 'home.'

To assist her, please complete and share her survey.

Lindy Chapman’s passion for teaching consumers how to successfully navigate the changing real estate industry and educating Realtors on the unique needs of the relocation client stems from her own experience moving throughout the US and internationally. She is seeking feedback from Expats to demonstrate the need for a relocation training she is creating to provide those who have never moved a better understanding of the unique needs of the relocation family.

ATTENTION! Expats, Expats Partners, Digital Nomads, Online Entrepreneurs
Our new Free Virtual Summit is coming up on November 5th!

If you liked the last year summit, Take Your Career With You, you will love this one, as we are going to explore how you can actually achieve results in your portable career and online business without being overwhelmed with all the info out there.

• Do you want to thrive in your portable career and business and FINALLY get results?
• Do you feel overwhelmed with ALL the Information out there about how to create a successful online business?
• Are you an expat, globally mobile woman who want to create a portable career/business around your international life?

And the best part is that this global online event is absolutely free!

Our interviews will reveal:

• How to build and grow your own portable career or business without burning out and being overwhelmed
  
• Get crystal clear about what is your purpose and message, and how to communicate it to your ideal clients
  
• Shift Your Energy And Mindset To get results in alignment with your desired lifestyle
  
• Learn and Apply Effortless Success strategies to get you to market your portable career/business and drawn your dream clients to you
  
• And much more

We are starting on the November 5th and you can book your FREE Spot Here: 


Effortless Success means taking inspired action, creating flow, and following strategies aligned to your own personalised style.

Dominika Miernik is an award-winning Career and Expat Coach, with over 15 years of living and working abroad, mainly in Italy and the UK. She helps expat and globally mobile women to create a fulfilling career and business around their international life.

Arriving Well: Stories of Identity, Belonging and Rediscovering Home After Living Abroad is launched on Amazon!

If you know anyone who would be interested go ahead and share it with them. And please write a review on Amazon once you've read it (which I know will be soon!).

Doreen Cumberford is a Speaker, Author and Coach. She loves to help expats, travellers and globals make smoother, more joyful transitions between countries. She specializes in re-entry and returning home. 

 “This book is a great ‘how to’ for anyone considering a global move. Katia Vlachos highlights the need for leaders to pay as much attention to planning for potential lifestyle, support system and cultural changes as they do for taking the new role. Neglecting to do this can lead to unhappiness and frustration in the initial stages of the move, potential under performance and, in extreme cases, even failure in the new job.”

Alan Watts, President, Asia-Pacific, Hilton

About the book

In 2017, there will be almost 57 million expatriates worldwide. While the number of corporate expat assignments is growing steadily, these are expensive and fail all too often for avoidable reasons. Many expats move with minimal preparation, unrealistic expectations, and are left with insufficient resources to deal with the practical and emotional implications of a move. The result: failed moves, stressed families and damaged careers.

This book addresses a growing need to prepare people for making successful moves. Adjusting to a new environment and culture, immersing oneself into a new life – both professional and private – navigating culture shock, defining and maintaining a sense of home; these are all big challenges.

“An amazingly complete book that looks at the needs of adults as well as children in any global move. It includes thoughtful advice wise movers must consider in order to maintain emotional and physical balance during this time. A Great Move is replete with solid, practical suggestions for what all members of the family can do to not only move well, but also thrive in the new place. For all those planning to move, this book is invaluable.” 

Ruth E Van Reken, co-author of Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds

The author

Katia’s professional background is in policy analysis. She holds a master’s degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a PhD from the RAND Corporation. Katia is a seasoned expat herself, having lived in eight cities, seven countries and three continents in the past 20 years, and currently lives in Zurich, Switzerland. Contact Katia.

Build on your life experience and existing intercultural skills to learn how to develop and deliver top-notch, well-grounded cultural orientations for people moving from one country to another. Leave with new insights, honed skills and a full kit of materials, ready to take this next step in your career. Sept 20-21 in Boston. Oct 3-4 in Dublin. Dec 3-4 in Washington, DC.

Contact us at copeland@interchangeinstitute.org to inquire about attending our workshop in 2018.

Submitted by Anne Copeland, PhD, the Executive Director of The Interchange Institute. Anne served on the FIGT board and as Program Director of FIGT for 10 years. She has trained over 400 people around the globe through her Crossing Cultures courses.