My biggest regret is that I didn’t keep a detailed diary. I met so many colorful people and saw so many exotic places, it’s a shame I don’t have a personal, written record of those amazing times. My mother told me to, but I was simply too lazy at night to do it. Read more
Tag Archive for Nail Down
23
Feb 2012
The First Week (4)
I can still hear the echo of my footsteps on the lovely marble floors in my Swiss apartment. I had just arrived, and there was no furniture to buffer the clatter. I felt quite alone. —Jackie, Alcon Read more
19
Feb 2012
The First Week (3)
• Experience your new home. Through this first week, and throughout your international adventure, explore your surroundings. Get a feel for the place, and make your first diary entry. Stroll the streets; visit local museums and other tourist attractions; read the local newspaper in a park, and watch the people go by. Read more
15
Feb 2012
The First Week (2)
• Make sure you have at least one local contact. There are some things that only a native can help you with, specifically in terms of cultural awareness and understanding. Your office may assign you someone to assist in this capacity. If not, perhaps someone in your office or a friend of an expat can serve as this guide. It’s preferable if your local guide has some firsthand understanding of where you’re literally coming from. Read more
11
Feb 2012
The First Week
• Nail down your personal must-haves. For some people a hair salon, a massage therapist, an aerobics class, or a particular brand of tea or coffee may be critical to begin feeling “at home.” You might think these things are trivial, and perhaps to some extent they are. Read more