ExpatLivesBehind the Scenes

Hi there – I’m Helene, and I am a certified Life Coach, Cross-Cultural Trainer and founder of ExpatLives.

I have lived abroad for most of my adult life - in 7 different countries. I have studied abroad, I have worked abroad, I have been an expat spouse abroad aka. Family Manager, and I have gotten married, had children, and raised them abroad. Professionally, I have helped, trained, and coached people from all around the world to thrive as expats and international assignees through int. organisations and schools, as a cross-cultural consultant and finally as a coach.​ I simply love everything that relates to living in other cultures and meeting people from all over the world. For me, life abroad adds an extra spice and a tiny bid of adventure to everyday life.

However, everyone who has lived or is living abroad knows that as amazing as it can be, it is also hard and sometimes difficult work. Especially moving abroad as a family, where everyone has different needs and wishes, we have to learn a new language, build a new network for ourselves and sometime for our children too. At the same time we are trying to understand a new and foreign culture, while missing familiar faces and safe surroundings. It is not an easy ride, I know!​

I have been there! Been through the preparation phase with lots of big decisions to make and all the excitement and nervousness at the same time. I have experienced culture shock, loneliness, frustration, and sadness - all mixed up with great experiences and adventure and wonderful people. I have great friends, and yet felt lonely. I have had lots to do, and yet not known what to do. I have been frustrated with systems that didn’t make sense in my head, and I have had people who stared back at me with a blank face, when I tried so hard to be understood in a language that was not my own. But I also came to love every single place and culture we lived in, and it was all worthwhile the hard work and difficult times, by far!​

I ended up thriving in all the countries I/we lived in because I walked my own talk. I knew I needed to do something that was specifically for me, so I could be the best version of myself in order to help the rest of the family thrive. I decided actively to learn about the cultures, not just read the local guidebook or Culture Shock book. I needed to understand why the locals behaved and communicated as they did, so it didn’t drive my crazy. I needed to learn where the biggest gaps were between my home culture and the culture I was living in, and maybe most importantly: I needed to find out who I was as an expat and accompanying partner. Both with and without a job, a professional one paid in actual money. As for half of the years abroad I was "paid" in love and appreciation from my family. Some days that was plenty, other days I felt like a maid in my own family. That’s when I needed to look inwards and re-discover my identity as an expat spouse.

What did I need so I could thrive, what were my values and priorities, what were some hobbies that would be fun and give me energy, what would I like my/our life to look like – realistically. I turned to people who could help me, mentor me, teach me and coach me. Professionals, who had the tools, and it opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me and indirectly for my family. Eventually, I ended up being that person other expats and expat partners turned to.​

Professionally, I oversaw a cultural department running workshops and trainings for expats and international organisations. I worked as a consultant to international companies with their expats families, policies and everything that related to expatriation and repatriation, and coaching slowly became a big part of my work, which is when I finally got certified through Sofia Manning Institute in Denmark.​ I have since repatriated to Denmark with my husband and our two boys, now teenagers, and I have helped others with the mental journey of a smooth repatriation.

To sum it up; I have lived and helped with all possible sides of expat life. The ups, the downs, and the sideways. And believe it or not - I have loved it all! Not least, because of all the experiences and where I am today, but equally important: all the people I get to meet and support on their expat journey.​

My journey is not over yet - will it ever be? I hope not, but for now, we are back in Denmark for a while, and our boys are setting roots in the country they are citizens of. Meanwhile, I feel so lucky and privileged to be able to continue working online and helping expats and expat spouses/accompanying partners with their journey all over the world. ​Let me know, if there is anything I can do for you.​

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       Your Expat Coach and Cultural Trainer,

         - Helene