ExpatLives
Behind
the
Scene

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

I have lived abroad for most of my adult life - 7 different countries across 4 continents. I have studied abroad, I have worked abroad, I have been an accompanying expat partner abroad aka. Family Manager, and I have gotten married, had children, and raised them abroad. Professionally. I have coached, trained, and helped people from all over to thrive as expats and international assignees through non-profit, international organisations and schools, as a cross-cultural consultant and as a coach.​ It is simply one of my greatest passions to ease life for people from all 4 corners of the world. For me, life abroad adds that extra spice and a tiny bid of adventure to everyday life.

However, everyone who has lived abroad knows that as amazing as it can be, it can also be hard 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 culture, while missing familiar faces and safe surroundings. It is always 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, adventure and wonderful people. I've had 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, the reasons behind it all, 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 we lived abroad, I was "paid" in love and appreciation from my family. Some days that was plenty - other days I felt like a housekeeper 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 internationals 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 began my coaching journey and got certified as a Life Coach, Business Coach and Personality Type Coach.​

Personally, I moved to Canada in as a young women on my own, then to work and study in France. With my then boyfriend (now husband) I followed him to Taiwan. Back to Denmark where we had our first born, moved to Sweden, had out second child and got married before moving to Spain. I have since repatriated to Denmark with my husband and our two boys, now teenagers, while I enjoy a break from expat life - and still miss it every day. Oh, the joys of life!

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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 and helping expats and expat spouses/accompanying partners online and off line 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 Cross-Cultural Trainer,

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                                                                                           - Helene

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