ARE YOU READY TO THRIVE IN SWITZERLAND?
I know from experience that expat life can be challenging. Sign up for a free sample coaching session with me to learn more about what coaching can do for you!
HOW CAN I HELP YOU THRIVE AS AN EXPAT?
Rediscover who you are
Dreading the 'so what do you do' question?
Living abroad can make you feel like you've lost your identity, especially when you are not working.
Let's explore together what a fulfilling life looks like for you.
Get into the groove
Many of us expats feel isolated and find it hard to get a rhythm to our days.
Let me be your sparring partner, accountability buddy, and cheerleader while you take steps to fill your life with an inspiring occupation, an amazing group of local friends, a thriving relationship and whatever else you need to get you grooving!
Overcome your inner critics
Your mindset is key. We all have little voices in our head that tell us that we're not smart, strong or worthy enough to make friends, get a job and feel at home abroad.
Let's overcome these inner critics voices and reconnect with your confidence - it will change everything about your expat experience!
MY PERSONAL EXPAT JOURNEY
When my husband told me he wanted to move to San Francisco to pursue his passion for tech, I was not amused.
I had been living in the Netherlands for my whole life and loved it there. I had a wonderful group of friends, was working as a M&C director in sustainability, and cherished living close to our parents.
Why on earth would I want to become a trailing spouse on the other side of the planet?
And yet, there was a part of me that was excited about the opportunity to find out who I would become in a world where nobody knew me, where nobody expected anything of me.
It took me a year of working with a coach to let go of my trailing spouse prejudices and nurture the excitement I started to feel about an overseas adventure.
And so we moved in 2015, and I had no big career plan, and knew no-one in San Francisco. But thanks to my coach, I had an open mind, and was ready to get myself out there.
I could have never imagined what happened next.
I joined all kinds of events, jumped on volunteering opportunities and even met people through a Tinder-for-professionals app (because apps are the solutions for everything in San Francisco).
And through that, I found myself co-authoring a book with 100 stories of homeless people, worked at IDEO (top 5 global design firm) and taught at UC Berkeley.
And then, 4 years and two beautiful daughters later, we decided it was time to move back to Europe, to Zurich this time.
Although I was more at peace with my trailing spouse status this time, my prejudices focused on the city itself. I was sure it would be boring, and it would be hard to connect with the Swiss as they are known to be withdrawn.
And again, I was proven wrong.
We moved to Zurich right before the pandemic. And while lockdown makes every city a lot more boring, my life here has been far from dull. I launched the WOMEN’S HUB Zurich together with my partner Nele Cluver, and have been offering 1:1 and group coaching to clients all over the world. Zurich, its beautiful surroundings and the wonderful people I’ve met here already have a big place in my heart.
Do you think it’s possible for you to thrive in your new environment too? I do.
And I’d love to guide you on the journey!
You can read more about me and my approach to coaching on my homepage.
If you’re curious about how coaching can be beneficial for you, schedule a free sample coaching session now to learn more about my 1:1 and group coaching offerings, or read more about the group coaching program for expats I lead with Barbara Rijntjes here.
